The Steel Guitar Forum

The very much talented Curt Shoemaker from just across the state line down in the land of OZ. Steelers are few and far between here on the prarie. Curt has been a tremendous inspiration and a very good teacher.

There were two different 6 night-a-week C&W clubs in Corpus in the early seventies -and were usually manned by very able steel players. Guys that I was fortunate enough to meet and learn from - and call my friends. Great players like Tommy Roots, Dean Thompson, Roger Blythe and "Shady" Brown. Also, during that time frame Charlie Pride used to do concerts in town every January. As Gene O'Neill was playing with Charlie at the time - there was usually a jam session (remember those). Got to meet and listen to Gene play. All of these guys inspired me.
Today I continue to be inspired by all my fellow Texas pickers - good players like Denny Mathis, Jim Murphy, Roger Edgington, Jim Losseburg, Dicky Overby, Lloyd Maines, Don Sowersby, Gary Carpenter, the list goes on....
Gary<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gary Carriger on 16 July 2003 at 07:55 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gary Carriger on 16 July 2003 at 07:55 PM.]</p></FONT>

The late Tom Keates, from Kingston, Ontario.

His name was @%#(&^!(*& He was from Kumomoto Japan. He couldn't speak english but he could sing just like Jim Reeves. He was the steel player for Charlie and the Cannonballs.(1976)

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Greely Baggett
Mullen D-10 (8X5) Royal
Mullen S-10 (4X5)
"Pick one for Jesus"

- John Heinrich -

Gary Carpenter, a Great steeler from Ft. Worth. I took a lesson or 2 from him and have a couple of his instrution tapes. and I bought a Nashville 400 from him. He has a couple of the best CD's which I use a lot in my practice sessions.

Roy Ziegler from Hookstown PA. He taught me to play steel. His Family was also a band known as a The Range Riders, so after my lesson they would jam with me for a couple hours. Now thats inspiration. They are still my heroes!
JR<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by John Rickard on 17 July 2003 at 12:59 PM.]</p></FONT>

Austin Preston, My Brother.
He started playing about 10 years before me. Helped me BIG-TIME. Great Player.

Gary Houge and Jr. Knight, they're always worth hearing.


J.C.

Jerry Roller has been a great inspiration and has given me a lot of assistance, as well as repairing my steels.

Rick Trolinger

Al Lewis,Wayne Butler and forumites Kenny Dail and the ubiquitous Bobbe Seymore - all Tidewater Va. pickers in the late 60s/early 70s when I was first starting out on steel. -MJ-

Fortunately,I had three for role models:
Paul Jackson,Prentice Takewell,& Laymon Godwin. Each of these,had a positive impact
on my playing and my life. All three are still alive and well and still my friends.
~~W.C.~~

The Locol guys who cranked my tractor were my cousin Tom Sweeney, Jerry Staley, Mike Calloway, and Bryan Adams. But if I think on it everybody I've ever heard has inspired me in some way or another.


Mike

A grizzled veteran named Milt. He wound up playing in a band with my guitarist/fiddler brother-in-law, and at on of their rehearsals he learned that I like to play Jazz & Swing (I'm strictly a six-string player). We jammed after formal practice, and he played astonishing C6 Jazz stuff ala' The Big E, D. Jernigan etc. that blew my mind, having never heard such musical treasure.
After the band folded (Wives & The Inevitable Train Wreck), he called me and asked if I would teach him some Jazz stuff on six-string. I never felt so honored, and I must say that working with him was the highlight of my musical "career". We get to jam together once in a while,never often enough, and he still blows my (& everyone present)'s socks off. Thanks, Milt!

Al Petty, Billy Bob Turner in Tyler, Texas
in the Mid 40's

Dean Neeley

My first contact with a steel player was watching the Country Boy Eddie Show out of Birmingham. The steel player there was named "Dobro Dave" or something like that. I saw them in person at a county fair and talked to Dave for a long time. I was about 10 or so I guess.

More recently, in 1994 I met a steel player in Florida named CB Blackwell and we talked a lot. I used to go to the clubs where his band would be playing and between sets we chatted a lot and he gavew me soome really good advice. He's also the one that turned me onto the E9th 9the string lower to C# and that opened a whole world up for me.

I've talked a bit with Henry Matthews (Forum member) when I was living in Texarkana as well as Jack Matthews. All good guys with alot of helping words.

Ricky

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Emmons LeGrande - 8x4
Session 400 Ltd
Dan-Echo, E-Bow, Ibanez Distortion, Boss Comp./Sustain, Ibanez Auto-Wah

A talented local pedal & dobro player here in Mid-MO named Bob Cecich gave me the bug.

I take complete responsibility for my decision to play this frustrating & wonderful instrument by blaming it all on him. He's a lurker on the Forum (Bob, are you out there?)<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dirk B on 18 July 2003 at 10:19 AM.]</p></FONT>

The late Norm Verrier,of Greenfield,Ma. helped me immensely,in 1954. He "tabbed-out" a song that I REALLY wanted to learn back then. (I'll give you 1 guess which one it was. ) I,still,have that "lesson" intact,w/ the postmarked envelope. It is,as the song goes,"Among My Souvenirs". Now,I "curse the day" that I learned it,but find that it is a "necessary evil",if you want to work. I wish Norm were still around today to show me more. He would probably be in his late 60's or early 70's today. Thank you Norm,for the help & inspiration,& wherever you are,rest easy.

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It was Danny Williams from Louisville, Ky. I was called out to play a country gig then. I was playing the drums and seen this guy setting up this strange instrument on stage. I'd never played a real country gig and it was with Wayne Kemp, the songwriter. Wayne had to have a steel so they called Danny. I couldn't believe what was coming out of that thing and had to know more. I didn't see him for six months. I'd quit a group I was playing with and then came back to work with them again. The guy said "We need something but what is it?" I said "Why don't you get a steel player to play the weekends with us?" He said "Do you know one?" Well I knew Danny and it just went from there. I eventually bought a guitar we'd bought for Danny because he had quit and bought a bass boat. I couldn't believe he'd quit but I hear he's back to playing now and better than ever. I think he's the president or was of the steel guitar club in Louisville. Danny is a big Lloyd Green fan and I mean he can make you believe it's Lloyd.

Lloyd Maines. In 1975 I went to a Willie Nelson concert and Joe Ely was the opening act. Lloyd was playing steel and i was completely blown away! I also had the great opportunity to take lessons from him. He is a great guy and a true professional.

Baxter Vaughan

Tommy Vollmer

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www.pedalsteel.net

Kenny Dail,Clyde Mattocks,and Louis Goodrich,
these guys are my heros.I have the pleasure of working with these guys, and it"s a real education.you guys have my respect, and admiration,thanks for all the inspiration.

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no locals, but plenty of inspiration from this Forum


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Steel what?

In Pa,Bobby Baringer,Johnny Bauer,In Seattle,Jim Webb,Chubby Howard,Wimpy Jenkins,Billy Poteet.
In Canada, Chuck Kuntz and Gene Brown
Bill in Vegas

Bob Brocious,Bill Keith,and Chris Middaugh.They were the guys in the Hudson Valley"Upstate New York".Bob was our Lloyd Green.