The Steel Guitar Forum

Check out Barb's version of Leon Rhodes/Buddy Charleton's Steel Guitar Rag.

Simply amazing and wonderful.

Yeah Herb, seen that one before..Don't forget that was probably 30 years ago too...Absolutely ferocious chops, and pefect inonation and control.

I think of Barbara Mandrell and can't help but think that sometimes life is unfair .. I mean she's not wiidely known as a steel player to many that are familiar with her from TV and records, yet she can outplay most of us ..big time.... She plays several instruments at very high skill levels, world class vocalist, and looks like a fashion model to boot...Is there no justice?
Just astounding talent that is rarer than rare... bob

Wouldn't it be nice if she came and played at the convention some day?

Excellant playing for sure.But the hardest part for me at least.Would be to play it that good, and smile.

Actually Mike, I think she did play the ISGC one year. I,m not sure what year but I think it was the 4th or 5th year. Maybe some one can remember for sure/ and if she did.
Bobby Callweld woud know.

She did a lot for getting the steel some big time recognition. Many times, and to this day, when people asked me what a steel is, I've asked them if they remember the instrument Barbara played on her TV show. It's rare that I get an answer in the negative...... Most have said "oh.... yeah...."

I believe she's also pretty hot on the banjo.

Does she know about the Forum ?

Wow! That leaves me spechless. So much talent, delivered with a smile...awesome!


Kind Regards, Walter

I love how at the end she pulled the outside right knee lever over...did you notice that?? I usually have to do that with some of my songs but I don't know why!!! LOL.

Steve

Is it true that she lived very close to Norman Hamlet when she grew up and that he showed her how to play steel?
Danny O Keefe wrote a song for Barbara Mandrell called"Steel guitar".

"She plays country music,
And she paid up her dues,
you oughta drop in,
You got nothin' to lose,
She can steel a guitar,
She can steal a heart,
And they come every night,
to get picked apart,
by a steel guitar,
It was a Sho Bud special,
Steel guitar"

Amazing player, notice how she got the knee lever with her hand at the end ??? I saw Barbara and her band play the Wembley festival one year here in England. She had Bobby Black on steel, and like she usually did in her act, she asked him to move over so she could play a number on steel. Barbara was on some of the earlier Sho-Bud brochures as an advert for their steels.


Micky Byrne United Kingdom

WOW!!!

Back to the drawing board....

RR

Barbara got her training in Oceanside California. Her father owned Oceanside Music and she and her sisters had access to all of the instruments. They all started learning at early ages. Barbara played many gigs around Oceanside as she was growing up and played many of the officers clubs at Camp Pendleton Marine base. She was well known for her PSG talent but also for her versatility on other instruments. It inspired me to take up PSG. I started playing guitar and bass. Then learned PSG. She has more talent than most anyone I have ever known.

It's very true that she had talent, and was exposed to many music instruments when she was very young.
But she also had a great steel teacher to get her started in the right direction on the steel. You may remember the teachers name, Norm Hamlet.

I don't think Barbara has ever played the St Louis Conv, I have been to all of them , I don't remember her being there, but I sure would hate to find out I left to early one day. She would really be a good one for Scotty to try an get, man I bet she would fill the house.

Jerry

There are many gifted and priveleged beings on this planet as concerns music. The Big 'E", Ricky Skaggs, Barbara Mandrell, Paul Franklin, and the list goes on. I hate them all with equal passion . These people seemingly just look at an instrument and play it while for other mere mortals such as myself, we can only hold them to standards we ourselves can only hope to emulate. There are many such talented folks right here in our forum.

Seriously though, they, started young, worked their collective tails off and became what they are today. I'm glad they're here to inspire me to even greater hieghts.

I think she also got some lessons from Speedy.

I think she also got some lessons from Speedy.

and Julian Tharpe and quite a few others who were in her road band.

I sent this link to Barbara, maybe we can get her to respond. I know that she appreciates your comments. She is a terrific player, why she keep me around for 23 years I don't know. That arrangement was something Jack Molette and I put together for her back in 1976. That's my old red push/pull that she is playing.

Cookie

Mike,
Barb kept you around because she knows great steel playing when she hears it!

Tommy, she knew that I could tune her steel and banjo. It's hard to find someone that would admit to knowing how to tune a banjo.

Cookie

You mean.... you TUNE banjos?

THAT's what's wrong with mine, then!!!


RR

Also some (not all) of Barbara's steel players through the years were, Paul Franklin, Julian Thorpe, Bobby Black, Wayne Hobbs and myself. Norm Hamlett was her teacher for several years in Oceanside Ca.

Cookie

hey mike... i picked up a D10 push-pull many years ago that someone thought might have had a connection to you or barbara...it had been beaten and bent by the time i bought it for $700...but it fixed up really great! it is tobacco (?) colored lacquer/wood necks...maybe early 80's..originally 10 pedals 6 knees i think...ring a bell?

Just think, she made millions in her career choices, when she could have concentrated on steel guitar and made ... uh ... hundreds!