What Do You Think About Single String Playing?

Bishop Ronnie P Hall · Post by **Bishop Ronnie P Hall** » 7 Jul 2008 7:52 am

Hi Mark Mansueto,
Only one word can discribe your posted vid stream,
"Beautiful"!
Man o Man, some of the forumites are "serious" business, in their craft. God Bless, and hang on in there!!! Good stuff!!!!!!
Ron
PS: You cut me off a little to soon. I had just settled in, when it cut off. Guess I`ll have to expand my collection with your CD (smile)Keep it cooking!
Again Ron.

Charley Wilder · Post by **Charley Wilder** » 7 Jul 2008 8:13 am

Alan Brookes wrote:A lot of us are folk musicians and came to the steel guitar via the Dobro, where playing chords is the norm.

An interesting remark, Alan. I always looked at Dobro in the exact opposite way. I have always been note oriented rather than chord oriented. I don't mean the Douglas machine gun approach. I just mean I think of solos or fills as melodic rather than chordal. And of course have never played by the "park and pick" rule. Great thread!

norm mcdaniel · Post by **norm mcdaniel** » 7 Jul 2008 8:20 am

Don---I really liked the piece Bud did. I can only dream of doing as well. Thanks for the U-Tube bit

Norm McDaniel In Hot Texas

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 7 Jul 2008 10:58 am

Holy cow, Mr. Hall, where have you been hiding?
I've never heard your name or seen your many vids in YT, nothing!
So, I'm glad to finally hear your very cool steel style via this forum today, and am glad you seem to be quite willing to post up.
You'll be (and already are) an invaluable asset to our little, but growing community.

No need to respond, just keep posting and ripping it up, dude!

Rocky Hill · Post by **Rocky Hill** » 7 Jul 2008 11:11 am

Bishop Hall, You Rock!

Rocky

Bishop Ronnie P Hall · Post by **Bishop Ronnie P Hall** » 7 Jul 2008 12:15 pm

To Ron, and Rocky,
Thanks Guys, for the "Welcome".
I have been around for quite a while, but I was apprehensive around such great God gifted musicians, but everybody has made me feel at home. I thank all of you for it. See you guys out there!!!
Bishop Ron Hall

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 7 Jul 2008 8:08 pm

Nice playing, Bishop Ronnie P Hall! Your sound is like a breath of fresh air! Your Fender 400 sounds sweet and bright, like a Fender should. Welcome to the Steel Guitar Forum.

Kay Das · Post by **Kay Das** » 7 Jul 2008 8:48 pm

Dear Bishop Hall,

That is some playing, thoroughly enjoyable, the kind that will encourage kids to learn to play steel guitar. In particular, the accuracy of your notes is awesome.

Kay

Gary Boyett · Post by **Gary Boyett** » 8 Jul 2008 3:50 am

Wow Bishop- welcome aboard!
I have now watched most of the videos and just love the feeling you put into those strings.

What tuning are you using? Some of the sacred steel tunings I have seen have little room for chords. You seem to breeze right through them.

Thanks for the inspiration. This is a great forum. Just think, in one day we get the Bishop and Ry Cooder. Wow. I am

with envy.

