The Steel Guitar Forum

As a player, when you learn (or suspicion) that another steel player is in the audience.

does it pump up your enthusiasm, or, does it rattle your sense of confidence so much that you want to run and hide?

What if Buddy Emmons, or Lloyd Green or Paul Franklin came in and sat down next to the band stand?

How would it affect your playing?

In my 40years of gigging I've only come across six steel players ever in the audience, so, I don't have that worry.

Ive yet to meet the steeler who wasnt a better player than myself so if i know a steel player is in the audience I am intimidated and hold back and screw up mucho.

If Buddy or Lloyd were front row? I'd give it all I had..then (after getting an autograph)ask/beg/plead for some advice/help/lesson.

Intersteing that you mention it Ray, in the early 90's I guess it must have been, I was playing the Ranch Restaurant in Everett, Wa and looked over to the bar and saw none other than Paul Franklin sitting there! You bet I was "nervous" but I tried to play same as I would have anyway. I was playing 5/6 nights a week at the time and had been for a long time. At Break I went and introduced myself. Paul was absolutely cool. I offered him to the play the next set which he DID!! (He was in the Seattle area on tour with Dire Straits at the time) He probably doesn't remember the night but it was a highlight for me.

Ray Montee wrote:As a player, when you learn (or suspicion) that another steel player is in the audience.

does it pump up your enthusiasm, or, does it rattle your sense of confidence so much that you want to run and hide?

What if Buddy Emmons, or Lloyd Green or Paul Franklin came in and sat down next to the band stand?

How would it affect your playing?

As long as they'd paid to get in, I don't care. In fact, I'd hope they brought several other paying customers with them.

They're not there to evaluate your playing. They're probably not even paying any attention to the music, they've heard it all before. They're there to do their gig, get their money, and go home.... same as you. So I wouldn't worry about it. A pro would never do anything except compliment your playing. The pros know that music is not a contest. If you make it one in your mind, then you'll probably lose.

I usually end up doing something silly to see if I can get 'em to crack up.

Rick Campbell wrote:

Ray Montee wrote:As a player, when you learn (or suspicion) that another steel player is in the audience.

does it pump up your enthusiasm, or, does it rattle your sense of confidence so much that you want to run and hide?

What if Buddy Emmons, or Lloyd Green or Paul Franklin came in and sat down next to the band stand?

How would it affect your playing?

As long as they'd paid to get in, I don't care. In fact, I'd hope they brought several other paying customers with them.

They're not there to evaluate your playing. They're probably not even paying any attention to the music, they've heard it all before. They're there to do their gig, get their money, and go home.... same as you. So I wouldn't worry about it. A pro would never do anything except compliment your playing. The pros know that music is not a contest. If you make it one in your mind, then you'll probably lose.

I'm not playing many (nor any)gigs were Buddy or Lloyd are also playing, or even in the same state, and even if Buddy were there , he's retired and wouldnt be playing would he?

I absolutely agree with Rick's comments. Just from observing my own reaction when I did find myself in that situation I was not overly nervous or "paralyzed" self conscious, I was really just INSPIRED to have a great player in the room. I also found myself in the same room with Rusty Young once, he was there to do a set with Vince Gill and we played the warm up set. He came and looked at my Excel U-12 and introduced himself!... and was just really nice. I was just very inspired by the fortunate circumstance, knowing I was gonna get to hear him play with Vince Gill, it was awesome! In answer to Ray's initial question, I THINK I played pretty much as I would have, maybe a little extra adrenaline!

The first time I played the Opry, with Stonewall Jackson, Sonny, Hal and Weldon made it very obvious that they were watching me, and I was a little nervous that they might steal some of my hot licks.

As Rick says:

They're not there to evaluate your playing. They're probably not even paying any attention to the music, they've heard it all before.

Very true in most normal playing situations, but OTOH, I've been involved in, and witnessed, a lot of situations here in town where several steel players would get together and try to smoke each other, like in the old days when Buddy and Jimmy Day would go head to head, but that's a whole different deal.

They don't affect me at all, because I know I'm bad.

Think i posted this some time back. In the late 50s i was hired as one of the fiddle players in a band here in Tx. was also learning steel on the side. Had a stringmaster and had bought a multichord to see how pedals worked. At times when the band would do a simple 3 chord song i would play along on the multi chord.
One night while i was on the M.C. Buddy Emmons and Jimmy Day both came in. I got back on the fiddle. Then Jimmy and Buddy and Jimmy took turns sitting in on the M.C. Some weeks later the same happened with Bob White,Hank Thompsons steel player.
Two or three years later i was playing at the Golden Nugget in Vegas and Curly Chalker came in.
It never bothered me what steel player came in as i would always learn something from them. Tracy

I would have loved to have seen any of those names play. Let alone play on stage with me...wow.

I'm intimidated by the local guys too. guess Im just a sissy.

I played on the same stage, the same night, and right before, I might add with a very well known steeler (and I believe he's a forum member as well).. I know I am terrible.. If he was even in the room when we played (which he probably wasn't) he'd know I was terrible as well...

I don't care... Really don't...

Ben Jones wrote:I would have loved to have seen any of those names play. Let alone play on stage with me...wow.

