The Steel Guitar Forum

Yep, and for Bill Hankey, in case you are reading this thread, there's Jeff all capo'd up big as you please ...

Boy the Devil himself sure made his appearance hear Fellas, I expected something completely different from the title (Large Title)

I dont care who you are or how big you are, Jeff Bridges with his hair and beard kinda reminds me of Jesus, and the devil hates him alot, Go figure

Bill you turned the other cheek and thats all that matters, By the way who Paid You, that long haired guy with the beard that looks like Jesus?

Keep Smilin, It can only get better now.

Bill Flores wrote:But some have taken a personal animus toward me after one performance,albeit on a major broadcast.

Well, all I can say is that's one more major broadcast than I've ever played on. You got the gig man, good on you..

Seems to me the crowd didn't give a crap if it was My Guy BE or the the guy waitin tables that was playing steel. Hilton! The only one that listens to the steel player is us steel players. The rest don't care they just come to enjoy the music!!!!!! Get it? He was working that night not any of us.

Bill Flores....says something that you were on the gig. I would rather be working any night, than debating here on the Forum.

I will agree the audience who attended the show seemed to love what they heard. Bill, it seemed to me Jeff Bridges and the guitar player left little room for you to play your guitar. Maybe you are a great player, who was just trying to fit into what Jeff Bridges had going on. Bill, at least they let you play more on the squeeze box than they did the steel. My problem is I remember watching people like Ralph Mooney with Waylon Jennings on ACL. I remember watching Buddy Emmons, John Hughey and guys like that on ACL. People have different tastes in music, and I respect that.

Maybe it would have sounded better with a Telonics.

Bill,
I have been raked over the coals a few times on the forum and its not fun. Just ignore the arm chair quarterbacks. They have no idea about what it takes to survive as a working musician and no idea of the depth of joy and fulfillment available when your life and work have no separation between them. Combine that with your experience of playing with the best players on earth on one of the biggest most historic stages ever and I think you have the full right to think of the forum as a sandbox where ignorant fools throw turds at each other.

...you kids GET OFF MY LAWN!

oh...i thought it was a tootsie roll..

Please close this thread, it took a direction that was not intended. I feel terrible because it was never my intent to hurt anyone's feelings. If I did say something that offended, let me say I am truly sorry.

Bob wrote:..think of the forum as a sandbox where ignorant fools throw turds at each other.

LOL.. there's a mental picture I could do without..

Wow, the "real country music" snobs show up in force when their dead heroes aren't on ACL anymore playing a lame cover tune.
I think Bill sounded fine, and I enjoyed Jeff's performance.
ACL having Jeff perform was a no-brainer imo. That movie, the music and performers had Austin and Ft Worth ties all over it.
I think Jeff is a great actor, but he showed me his ideas and respect of country music to be very real.
Besides...he's the FREAKIN' DUDE!

Keith Hilton wrote:it was never my intent to hurt anyone's feelings. If I did say something that offended, let me say I am truly sorry.

I guess saying "instead you see a steel player who barely knows how to tune his guitar" just MIGHT hurt a few feelings.

good for standing up for yourself, bill. i've had many not-so-great performances on my part and it's funny how many of those turn up on youtube or some unintended public display. there are alot of good players on the forum, and i suppose the 'professional jealousy' of hearing a performance on a national(?) broadcast leads to many thinking they could do a better job. but they don't have the gig. so keep on truckin'...hopefully one of your great performances will be caught soon.

I have sent a personal apology to Bill Flores. I feel really lucky, because I still have the ability to see other's point of view. I am fortunate because I still understand and appreciate other people's honesty. I do understand that I must get rid of any traces of ego, and learn from other people's opinions. I have since learned that Bill Flores was only playing what was on Jeff Bridges records. Nothing wrong with that. I need to remind myself that-- a true professional in the music world should never get an attitude, or take offence over someone's opinion. A non professional only gets mad, and getting mad ends understanding. I need to keep an open mind when it comes to the music on Austin City Limits and the modern Grand Old Opry in Nashville. I do understand that a closed mind, and opinions set in concrete is the sign of old age. I feel very lucky I still have more than tunnel vision. Chris has reminded me of something I have been thinking about. Many of my steel guitar heros have died. Ralph Mooney, John Hughey, Hall Rugg, Tom Brumley and many more. I am going to try and have an open mind when I tune in Austin City Limits and the Grand Old Opry. I would hate to think I was to the point of getting old and stupid.

Chris Schlotzhauer wrote: Besides...he's the FREAKIN' DUDE!

Never, ever forget that!

I watched the Veranda Lamprey thing and the Jet Britches clips. Not bad for country bar-band stuff, but this is exactly what most young country fans want nowadays.

Last night I saw Robert Earl Keen on ACL with Marty Muse doing the steel honors, and it was pretty good...even with excesses of Rob's many "novelty songs". He was followed by some guy named Hayes Carll, but I could only stand about five minutes of his "experiments in microtonality". (Of course, I could never really understand people who could listen to Bob Dylan, Kris Khristofferson, or Johnny Cash for extended periods, either).

Right now, we seem to have a plethora of new singer-songwriters featured whose singing talents rank right up there with those of William Shatner and Barbara Walters. Deal with it, cause it ain't gonna change as long as young people are the market drivers, and the people who are picking the talent.

Remember Fabian? Chad and Jeremy? The Troggs? The Animals?

I rest my case.

I too apologize to Bill. Have had turds thrown at me too. SOme deserved and some not. But once you have had turds thrown at you and you know how it feels, you shouldn't throw them at somebody else. This thread has probably set the record for using the word turd.

In such a small community as ours, I believe that for each less than positive remark that is posted, it is fairly certain that the person mentioned, or a close personal friend of that person, will read it and immediately take offense (for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction!) This generally causes lines to be drawn and the post to quickly morph into a debate with the "Classic Country players are outdated dinosaurs" crowd on one side versus the "todays music is crap" crowd on the other ad nauseum. In the long run however, it may prove to be much more advantageous to support the efforts of others to expose our instrument (in whatever context) to the general public rather than demean them, especially in light of the many comments I have read over the years referencing the perception (unfounded or not, depending on your view) that the steel guitar seems to be playing a diminishing role in "Today's music"....JMO..Thanks for reading.

I saw that show a couple weeks ago and I thought the band was smokin and I really liked the steel playing.Fit the songs perfectly and i liked the mellow tone(no picks,right?).Nice work Bill.
The Dude is just having fun. I think he does a credible job and rises well above the typical movie star vanity project. I'll bet he pays his guys really well and treats them with respect.I would love to have that gig.
Just wanted to chalk one up on the plus side.

Keith apologized. Don't you think that's enough?

No.I simply wanted to say something positive.Nothing to do with Keith or anyone else in particular.
and spare me the cute little graphics.

I read this one from cover to cover...I got some good laughs...I REALLY like the little "beatin a dead horse" thingy...!!
Some nights at Billybobs listening to so called "red dirt" bands...Man, you guys have no idea what kind of awful players they get..Way worse than anything on this show..I watched this ACL episode..Seems like a cool gig...You wanna hear bad...wait til Steven Segal's band comes to town......YOW...!!>..talk about bad!!

There's a sale on flameproof underwear at Tudbury's....