Who started you on playing steel!

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 26 Sep 2009 8:56 pm

My interest was fired, when, I heard the "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" album by the Byrds. I had to figure out what, "That Sound" was. I spoke to Clarence White and Roger McGuinn at a concert, where, my band opened up for them and was told it was a "pedal steel guitar". I never saw one and didn't know who made one. In 1974, I bought a Sho-Bud Maverick and commenced to teach myself to play it. My thanks go to Jim Hand, then VP of the PSGA, who, turned me on to the club and it's many assets. I met Jeff Newman ( more thanks) and attended a few of his knowledgeable seminars and the rest is history and a passion that lasts a lifetime.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 27 Sep 2009 1:53 am

Kinda like my friend John above, I somehow started changing my music listening to Country sorta Rock bands in the mid to late 60's , I heard this thing but didn't really know what it was , there were not many Pedal Steel players in Norwalk Ct. Listening to Buffalo Springfield "Kind Woman" then of course the wave of Country Rock bands that followed, Garcia, Young, Sneaky Pete, Cage etc..

I also ran down to Sam Ash in White plains NY and bought a Maverick, I had no clue what the heck I was gonna do with it but somehow it came together. I remember the night I came home with it, it took me a few try's to actually put it together correctly !

I met John D. back in those days as well, it was a great time to make the transition from rock/blues over to the dark side ! John was part ( still is ) of a new organization out in NY that was turning up the wick on this Instrument. Lord knows how many new players they attracted with that organization.

t

Pit Lenz · Post by **Pit Lenz** » 27 Sep 2009 3:01 am

Living in Germany, Pedal Steel is obviously not among the usual choices of instrument to learn as a kid.
When I bought my first Country record, I choose a Bob Wills album because he was wearing the biggest hat of all the covers.
Leon´s western swing style "took me away" like nothing before!
A year later the Drifting Cowboys played a couple´days in Cologne. I came to see them every day and Don Helms impressed me so much: I was infected.
Still, a real steel guitar was way out of reach for me.

Later that summer, we spent our summer vacation in Spain.
In the hotel next door, a swedish Country Band with our fellow forumite Uffe Edefuhr on steel played 4 nights a week.
I sneaked out of my room to listen to them every night, made friends with Uffe, and as a farewell present, he generously offered me his old steelbar and his Winnie Winston book!
Back home again, he arranged a student model purchase with a friend in Sweden for me. I got me a vacation job and paid it with my first ever self earned money. That got me started.
We stayed pen friends for a while, then my Steel playing faded slowly, ´cause I found no one to play that "funny music" with me.
That was back in ´77.

Last year I found back to my old love and have been playing with a band since.
We just recorded and produced our first own record.
please take a listen here!
I got me a second hand Carter U-12 through this wonderful forum (thanks to Jerry Scoope and Paul Wade).
I am still very grateful to Uffe for helping me into my shoes!
Uffe, I owe you, man! Hello? Are you out there?

pit

Dave Grothusen · Post by **Dave Grothusen** » 27 Sep 2009 4:51 am

My older brother had a band in college along about 1962. I had never knew what a steel guitar was. Oh sure I had heard one on records but did not realize what it was. I took a trip to Manhattan, KS to vist my brother and the band played the college rodeo dance. I was hooked from the begining.

Thank you Jerry Maranville, Matheson, CO. Jerry found me a used Milti-Kord and a DeArmond volume pedal. He showed me a few basic things and if I remember right showed me how to play Harbor Lights. That was about 1966.

Allen Peterson · Post by **Allen Peterson** » 27 Sep 2009 5:42 am

I bought my first pedal steel from Herb Remington and he gave me two lessons to get me started. Actually I wanted to play steel since hearing Buddy Cage at a Grateful Dead concert in the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City in the early seventies. I tried to make a Gibson lap steel sound like him for about five years after that. Wasn't even close.

Allen Peterson

Jamie Lennon · Post by **Jamie Lennon** » 27 Sep 2009 9:23 am

When I was nine my dad brought me a maverick then self taught myself to play

Les Anderson · Post by **Les Anderson** » 27 Sep 2009 2:04 pm

I guess it would be Don Helms for me. Though I was not playing country music at the time, the steel guitar on all of Hank Williams material grabbed my attention. It took me another 47 years to buy a steel guitar.

Talk about slow on the uptake!

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 27 Sep 2009 3:46 pm

My dad played lap steel all his life , I grew up with it, probably listened to him from my mothers womb!

