The Steel Guitar Forum

I play in the house band at the Crystal Coast Jamboree Christmas show. We have a 15 year old spotlight operator, who is a real budding talent on
steel. I have been working with him for about a year. His name is Tracy Merkley and he is a Forum member.

This past Friday and Saturday night, I gave the steel seat up to him on "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem"
and he made me proud!. Good intonation, authoratative attack and generally nailed it. He got a great response from the large audience.

Just made me good and I had to tell somebody!

Clyde, very cool!

Clyde, I wish you had taped it. I'm sure he sounds great.

Actually Bent, they film every night. I am on slow dial up and can't post it, but I'm due to get hi speed cable sometime next month. I'll see what I can do.

I had a lot of fun doing the song and thank you so much for letting me do the song on your steel!!
Tracy M

The video is now on youtube here is the link. Hope you enjoy!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gVHWHW2Kr8

Way to go Tracy,nice playing. I wish I would have started when I was 15. Stay with it.

There seems to be a bunch of kids coming up and playing really fine steel I love to see that. You know they will be around for years

Hi Tracy,

Listen up! "One day, you're gonna be taking Clyde's Job." And the best thing about it is, he'll be mighty proud to turn it over to you.

Now! Just don't tell Clyde I said that!

It looks to me as if Clyde's got you going in all the right directions. So keep it up, and don't get side tracked, as too many young players often times do. You've got a mighty good hold on things, and it'll just keep getting better and better from here on out.

I see why it is you make Clyde mighty proud. That's also what this forum needs more of, for the younger folks starting out. Someone they can see, and relate to, at an early age, coming along in real fine style.

PS: Don't tell anyone I complimented you, as it may ruin my bad image.

Don

Brilliant, and this young player has a "sound" already !

Thanks Mr. Brown
You know the more I play the Steel the more I love it. I am playing it every sunday now in my church now and I love.
Clyde is showing me stuff just about every week because he plays at the crystal coast jamboree were I run the follow spotlight!!!!
Thanks for for all of you wonderful coments!!!
Tracy M

Tracy,

I am playing it every sunday now in my church

That's great to hear. And, you can simply call me Don. I won't take it as being disrespectful at all.

Something tells me we'll all be hearing a lot more of you in the months & years ahead.

Your friend,
Don

Clyde has told me about you and he is absolutely right!. Hope sometime in the future you get a chance to play in Selma, NC at our show "Country Tonight Music Show" at the Ice House theatre (www.countrytonightmusicshow.com) . As Clyde has no doubt told you, we are "steel friendly" show - we do not book groups that do not have steel players.
Keep up the good work!!

Let me fill in a few more blanks about Tracy. I have
never taught anyone who exhibited great touch from
the gitgo like him. From his first time sitting down, his efforts SOUNDED like steel guitar playing.
He had the chance to befriend Don Helms in the last year or so of Don's life and Don was very giving towards him. The first things he wanted to learn
were Don's intros.

Tonight I made him a tape explaining "Tom Cattin". I
have no doubt in a week or so, he'll be playing a
presentable version of it.

Don Brown, as to the comment about him taking my place at the Jamboree, I told them last year that would happen. Besides playing in church, he has a gig lined up at another show in New Bern, N. C.
the first of the year.

Thanks to you guys for the encouraging words to him.
I learned because Kenny Dail gave me the chance and
encouragement. We have to pass it on!

Tracy, Great pickin'

It sounded like you already have a fan club too! Remember that all of us here on the forum are always rootin' for you too!

Keep up the good work. We all know it's not an easy instrument to play.

I have a sneeky suspicion that you're really making your teacher proud .... that's gotta really feel good!
If you can make your parents and teachers at school anywhere near as proud as Clyde is, I'd say you really got it licked!

BTW, Clyde... be nice to Tracy and he'll keep you in the spotlight.... We all know how much we hate to play in the dark!

Keep it up Tracy...You couldn't have a better teacher.

Hey Tracy, Great job, steel as you already know is a wonderful world to be in, planty to keep you busy for a lot of years. Good luck to you, sounds like you are off to a great adventure.
Best Regards
Wayne

This is exactly what the world needs. More spotlight operators who know where THAT SOUND is coming from.

Good luck with your steel playing, Tracy.

I saw Clyde and Tracy last night. Clyde put on a pure seminar on how to play Christmas Music on the steel and make it fit like a glove. A true pro and outstanding musician/steel player. Tracy did a fine job. After the show, he was not pleased with his playing. Come to find out Tracy plays the Emmons set up but switches and plays Clyde's steel, which is the Day setup, and he did not have a chance to practice it before the show. How many of you guys could do that without thinking about it a "lot." Not me... He is a brave (and talented) young man!