Webb--I share your views on the challenge and the expectations. I'm never going to set any new trends or be a studio pro. I just turned 54 today and I was thinking about how long it will take me to sound as good as the big guys. I'm probably never gonna get there, but I think I can reach a level where I might consider myself a pro caliber player. I have the passion and background.
I began playing guitar when I was eleven and it just totally consumed me. I dedicated myself to practice, learning and playing. I began playing gigs when I was 14 and I have never stopped. Moving to steel after a lifetime of being involved in music has its advantages--we already know a lot of music theory and can apply all that hard won knowledge to another instrument. Being a guitar player, the right hand is not so terribly different and my ear has been trained to know pitch. And, I think learning any instrument is 90% passion and practice. If you've got both, it becomes just another thing to learn. We don't suddenly stop learning just because we reach adulthood.
I now practice steel every day, just like I did when I first discovered guitar as a kid. The passion is the same and the joy of learning new things and hearing them done right for the first time is still a thrill. Sure, maybe getting a young start is a good thing, but age and wisdom can take us far. I hope nobody ever gives up because they buy into the idea that you "have to start young" to be any good. That is a false belief. Most importantly, enjoy the journey. Playing is its own reward. I'll never be Lloyd Green, Buddy Emmons, or Paul Franklin--but if I can be myself and make good music, I'm gonna be totally happy.
Importance of starting young
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
