The Steel Guitar Forum

Tommy Young, The reason I chose 40 miles is because I thought that may be the maximum distance anyone would travel to do a one night gig but I could be wrong, as some people are pretty enthusiastic. Also, we tend not to rub elbows with people that live beyond a 40 mile radius.

Hey Frederic, It seems that the French have something going, keep spreading the "Pedal Steel Guitar Gospel".

I know a few, maybe 6 that can really play and that gig with good bands & live within 40 miles.
There are a couple more I know of but never met or heard play and probably a whole bunch of owners.

40 Miles? Try 4 miles. Maybe less. I know there's a steel player that close to me because I met him yesterday ad Jim Palenscar's shop, 90 miles away.

I met another player who used to live 5 miles from me (he subsequently moved to Texas) in the elevator at the hotel during the convention in St Louis. if we had taken the elevator at different times, we might never have met.

Mark,I was watching CNN and they showed a snow storm in Denton unbelievable!I played at a wedding in Concan West Texas about a month ago,It was great to be back in the land of brisket.

Stu,

It looked like Alaska here the last few days. Snow in March is just about unheard of but we got between 9-10"
20 miles North of Fort Worth.

Mark E.,

Here's some you didn't think of

Mickey Adams
Bobby Green
Danny Naccarato
Ron Stafford
Sonny Morris
Ray Austin
Jim Smith
Billy McCoy
Ted Solesky

We have a few in this area, Charles Davidson, Neal Owens, Bruce Etter, John Thompson and Myself

Zero...zilch. If you widen the radius to 100 miles, same story. There was a guy who bought one about a three hour drive from here...not sure how he made out. I'm in the Siberia of steel guitars.

Hey Bob Miller, if there are any bars or clubs in your 100 radius, you ought to be able to get some work, with no competition to deal with...you could even get by with playing the SGR.

I'll Play.

Herb Steiner
Danny Hawk
Neil Flanz
Cindy Cashdollar
Eddie Rivers
Scott Walls
Marty Muse
Mike Hardwick
Lloyd Maines
Bobby Birdsong
Don Pawlak
Bert Rivera
Dave Biller
John Russell
Tommy Spurlock
Jim Loessberg
Roy Glaze
Jon Jaffe
Bobby Snell
Nathan Fleming
Ethan Shaw
Bobby Horton
and, of late, Buzz Evans


And these guys who frequent Austin,
Tommy Detamore
Steve Palousek
Ricky Davis
Not to mention the San Antonio guys.

And probably a bunch I don't know and left out.

Thanks to Dave Biller for the additions.

Bob Miller??...I assume you mean me Brad. We get a few gigs locally but they're far between. Not much market for bands anywhere near. I was hoping to get a bit of time in a small independant studio that opened locally but after a big build up the owner never called. Bummer. The experience would have been fun.

Bill Miller, Yes I did mean you..sorry

Dick How in the world did I forget guys like Ted Solesky, Ron Stafford...Ted actually taught me quite a few licks...and Ron Stafford is not only one heck of a steel player that dude smokes em on lead guitar as well...I have not had the pleasure of meeting Mickey, Danny, Sonny, Billy or Jim but I'm sure I've missed more steelers in this general area....Dick we are so blessed to have so many steelers within a rocks throw....

Man Texas...It's like a whole other planet

Ok Dick/Mark..... here's a few more.....

Steve Baker
Bill Buntin
Rooster Crow (ok, Brownwood)
Jeff Evans
John Gettes (Cowboys Arlington.... FOREVER)
Junior Knight
Jim Lindsey (formerly Ty Herndon)
Charlie Norris
David Norris (Sonny Burgess)
Randy Palmore (Abilene)
Chris Schlotzhauer (Derailers)
Buddy Stevens
Albert Talley
Cecil Tippet
James Wood
Slim Yamaguchi (Chesnutt)

Well, 40 mile radius from B77 4ET (Tamworth) would probably have at least half a dozen, but shame on me.. I can only name 2, Richard Burton and Jamie Lennon..

But then again there are MANY more than that who own steel guitars and just sit behind them.. as for the players, maybe somewhere between 6 and 10..

