The Steel Guitar Forum

I'm just coming to meet all of you, my guitar won't fit in the Mustang but the girl friend will.

It was the best, I was just an observer but it was truely like heaven. thanks to all that played, my ears are very happy.

Hats off to Larry Behm and the wonderful guys in the house band and the entire staff at the M&M Restaurant in Gresham, Oregon.

Must've been about 35-40 steel players and all seemed to have a great experience.

Folks came from Florence and Lincoln City, Oregon, as well as Yakima and Everett, Washington. Lots of driving involved here and heard not a word of disappointment among them.

THANKS GUYS!

That was fun!

For me it was the best one I've been at. I just got to visit with a lot of people that have helped me in the last year, and that I love very much.

I remember maybe 20 years ago I waltzed in with my cut offs still wet from my daily bath at the river, and had just as much fun.

That "Miller" Steel seemed to be the "star of the show" however. What a rig that was!

Also a great shock was that Willard, Harley's Drummer with The Buckles has only gotten a LITTLE bit better than Harley....

If my memory was better, I'd have enough stuff to work on from sitting in between Larry Behm, and Doug Jones for another year or two...

As it is, I'm just going to give up and plug in my Tele...

Ray too, and the "Lap Steel Mafia" made a great show. Seemed like the band taylored the volume for those of us that didn't bring Session 500s too!.

I'll be getting a CD of pix that the guy with the fancy camera took here on Thansiving, unless somebody else does first.

Great to see and hear Tony Glassman and that beautiful "Cooped" Sho~BUd!

Also MORE STEEL PLAYERS than I ever remember showing up to play!

Looking forward to another few of these..

Thanks to all those that showed up from this worn out old bottom feeder..



EJL

Folks that bottom feeder posting above is one hell of a steel player and has a heart as big as Texas.

We have officially out grown our regular venues, we need to find a new (much bigger) place to play.

It is great to see the young players getting out there and going for it, their hard work is paying off.

A big thanks to Ronny B, Pete and Bob and Tim for the "band".

We had a half dozen guys that did not set up, the northwest IS steel guitar heaven.

Larry Behm

Just wanted to publicly thank Larry and Harley for keeping us NW steelers together. Fine players all around and the nicest people you'd ever meet. Lots of fun!

Bob Littleton
West Coast Steel Guitar

Man that sounds like fun. I had too much going on this weekend, but one of these times...

I'd love to meet all you Oregonians!

Brian

Yeah, there were steel players 3 deep in some places! Maybe we'll have to do an early show and a late show next time!

I'm bummed i missed this also. Just too much going on for me as well. Sounds like it was an especially good one!

Just want to say thanks to Larry and Harley for putting this great event together.


Rick

Yes, Kudos to all involved.
Who was the guy with the new Blackjack?

THAT ONE OF YOU PROS LIKE LARRY, HARLEY , DOUG , ,ERIC,ROBBIN. SHOW A LITTLE DISPLAY OF HOW A STEEL SHOULD BACK UP A SINGER. AND ALSO JUST PAD AND NOT COMPETE WITH ANOTHER LEAD INSTURMENT WHILE HE IS DOING HIS PART.A LOT OF THE NEW PLAYERS NEED THIS AND SOME OF US OLD PLAYERS. THIS WOULD ONLY TAKE A FEW MIN IN THE EARLY PART OF THE JAM. THAT WAS A GOOD JAM. AND THE BACKUP BAND AS ALWAYS WAS GOOD .AND IT WOULD GREAT IF ALL PLAYERS WOULD THROW IN $5 OR $10 FOR FOR BACKUP THEY DO A LONG HARD SESSION THEY ARE WELL WORTH IT.

I sure hated missing this one! I just couldn't make the trek this time. Sounds like it was a great one!

Well Bill, I could show them how to push a singer until his/her vocal chords bleed, walk over a whole band for a whole song, and even a whole night. Get fired within two songs, make an electric keyboard player think he/she was out of tune, lets see........



