The Steel Guitar Forum

Lynn Owsley played on one of KID ROCK'S last cd's. Alot of the rock artist like steel guitar but cant find that many players who are willing to go out and play rock.Personally I have done the country thing, it is music that I love to play and grew up playing.However even at my wise old age of 48 if I had the chance to play with some good rock bands man I would do it in a heartbeat. Just to expand my knowledge of the of music and my guitar.I listen to classical,jazz,rock, western swing and swing.The more that you listen to various types of music, the more you will learn what YOU can do on your guitar.You will also be amazed at how many new licks and songs you can learn.The best advice that I got the first day of medical school was to "LISTEN", the patient will always tell you what is wrong with them. It is your job to figure it out. This applies to music as well listen to what other instruments are doing and learn some things from them.Do you think Buddy Emmons or Paul Franklin just listen to steel guitar, I think not. Listen to the horn section or the cello parts,etc...You will learn alot by listening and then applying this to you instrument and craft.This is what makes PLAYERS instead of just the steel guitarist.It also helps to study music theory and learn how to read music, and know your guitar backwards and forwards.A MIND AND A CHECK ARE A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE,AND SO IS YOUR TIME if you are playing the same licks nite after nite..

I also have to add Tommy Morrell in this also.He is one of the most versatile and great players I know.He is and I really hate to use this label because it offends some people A GENIUS but I am using this in a complimentary way.I heard Tommy when I was a kid in Texas playing with rock and jazz bands, in Dallas back in the 60's. He is one of my very favorites of all time.

Might just add that Paul did a re-mix on the New well almost new Don Hendley CD.I had to have a DJ buddy give me a copy it wasn't availible for sale w/steel..I have both I bought the original being an Eagle and Hendley fan) and the steel enhanced the song enough to sell in either market.In fact my neighbor who doesn't like country loves the cut.

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CJC

IMHO you can't tell the difference in the so called COUNTRY MUSIC and Pop these days. So the steel should fit anywhere on any song on the market today. The songs are labeled, and are not necessarily one or the other. Listen to a so called Country song and a Pop song one after the other, they're not really that different musically. Now old traditional country music is a different thing all together. I play traditional country music but actually listen to all kinds of music.

"plumb country"

I agree with Johan. I have friends that are fans of "newer" country music, especially the recent rise of the so called "Texas Country" music, which has of course, been around for decades. They listen to bands like Cory Morrow, Pat Green, Jack Ingram, Charlie Robison, Cross Canadian Ragweed, and when I tell them that I play steel guitar, they say, "What's that?" So, I sit them down and play an MP3 of old standard with lots of good steel, and point out the steel parts, especially the solos so their ear can pick it up. They promptly say that they've HEARD that sound before, but never knew what caused it. I might as well have said that I play the "Whoosey-Whatchit", and they wouldn't have known the difference. And it's not their fault. It's the record producers telling people WHAT they like, instead of letting them decide on their own. I think more good exposure will definitely bring more younger people like me to play.

Garnett

When I used to do sessions back in the UK, I got called to record for a variety of younger artistes - 'The Lilac Time', rap-singer Betty Boo, Sally Oldfield and others - and I think this was due to the vision of their producers. The tracks I played on were certainly not 'country', but they wanted a certain texture.....

When these songs made it on to television, though, I was rarely present (just a check in the mail from the Musicians' Union ) - in all honesty, this omission was due more to my 44" waist and thinning hair, than any negative connotations that might have resulted from the appearance of a steel guitar!<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 05 February 2002 at 01:38 PM.]</p></FONT>