The Steel Guitar Forum

Well folks, on my slow ride back from Waterloo I received an invite to the Dirks Bentley concert being held at the St. Charles Family Arena. Thankfully I made it with just 30 minutes to spare...

Now I must say, the first time I saw Dirks Bentley, he was here on a ticket with King George (Strait) and I wasn't too impressed but that didn't matter, I was going to be paying attention to the steel player anyway. However, the boy seems to have developed a bit. A very energetic show, just four pieces, and talented I might add...But the difference between the first time I saw him and the second...Tim Sergent.

Tim had great tone, played on every song - and you could hear it! You could actually hear the steel during the songs!!! His fills were sweet, rides fantastic...I especially liked the dual ride between Tim and the guitar player on I Make It Hard To Love Me - talk about seamless precision!!! And when Dirks sang a verse of I'm So Lonesome - If Don Helms was there, he would have been proud! It was just one verse but the setting...low blue lights, just Dirks and Tim on stage....Tim's touch brought chills and for that one moment, the crowd was completely silent. That one verse stopped time.

Of course, being the talented individual he is, Tim broke out the Dobro (Dirks is a big bluegrass fan) and did play a little banjo on a song Dirks wrote and dedicated to our servicemembers. The band joined Dirks center stage and played a couple of songs then, out of the three acts on this ticket, he was the only one to introduce the band members and actually thanked them. A class act in my opinion.

I met up with Tim after the show, course had to fight off all the fans...one couple, from St. Paul, drove to Ames, IA the day before to see them and then followed them to St. Louis for this show. True fans??? Maybe - HA! But anyway, Tim is doing good, sounding good, and just having a good time. He's on his way back to Nashville where the band will be playing a 'private party' at Legends on Wednesday. (Guess John's got the night off.)

Tim said they have at least 140 dates on the calendar...if they come your way, get on out to hear Tim. But bring some ear plugs, the first two acts are pretty loud!!!

Thanks Tim! What a GREAT show...You were awesome!

PS: I have several pictures. As soon as they are downloaded, I'll post a few...

There is a clip of Tim on Bobbe Seymore's web site. It was also included in Bobbe's last news letter. Very nice!

I was sure impressed when Tim was trying out his new guitar in the Mullen room in St Louis. He was was playing some incredible licks on it. Great player.

Tim is a great Talent, I have seen some of his TV appearences and he plays just beautiful. I was lucky enough to meet Tim in Nashville last October at the NTSGA Super Jam and had a nice visit. I'm looking forward to seeing him with DB sometime in the near future.

Jim

Tim Sergent is one of the nicest steel players you'll ever meet. A veteren road player and a great talent. He fits Dierks Bentley perfectly.

I am looking forward to going to the Dierks Bentley show at the Rodeo this year just so I can hear Tim Sergent and see for myself what Miss Lana said was so beautiful. If she said it, I believe it. tom

Tim's a great player and a great guy. I look forward to seeing him play in the future. Maybe we'll have more time talk "steel". From what I know Tim will always give you the time if he can.

I had the privledge of meeting Tim at a session in Huntington W.Va. at Mark Hales studio,{Harvest},that he was doing the steel on for the group I was playing for at the time.
Great player he is.

Dirks Bentley is going to be in Little Rock next week and I plan on being there. He is suppose to be here with Miranda Lambert. Going to try to make it down stage and visit with Tim. I'll tell him everyone on the forum said hello.

Bring some ear plugs but take them out when you see the blue Mullen appear on stage. Have fun and I hope you get to meet with Tim. Thanks for telling him hello from all of us!

I think that my wife may need the ear plugs, but I will sure enough say hello from everyone here. Blue Mullen? Hmm I like it already.

Yeah, Tim's Mullen is just like mine only a lot faster.

Well my Mullen is Red and I'll bet it's slower than his as well!!! Got tickets and the wife and I are set to go. Got the digital camera and will try to get down to get a shot of Tim and I. Anyone knows him tell him I'm coming and want to meet him and say hi from everyone on the forum!!!

I was so impressed with Tim's playing on the Bobbe Seymour site. What was the name of the song? It sure sounded like a Lloyd Green number.

Richard, The song is "Making Believe". He does such a beautiful job with it!!

Hey, Everybody!

Thank you so much for the kind words and compliments. I would've replied sooner, but life on the road "ain't always laid back" as John Denver once put it!

Lana, it was great seeing you again and meeting your sister...I think you got to see a pretty good show. The Budweiser people...our tour sponsor...were there and we had to "dig a little deeper" as The Oak Ridge Boys once put it....since I guess I'm qouting song phrases so far.

Jim, I know I'm heading your way soon...I'll contact you through email and we'll get together before or after the show. Tell Hook I said hey if you talk to him.

Robert,
The same goes for you. I'll get with you through email and we'll hook up in Little Rock...I hear through our Road Manager that it is going to be one of the best shows of the year!!! Looking forward to meeting you.

Ken & Kevin,
I know we will be heading somewhere close to you guys this Spring or Summer so let me know when I'm going to be near you and we'll talk some more shop!

One of the best things about my job is getting to meet other steel players and especially ones that are on this Forum...so if I'm going to be in your neck of the woods let me know that you are coming and I'll do my best to hook up with you before or after the show.

Oh! By the way....Howard and Robert...

My Mullen is by no means any faster than either of yours....I probably just sit behind it a little more than you guys do.....PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And by the way...it's Black Perisian Maple...not blue. Looks BEAUTIFUL on video screens and on TV. Has kind of a "pearl" type finish to it. AWESOME machines, aren't they?

Thanks again everybody for the kind words and I hope I get to meet every one of you somewhere down the road.

God Bless you all,

Tim

Hey Tim. You are in fact coming to our town again. You'll being playing the State Fair so you get the big stage this time around. I am looking forward to it and I will be in touch. Hopefully you will have a little more time. It would be nice if you had a layover. I could maybe get you to Glacier or Yellowstone Park.

I saw Dierks last Saturday night in Bloomington, IN and it was a great show. I saw him a year ago in Cincinnati, and even though it was a good show then, he had improved since. Not to mention thanking and introducing the band, he also took time to thank the road crew and the venue crew.

Tim was fantastic as always, it was great to hear him again.

Hey Tim, I've never played a Mullen, but I love the looks of Mullen steel guitars and they sound amazing! I've been playing steel guitar for seven years now and I'm loving every minute of it. I wish you and Dierks could hear me play steel. I'm still playing my GFI and lovin' it! I'm proud of Dierks because he introduces the band and recognizes the road crew and loves the steel guitar.

Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10-aka "Redgold Beauty"