Bishop Ronnie P Hall · Post by **Bishop Ronnie P Hall** » 8 Jul 2008 4:38 am

Wow Guys!
Everybody types so fast! (LOL!) I`ll get to you, sooner or later. First, Thanks brothers,(and sisters)that are out here, for accepting me, into this tremendous community of such seriously gifted artists and musicians. The truth is I am just a guy who was blessed to be surrounded by a style of music, that I had listened to all of my life. It was, and just happened to be in church. I never intended to be a musician of any kind. But because I had parents that were raised in the southern area of the U.S., and were active in the pentecostal church, which was known as "The Church of the Living God, Jewel dominion", and later "The House of God, Keith dominion" my influences were; "Lorenzo Harrison", and later, "Willie Eason". These two musical influences gave birth to the guys you know as, ""Robert Randolph", "Calvin Cooke", "Sunny Tredway", eventually; "DelRay Grace" of "Sacred Steel".
After 55yrs of doing this, (Playing Steel)It has become for me a hobby. I still play at my church every Sunday, only because a couple of my son`s will not let me quit!!!(smile). I am glad because, it keeps my hands busy! Well, I never ment to write this much, but as the saying goes "every Big Dog was a puppy at one time" I just wanted to say, "Thanks Guys" A special "thanks" to the recent posts by Doug Beaumier., Kay Das,and Gary Boyett. I will get back to you brothers on a more personal reply as soon as I can catch up. And again, "Bob Stone", "this is all your fault"! Ha-ha, Love all you guys!!! Be Blessed!
Ron Hall, The Bishop

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 8 Jul 2008 8:40 am

Some days it feels like a 2,000 lb gorilla, Ron!

Your touch on the instrument is just fantastic, Ron, and very inspiring. WElcome to the forum and thanks for the opportunity to hear you.

Kudos from me too to my pal, Bob Stone. Bob is the guy who first let the world in on one of the best-kept musical secrets of the 20th century - Sacred Steel - and we're all enriched beyond measure as a result. His book will be required reading.

Bishop Ronnie P Hall · Post by **Bishop Ronnie P Hall** » 8 Jul 2008 10:20 am

Hi Andy,
I totally agree. (2000)
But keep an eye on that "Stone" fella anyway. He might make somebody famous, and then you`ll miss all the fun you are having on the Forum!
All kidding aside, Bob is one of my dearest friends, and he knows why I ride him (gently of course)like I do. And, I`m glad to know that you are among those that look upon him fondly as well.
Be blessed my friend!
Bishop Hall

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 8 Jul 2008 10:40 am

Welcome to this Great Forum Bishop

i discovered sacred steel through the bros here on the forum
Aubrey Ghent & the Campbell brothers are my favorites but man, i keep discovering many great steelers in that vein & in the ministries
talk about bein' moved

back to the single string thang, anybody remember One String Sam ?
he was way back then when times was still tight like that

Bishop Ronnie P Hall · Post by **Bishop Ronnie P Hall** » 8 Jul 2008 11:02 am

Hey Bro. Crowbear,
Glad to meet ya! That guy sounds like a veeeery distant cousin! (laughingly) No,I am sorry to say,I dont know him, but he sounds like a lot of guys that started out playing that way, that I do know! Now I am curious!
Before I get carried away, Thanks for your kind encouragement! Are you from Great Britain? I am always amazed at how far, being on you tube, has taken this ministry gift. I trust that you enjoyed the vids. Like any artist, some of them I felt, were not the best work, I`m still learning how to make them.
Without devine guidance, I would have really made a mess of the whole thing. Thanks Again, Stay in touch!
Your Friend,
Ron, The Bishop

Eddie Cunningham · Post by **Eddie Cunningham** » 8 Jul 2008 12:33 pm

Hi Bishop !! The Lord has blessed you in many ways !! Your video showed excellent playing with just the two picks !! Years ago a Dobro player named Ralph Jones came North to play in this area and he only used the thumb and one finger pick and he could play everything !! He also played the "Merle Travis" style on guitar. I used to ask him about his 2 picks style and he would laugh and say he only could play one or two strings at a time and the two picks was more than enough !! He also wrote some nice songs , " Please don't let me love you" was recorded by Hank "Sr" and others. I really enjoyed your video playing !! Eddie "C" ( the old non-pedal geezer )

Bishop Ronnie P Hall · Post by **Bishop Ronnie P Hall** » 8 Jul 2008 1:59 pm

Hello Eddie C.
My regards and respect to one of our senior musicians.
God bless you sir.
The thumb, and first finger pick, was the only way I ever learned to play. And you are right. Most of us who play this way started out playing dobrow,and spanish guitar style.
I had an Old Gibson "F" arch top, with about 5 strings on it with a table knife, and a raised "nut" bridge non-electrified sunburst finish guitar, that was my first exploration into steel guitar playing. but it was called "hawaiian" in those days. I wish I still had that Guitar, its probably worth a half million, or so! Ha-ha. God bless you my friend, and "Thank you", for your word of encouragement!!!
Bishop Ron Hall

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 8 Jul 2008 9:35 pm

...anybody remember One String Sam?