EJL

Pete Burak wrote: Who was the guy with the new Blackjack?

That guy sitting behind the BlackJack with the shakey hands and the look of terror on his face was me.

That was pedal steel jam numero uno for me.
Even though I was scared to death I'm really glad I gave it a shot.
I went right back to practicing the very next day.

Rick

Hi Freinds; This is my first time on the Forum and wanted to comment on the Steel Jam in Portland. Many very pro players and met some real fine folks. I played a few times about 10 years ago when it was in Canby. I no longer play pedal steel but went to old school 8 string. I was honored to meet Ray Montee and was just dying to hear him, but the event seems to cater to the newer country stuff, but still good music. I feel kinda bad for the non-pedal guys since they got drowned out in the volume.It is so rare to see a guy play a steel with out pedals that it would be a shame to drive then into extinction. Maybe next year it could be aranged so the soft players could go first, then bring out the big guns ! Hats off to Doug Jones, a real pro player, gentleman, and long time freind. He really went all out to intoduce me to many super nice guys. And his playing just knocked me off my seat ! Hope to see you all next time ! Wayne @ Melelani Steels

Wayne your point is well taken about the non pedal players. Many of them came late and had to sit in the "back row" as the others were already set up. Many of them also have very small amps and it makes them harder to hear.

Having said that we more than welcome the non pedal players, they are part of the brotherhood of steelers in our area. We make sure that they are never overlooked in the rotation and the band quiets down also all can hear them.

We are also very encouraging to the new pedal players and cheer them all on as well, it is never just about the pro players here. Many times the pro players have not even set up their stuff to allow others the opportunity to play.

Harley and I are looking for a larger venue, I am going to talk to the folks at Jubitz Fri night, they have a bar and food and would benefit from our being there on a Sunday.

Wayne so glad to see you again and please come back you will never meet a closer group of guys and gals than you did last Sunday.

We are here for the brotherhood more than the playing, the playing just gets us there.

Larry Behm
503-722-7562

Like Rick said earlier, this was #1 for me too. If I based it on my playing and thinking under pressure, it would be my last attendance. But, it's great friends like Larry that remind me it is about the Brotherhood of Pedal Steel that will keep me hanging in there! I fell in love with the pedal steel many years ago, but only began playing one about 3 years ago. Larry and others accept you, no matter what level you are at, and encourage you in your journey. I am honored that these fine players tolerate and accept me. That says something about the steel community and the instrument, sharing and acceptance. I can't think of a better association to belong to. As for me, last Sunday only makes me more thirsty for psg knowledge. This is Americana at its finest!

If your road gig cancels on you after driving 100's of miles from home, Larry will put you and your band up in his basement and feed you and even loan you gas money to get you back home, I know this to be true, Larry Behm is as good a friend as anyone has a right to ask for, Love you man,
Bill Bailey

I feel kinda bad for the non-pedal guys since they got drowned out in the volume.It is so rare to see a guy play a steel with out pedals that it would be a shame to drive then into extinction.

I noticed too that the band quieted down for those with smaller amps. I only had 50 watts, and they did it for me.

Non Pedal Steel Guitars use amps just like "pedal" guitars. I have never understood why they are thought of as acoustic instruments...

Realizing that a 4-5 piece band is backing you up should make a light come on...

Doug Jones and I had a good conversation the other night.

I hope I can get to the management at Jubitz before anybody else offers to play there and fill their club on Sunday for free. I see no reason that the band couldn't at least get 500$ for bringing in at least 2000$ on an otherwise dead Sunday.

Other than that, it's the only place I can think of that's big enough besides places we'd have to rent like the Saddle Club, in VANWA or the Wagon Wheel.

Also as to "format" it would be nice to have a dozen or so VOLUNTEERS to play "showcase songs", or do "examples" like what Bill mentioned.

It's really easy to make people feel like they are being 'excluded', and even easier to make people feel like they aren't. It just takes some thinking.

Hope to be at several more of these.



EJL