The Steel Guitar Forum

Posted: **24 Jul 2002 6:59 am**

Just an update.... Things seem pretty well in place for the gathering. We're up to 19 planned attendees, so it's becoming more of an 'event'. I set a soft target of 15 players, though additional players have asked to come as non-playing guests. I've suggested to these folks that they bring their rigs (if they want to) just in case we can work them in.

Here's a renowned player in action from a previous jam. Can you guess who?

Posted: **25 Jul 2002 1:05 pm**

Bill, when I click that link, it says the website can't be found.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Posted: **25 Jul 2002 4:15 pm**

Yeah, and it tries to do nasty things to my browser

Posted: **25 Jul 2002 8:54 pm**

Gosh, guys, I'm sorry. This is the doggonedest thing... that MP3 link keeps changing at Yahoo Briefcase where the file is stored. I fixed the above link, and moved the file off Yahoo. Here is the current working link.

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Bill L | My steel page | Email | My music | Steeler birthdays | Over 50?[This message was edited by Bill Llewellyn on 25 July 2002 at 10:07 PM.]

Posted: **26 Jul 2002 11:44 am**

My guess would be Tim McGraw. Just kidding.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

[This message was edited by Richard Sinkler on 26 July 2002 at 12:45 PM.]

Posted: **3 Aug 2002 6:47 pm**

I just got home from this jam session and it was a real blast! I was seated between David Wright and Pete Grant; I felt like the piece of baloney between two slices of real bread.
We had people of all sorts of competency levels, from beginners to professionals. Two people brought laptops with Band in a Box so there was little waiting for new songs. It was fascinating to hear the tonal differences between all the various models of pedal steel. We had many Carters, a couple of MCIs, quite a few Sierras, a Dekley, a Williams, Sho-Buds, etc.
BIG THANKS go out to Bill Llewellyn for setting this up. I can't imagine what the wedding party who was there at the church the same time thought, but I sure had fun.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Posted: **4 Aug 2002 2:42 pm**

It was a fabulous time. As one of the rankest beginners, everyone's friendliness and openness was wonderful. There was some amazing picking going on. Brad was on one side of Pete Grant and I on the other, and we spent some time grinning at each other about what we were hearing.

Hat's off to Bill for organizing a great time!

Posted: **4 Aug 2002 7:07 pm**

I've GOT to apologize to y'all, folks. Two things went altogether wrong in this jam.

First problem: I had more fun than anyone else. This was supposed to be a great time mainly for all the visiting attendees, and I ended up getting the biggest kick out of it of anybody. That's just not fair. I'm sorry!!!! Next time I'll make sure I just mope around and make coffee or something.

Second problem: The Rules & Regulations I set to maintain order and structure were just overtly ignored. Players picked too fast, uses overly dazzling chordal structures, they brought complex steels with too many pedal/lever augmentations, had too many strings, had amps with too many watts, and (most importantly!!) I saw playing done with skill that intimidated the daylights out of me. This kind of behavior is just outrageous, folks. I was warned about how steelers can get! I'll have to think about how I can keep this crew under appropriate control next time.

Posted: **5 Aug 2002 6:10 am**

Bill, sorry I missed the jam but keep me on the list for the next one.

Posted: **5 Aug 2002 7:34 am**

What can I say. It was a total gas.

For me, it was special seeing Pete Grant again. Pete gave me lessons when I first started playing. (He could still give them to me.) but we haven't seen each other since he left L.A. over 29 years ago.

Pete played one tune entirely with the pedals without using the bar, and another entirely with the bar, without touching the pedals. Very cool.

David Wright was great, as usual, and of course Al Vescovo blew everybody's mind. Al is up there in the same league as Buddy and Curly. We were privileged to have him there.

My only complaint was that it didn't last a week. [This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 05 August 2002 at 03:18 PM.]

Posted: **5 Aug 2002 2:13 pm**

I too had a great time. I was a little under the weather and spent most of the time watching the others. It was also special for me to see Pete Grant again. I my early years of playing, he was playing at Cowtown in San Jose. I just turned 21 (I think) and I would stand off to the side of Pete just watching in awe.

It was expecially nice to meet all the LA folks. Al Vescovo -- WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!

Just a suggestion Bill (not a really serious one though), have some young studdly fellows that can haul or stuff up those stairs. All us old folks d@mn near died carrying that stuff up.

Outside of the great playing, the highlight of my day was seeing Larry Chung's ZB Custom. Brought back pleasant memories of my first two pedal steels which were a ZB S-10 5p/5k and then a ZB D-10 8p/7k. Sure wish I had them back.

Bill, count me in to help organize your next jam (not that you need help - you did an excellent job).

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

The Steel Guitar Forum

N. Calif. steel jam moved to 8/3