Like most people here on the forum its in my blood and its difficult to imagine life without it.
I first heard pedal steel on the compilation LP "Nashville steel guitar" with Pete Drake on the cover and I wondered what all those rods and pedals were for.

The superb British band from the Liverpool area" The Hillsiders" also had Ronnie Bennett on pedal steel.
They were the band that were on UK tv (late 60s-70?) with George Hamilton 1V, that was the first time I had seen one played.
Ronnie was the man who sparked off the desperate desire buy one.
I managed to afford one about 15 yrs later....almost 30yrs ago ......AAARGH! I need another lifetime.

Gerry Simon · Post by **Gerry Simon** » 27 Sep 2009 5:59 pm

Garcia opened the door and Cage pushed me thru...
Buddy talks to me about his beginnings in this inept (by me) interview:
http://blip.tv/file/374459

Dennis Wood · Post by **Dennis Wood** » 28 Sep 2009 4:51 am

For me it was Cowboy Eddie Long. The band I was with at the time was recording a demo (I was playing lead tele) and hired Cowboy Eddie to do some steel fills. This was my first up close and personal encounter with a pedal steel. After hearing and watching Cowboy in the studio I was hooked. We talked a lot between sessions and he was kind enough to explain the mechanics of his sierra. Eddie referred me to Bill Stroud, with whom I was acquainted through my day job. Bill sold me my first steel, a U12 sierra, which I still have and play. Bill also helped me with a few one on one lessons. Thanks to Cowboy Eddie Long and Bill Stroud!

dw

Ronnie Boettcher · Post by **Ronnie Boettcher** » 28 Sep 2009 6:31 am

I always had a thirst for music, and musical instruments. Started playing my uncles trumpet at 5. In the 2nd grade I made the school orchestra, with players through 8th grade. When I was 12, I had a radio that could pick up WWVA,WSM,WCKY, and WJJD. Was hooked on country and bluegrass. Got a old guitar, that the strings were so high off the fretboard, but thats the start. Got to be friends with the owner of a music store in Cleveland called Master Music. One day he took in a fender 400, on a trade for something else. I took it home to diddle around with it. Set it up E9, minus the 2 low strings. It was very limited. Soon after, I was in a recording session at RCA, and Lloyd Green was on steel. Talking with him, he sold me on a LDG. One week later, I bought a new one. Thats it!!! Still have it today, and it gets played daily.

C. Brattain · Post by **C. Brattain** » 28 Sep 2009 1:36 pm

Karl Schultz started me on a acoustic lap steel playing hawaiian music in 1944. Chuck
www.texasguitartradingpost.com

Skeeter Stultz · Post by **Skeeter Stultz** » 29 Sep 2009 8:12 pm

Sometime around May 1948 I walked in from my paper route and dad said "You're going to take guitar lessons". And that's when you didn't argue with dad. Later what kept me interested was meeting Noel Boggs in northern Ohio at the IML, listening to Roy Ayres Sat nights in the Pee Wee King band, and of course Hank Thompson's "New Green Kight". I can't forget Jerry Byrd. Many paths were crossed between then and now. After leaving the PSG behind for almost 30 years I now have a renewed interest thanks to the urgings of Jim Bob Sedgwick and my wife. I'm hooked again. I'm also grateful to Rudy Osborne for bolstering my interest. Big help.

Peer Desmense · Post by **Peer Desmense** » 30 Sep 2009 5:49 am

The Byrds Sweetheart album (Thank you Lloyd) and later on the Flying Burrito's with SNEAKY PETE!

Rusty Young took over and of course Tom Brumley.
These guys really came through over here and were inevitable as influences.
I'm gratefull to all these guys.

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · Post by **Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)** » 30 Sep 2009 7:16 am

When the steel guitar bug first struck me and made me want to learn, it was Weldon Myrick's playing on The Singing Rambos album "Soul In The Family" that planted the initial seed for steel guitar in me ... and John Hughey's playing with The Happy Goodman's made that seed grow until I had to buy a steel and learn ...

The players who really poured the fuel on and lit the fire under me and became my heroes once I finally bought a steel were:

>>> Rusty Young (his playing on Bad Weather really got me)
>>> Gary Hogue (met him when I'd been playing less than a month and he became my chief hero and mentor)
>>> Buddy Emmons (Hogue introduced me to Buddy's sound)
>>> John Hughey (from the first time I heard John, he became an instant hero and influence)

Add a fifth player into the mix, who's really been an inspiration to me in my playing, and that's Junior Knight.