Well, I don't know them all, but maybe some of them can chime in with others;
Don Curtis and Scotty, of course,
Dave Alley,
Pat Heller,
Scott Shwartz,
Duane Dunnard,
Brad Sarno, and
help me out guys!
JP

Well 40 miles will barely get you to town from the ranch here but I'll name a couple that would fall within a 40 mile stretched. How's 'bout:

Bobby Tuttle--San Angelo
Bobby Rountree--San Angelo
Emmett Roach--Hill Country
Richie Dell--Big Spring
Carson Wells--He not only makes 'em but he does the Segovie dealie
Doyle (Shady) Mitchell--one of my best friends from Loraine Texas. Don't know whether he's a better singer, songwriter, producer or Steel player but he won't take a back seat to any genre you pick.

Phred

A roughly 40 mile radius around State College includes places like Altoona, Huntingdon, Mount Union, Lewistown, Lock Haven, Jersey Shore, and Clearfield. With some thought, I can put together 12, plus a couple of younger guys in town here who are just starting up.

Close to State College:
Gene Fye (played with Hank Williams in the late 40s)
Carl Houtz
Dan Yeaney
Janice Brooks
Joe Eisenhart
Noah Figlin
Jason McIntyre
Dave Sarge
and myself

Altoona:
Kim Metzger
Art Payne

Huntingdon:
Jim Wilson

Houtzdale:
John Bumbarger

Lewistown:
Donald Walters

There may well be more out there. It's enough that we really need to get together one of these days. I've been too busy to organize it. Whole days just haven't been coming up lately. Mebbe this summer when the fish are jumpin', the cotton's high, and the livin' is easy.

[Edited to add Dave Sarge. Dave hasn't been playing actively in recent years, but he definitely does play.]

Dave,Wayne Addleman who plays for Trace Atkins is from State College.Not sure if he still has a place there?

Hey Bill Miller,
I am kind of in the same boat here. There is one other guy in town who plays an old single neck BMI pretty well.

I heard there is a player in Sidney, and maybe one in Miles City. There must be a few in Billings and at least one in Greatfalls, but as far as 40 mile radius there is one other player. No more, no less.

Joe

Well, right here in Walton, NY we have yours truly,
Larry Jamieson - Country Express band
Bobby Hulse - Hulse Brothers band
Bob Bird - used to play out, now mostly retired. He sits in for me on occasion.
About 20 miles out in Treadwell, NY,
Bobby Utter - Country Blend band.
I also know of a retired player in Oneonta, NY about 25 miles away, Stan Fish.

I also know of other players a bit farther than the 40 mile mark: Bobby Brocius in Kingston, NY, Todd Kapaghien in Vestal, NY and Bunny Fauss in South New Berlin, NY. Bobby and Bunny both play in bands.
Larry Jamieson

Stu - yeah, Wayne's definitely from the area. I don't know if he has a place here, but I'm pretty sure he's been based in Nashville for a pretty long time now. I've known his brother-in-law Bill Ziegler - a good local guitar player - for most of the 20 years I've been here. I've seen Wayne on visits here from time to time over the years.

Wayne played locally here for years. Good steel player, also a good guitar player and musician in general.

Don Bierstedt-Jeff Thompson Band
Jerry Blanton-Jody Jenkins
Gordon Borland-Straight Shot
Butch Cornwell
Bobby Darteman
Vernon Doege-Shadows
Tommy Detamore
Mike Ester
Roger Edgington-Billy Mata
Tony Frankoviac-Cactus Country
Richard Gibson
Randy Gilliam-Bruce Hudson
Dave Goodman-Burgandy
Kenny Grohman-Todd Fritch
Larry Horwedel-Metheny Bros.
Greg Holland-Jim Byrom
Sonny Jenkins
Mike Kowalik
Joe Long
Vernon Luza-Country Tradition
Jason Longoria
Denny Mathis-Two Tons of Steel
Jerry Millian-Jay Eric
Terrel O Neil-Chris Storey
Don Pack-Slim Roberts
Rick Price-Jake Hooker
Randy Reinhard-Bobby Flores
Cody Schmidt-Shawn Allen
Mark Stevens-Rick Cavender
Reggie Whitten-Steel Bros.

Lots of steelers. Lots of Bands. Lots of Sat. nights at home.