The Steel Guitar Forum

I can remember my dad's band warming up in our kitchen. It would take them forever to get tuned. Unfortunately for me, mom always made sure we were in bed on time. Seems they would still be tuning as I fell asleep. I guess I was about 4 or 5 at the time. Never lost that powerful feeling of the sound of those instruments. Dad eventually bought me an old Montgomery Ward electric guitar and I played that thing into oblivion.
Sonny Bostic sold me my first steel, an old Fender 8 string, and got me started. It is interesting to think back at what really turned us on to the sounds that still live in our minds(whats left of it) after all these years...Pat

For me it was the drums at first but when I got the steel bug it was just like starting all over for me. I had the same enthusiasm I did when I was a kid. It's really something to go after it like you did as a kid after more than 15 years on your first instrument. Now I'm waiting to see what might be my next instrument. It may start all over again. It's the fun and love of it that keeps me playing.

I started getting interested in playing music by listening to my grandfather talk about his "nightclub"days.(He owned the old Wagon Wheel in Nashville. He also played sax....this was in the late '30s) My dad also plays music and was lucky enough to be an usher/vender at the Opry in the mid ,50s!(I'm still picking his brain!)With all of this planted on a young mind,I wanted to see what I could do! My dad liked bluegrass too and listened to the Osbornes.This group got the ball rolling in my interest in playing something.I started playing bass(and still do)but I guess Hal Ruggs licks stayed on my mind and got me interested in playing steel!!!

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I don't know, but if I ever get my hands on that S.O.B.............

I'm a newbe at Pedal Steel. I remember back in the 70's listening to Conway Twitty, George Jones, Charly Pride,Merle,Buck Owens on an am radio coming out of Johnson City Tennessee and the very thing that stirred me was there Steel guitar intro's,fills and turnarounds. This is what really gave me the desire. I just recently decided to get off my duff and live my dream.

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Keep on Steelin
Carter 4/k 3/p

The Beatles, in '63, when I was 9. I had a harmonica and I learned "Love Me Do." But I really wanted to play guitar. I was playing brooms until I got my first one. The first song I learned (sort of) was "I'll Follow the Sun". I realize now that I was drawn to their "country" stuff.

I got into steel after hearing Rusty Young playing with Poco.

I met a guy namend Nils Timm by chance when I was 13. He was playing drums in a "no wave" band back then. He inspired me to play drums. What a great musician he is.

Now Susan Alcorn is by far my greatest inspration playing pedal-steel. If it wasn't for her encouragement and unique music I most probably would have quit a few months ago. Now I have an engagement as a steeler in a tour-band for a German singer/songwriter.


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martin abend Pedal-Steel in Germany
s-10 sierra crown gearless 3 x4 - Regal RD45 - fender hotrod deluxe

I was a Beatle fan from the get go. At that time I had no aspirations of becoming a player, I just liked the music. My brother and I would pretend to be the Beatles. Singing along with the records and playing some mean air guitar.

As far as who inspired me to play music, I suppose it would be my Dad. He and Mom had a band and when I started showing signs of interest, he had me listening to Ernest Tubb records to play the lead parts. That's where I was introduced to the playing of Leon Rhodes, Buddy Emmons and Buddy Charleton. I was playing guitar in the band when I was about 12 or 13. I got more serious into guitar with Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison record. About the same time, Haggard hit with Muskogee. I am to this day a die hard Hag/Roy Nichols fan.

As for who inspired me to play steel: During the course of one week in '72 I got Buddy's Black album from a friend of mine who owned a music store/jewelry store and saw ET and the Texas Troubadours, (with Buddy Charleton.) I couldn't get the sounds of either out of my head. I was on overload. I just had to learn how to do it. In most instances, I'm still trying to learn how. I vowed to my Dad and to myself, not to ever give up. Just wish he could have lived long enough to watch me playing on Nashville Now on TNN.

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My best,
Ernie

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