Jack Patty · Post by **Jack Patty** » 2 Oct 2009 9:46 am

The person that turned me on to pedal steel was a man named Don Cathey. Back in 1975 I was playing lead guitar at the time. A local band hired me for the weekend at a placed called 6 mile inn. A honky tonk outside Conroe Tx. I setup next to him and from that moment on I knew I had to have one to play. I have never regreted it for one second.

Jim West · Post by **Jim West** » 2 Oct 2009 11:03 am

As a kid I just always liked the instrument. Of course growing up with Rusty Young, Sneaky Pete and JD Maness coming out of my stereo didn't hurt either.

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 2 Oct 2009 4:03 pm

I really appreciate all the comments on this topic!
I did this in honor of my Daddy that passed away last year so that everyone gets a chance to thank their hero that started them playing!

For me, my Daddy along with Lloyd Green and Buddy Emmons is why i play and today, Tommy White is my inspiration everyday to play better!

Tommy has replaced the empty part of my heart that Daddy left and is truly an awesome player and friend!
Thanks for being there Tommy through the hardest part of my life!!

kenny

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 2 Oct 2009 5:01 pm

My first influence was on television and it was Jr. Knight when he played with the Longhorn Ballroom Band. They were on the Cowboy Weaver show as guests every Saturday afternoon. As far as seeing someone playing in front of me, it was our own Louie Hallford.

pdl20 · Post by **pdl20** » 2 Oct 2009 6:18 pm

it all started with a guy named Spike Spiker and a lap steel then a county fair with a music studio signing up students to my first teacher Russ Pollock then Skeeter Stultz kept me learning and the Big E for all those hot lick's, then Weldon Myrick,My Hero.i never missed a chance to go see him with the Bill Anderson Show,what great country music years those were,these people today haven't a clue.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 2 Oct 2009 7:51 pm

Dick Sexton wrote:

Bill Cunningham(GA), he was there when I was in the earliest stages of learning. Great player and Marine Brother.

Oh my gosh Dick!

I have not been following this thread but looked through it tonight. I am so honored to be included here with the great inspirational players.

Especially our Havelock, NC friend Bob Stone. Those were some great times.

My dad always had a band and a couple of old boys who played steel a bit. HOWEVER, one day when I was about 8 or 9 years old, I heard Randy Sorrells (Now with Montgomery Gentry)in the Sorrells Family Band backing his beautiful sister Shelia as she belted out those Connie Smith songs. Randy played it all just like the record. Including "I'll Come Runnin'" That's when I knew I wanted to be a steel player. It was at the Mountaineer Festival in Clayton, GA in probably 1967. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Feeling old....Semper Fi...

Sgt. Cunningham, 1976-1980

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · Post by **Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)** » 5 Oct 2009 7:53 am

Hi, Kenny ... it's been a pleasure for me as well ... reading the posts and how so many got their start on steel ... I'm very happy you started this thread and very happy to have been able to be a part of it.

Tommy White is a great player and a very inspirational person as well. I got to know Tommy a little when I was working with Ty Herndon and we'd play Prime Time Country or some other event in Nashville. I don't know if Tommy would remember me or not, but he's a great player and I really appreciated getting to talk and visit with him when we'd do those shows.

-------------------------------------------------------

Wow, Paul ... your mention of the Longhorn Ballroom really brings back some memories for me!

Dewey Groom's Longhorn Ballroom is where I met Gary Hogue and Junior Knight in August of 1976 right after I started playing steel ... and I became a faithful follower of their music and a regular at the club so I could "watch and learn". I also would watch the Cowboy Weaver show as well. It's a small world.

Plus, I see you're from Gainesville ... I grew up and graduated in Sanger, just a few miles from there.

Tony Smart · Post by **Tony Smart** » 6 Oct 2009 3:25 am

Ronnie Wood...(If he could)

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 6 Oct 2009 4:23 am

Bobby Bowman from Texas was actually who got me started on pedal steel at age 14 in 1971. A month or two later, I met John Hughey at a concert and that was it. The fire was lit. I studied day and night for five long years. At age 19, I was a speedpicker mainly trying to learn everything Doug Jernigan put out. After that and since then, I've studied every steel player I could. The fast pickin' is simple to me but what I like most is ballad playing, as it tends to be a avenue that most non-steel folks enjoy the most. To me, that's where tone, sustain and the hands really come into play.

Joe Jones · Post by **Joe Jones** » 6 Oct 2009 7:08 am

I HAVE MY GOOD FRIEND OF 40 YRS TO THANK FOR GETTING ME HOOKED TO THE PEDAL STEEL.

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