CrowBear, I believe this is One String Sam. He played single-note and single-string!

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 8 Jul 2008 10:17 pm

He played single-note and single-string!

Doug, I am glad to see you are covering all of your bases on terminology.

I am sure this is the diplomatically correct thing to do!

Aloha,

Don

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 8 Jul 2008 11:13 pm

Thanx a bunch Doug
picture is worth thousand words
could that be a diddly bow he's got there ?

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 9 Jul 2008 2:24 am

CrowBear, even though a diddly bow was usually a string with one side attached to the side of a house that's what I'd call Sam's instrument.

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 9 Jul 2008 9:06 am

Hi Everybody,

I must be brief, as I am trying to get a bunch of work done before leaving for a week of vaction.

It's so good to see Ronnie Hall on this Forum and witness your reaction to his wonderful music. But as good as his music is the real treat is meeting him and getting to know him. We met in Detroit about 3 years ago and became fast friends. Ronnie is one fine man--and lot's of fun to talk to.

I have never pushed any of the "sacred steel" musicians to go public, and probably have become even more sensitive to that issue in recent years. Bishop Hall has proceeded at his own pace. And ain't we glad he's here!

Thanks for all your kind words folks. I am very fortunate to be involved in documenting this powerful music.

Andy, the technical name is "monocord." The FL Folklife Program is working with the Dust-to-Digital label to reissue the old Drop on Down in Florida (ca early 1980s) double LP as a double CD album with an oversize booklet. We are planning for a 2009 release. Several cuts by Moses Williams, a great diddley bow player and singer, are among the album highlights. Moses used a narrow hollow-core closet door for a portable instrument.

You may check out the label here: http://dust-digital.com/ A really cool outfit.

All the best,

Bob

Bishop Ronnie P Hall · Post by **Bishop Ronnie P Hall** » 9 Jul 2008 9:59 am

Stone!!!
What vacation? You dont have time for a vacation?
Well, I guess i`ll just have to wait Again!!! My, My, How does one obtain a "Folklorist" Job, any how? I would tell J. Edgar, about this, but he`s already gone! (LOL) Best to Ms.J, and have a much deserved rest, my old friend....
Ron Hall

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 10 Jul 2008 11:48 am

...I accidentally posted here, sorry.

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 10 Jul 2008 2:08 pm

I just want to add my thanks, Bishop Hall, for joining the Forum. You've been a legendary figure to so many of us who love Sacred Steel, and finally getting to see and hear you play for the first time on Youtube a few months ago was just a pure delight. And now - 21 videos! Guess how I'm spending the rest of my afternoon?

My admiration for Bishop Hall has been stoked enormously the past few months by the fact I've been privileged to read and give my input to my good friend Bob Stone's History of Sacred Steel manuscript. It's an absolutely fantastic work, which documents the whole history of the form and the contributions of all the great artists such as Bishop Hall. As Bob said, it's due out next year. I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone who loves steel guitar!

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 10 Jul 2008 2:53 pm

Hi Ian,

Yes, Ron Hall is a pleasure. And his musicianship is just the tip of the iceberg.

By the way folks, Bishop Hall has confirmed that he is playing all the instruments heard on the videos. There is some tasty guitar work going on there!

Ian, thanks so much for your editorial help as well as for the book plug. Your fat check is in the mail--yuck, yuck.

All the best,

Bob

The Steel Guitar Forum

What Do You Think About Single String Playing?

Single string pickin

All hail the Bishop!

Just thumb & one finger pick !!!