I'm intimidated by the local guys too. guess Im just a sissy.

I have to admit it really inspired me to get a real pedal steel after seeing what Buddy and Jimmy did with that 6 string multi chord. Tracy

Over the years I've played in front of Big E, Herby, Doug J. Bobbe, Russ Hicks and more than I feel like typing here. When I was young & didn't know what I know now it didn't bother me. I thought I was "almost" as good as they were. Then I grew up and realized that I'm not worthy of carrying their cases.
So now, as I found out again this past Saturday when Jim Cohen walked up, I get nervous and the slightest thing bothers me. It was the semi-functional ear monitors that night. I knew what I wanted my hands to do and where they should be but I couldn't hear much of the steel so I hope things came out "adequately".

I've had the nervous reaction, but I've also had the opposite happen...where I felt like the steel player(s) in the room were "on my side." We have a very supportive steel community here in Portland, so that helps.

Bryan Daste wrote:I've had the nervous reaction, but I've also had the opposite happen...where I felt like the steel player(s) in the room were "on my side." We have a very supportive steel community here in Portland, so that helps.

oh yeah, i definetly dont feel like anyone in my scene is against me or in competitition with me or anything but supportive. I put that extra pressure on myself and then clam up.

Its not as bad as I make it sound , but the guys we are talking about...they are not mere mortals and i would definetly be blinded in their presence. I am an amatuer hobbyist not even a serious musician, and these guys are my idols. I'd be nervous in front of em even if i werent playing an instrument they had devoted their lives to. I'd be nervous to be their waiter.*spills soup in the Big E's lap."Su-su-su-Sorry Mr. Emmons sir!"

As a general rule it freaks me out and puts me on tilt. As somebody already said, just about every steeler that has seen me play is better than me.
But here's an awful thing that happened to me a few month' back. We just got done opening for a touring band that comes through our neck of the woods all the time. Their singer gets up on stage, thanks us and then points at me and says " man, I hope one day I could get a steel player as good as you in my band" right into the mic. The trouble is, his steeler is light years ahead of me in every way possible, better technique, better tone, more skill, more control - everything, and is a buddy of mine to boot, not to mention a super nice guy. I've never been more embarassed than that. And now, anytime they come back through town, I can't even remember how to play a single note.

The steel players I have met are highly supportive. I don't pretend to be anything but a student of the steel guitar, so I just try not to screw-up too much. We all have to start somewhere and many times I get some useful pointers. I know some of these guys would really humble me if they were behind the steel instead of me. I play for a drinking and dancing crowd, this is not a concert or a steel show, and that definitely seems to ease the nerves. If I waited until I was to a level of what I consider a good solid steel player, I'd still be sitting home on Saturday nights wood-shedding and maybe what you would have is another band without a steel player.

The roles reverse also, sometimes I am the other steel player in the audience, or with a group of steel players who decide to go over and watch someone play. We are not there to judge and critique. It really is the love of the instrument.

How about Jeff Newman coming in and taking a chair and coming up on stage and sitting down by you!!!. Jody.

I find it inspiring.....all my gigs last week, Rusty Rhoads comes in and sits in which is great as his awesome.....and I get a break lol !!!

Ben Jones wrote:
oh yeah, i definetly dont feel like anyone in my scene is against me or in competitition with me or anything but supportive. I put that extra pressure on myself and then clam up.

I can relate, I'm so new to the deal that I get nervous playing in front of myself!

It's funny, I was playing with a local trad rockabilly band (for lack of a better term) on the Magnatone 8-string lap that Cousin Rusty Blake put together for me (and deserves its own thread) last night, got totally lost mid-solo on a song I knew perfectly well and finished up by going nuts Speedy-style, and the crowd went "WOOOOO!!!!"

I mean, it could be worse (replace "WOOOOO!!!!" with "BOOOOO!!!!"), but it was purely a crisis-avoidance move and hardly what I intended!

The most nervous I have ever been on stage was way back in the early 90's when I played my first talent showcase at Scotty's ISGC. Man what a rush!!! Im so glad I did it though! You are up there and you know tons of steel players are watching you!!! That took nerves and I would not have done it without Scotty's encouragement.

Later I played a steel show for the Indiana Steel Club, also in front of some very fine players! It only made me better.

At Dollywood, I had a very unique experience in that I was hired as a fiddle/utility player along side the great Herby Wallace. I learned something every show just from watching him up close!!! I also spent a lot of time at Herby's shop. He taught me a bunch!!! Sold me my first C6 and wouldnt let me out the door without showing me the basics... and making me pay for it, LOL!!!

I played the Knoxville show in 1993 at the invitation of Stoney Stonecipher! Lots of great players that year!

I did a few sessions on fiddle with the also great Hal Rugg! It was awesome watching him come up with masterpiece fills and rides!!!

Hal and his family came to one of my shows in Branson while I played his old 73 Emmons! It was an honor to have my friends there. I wasn't nervous a bit!

There have been many other players I have done shows with. Not to mention the Opry alongside Weldon Myrick, and several other great players. Sorry I'm drawing a blank right now. On the road, I met Sonny Purdum, Steve Palousek, Tony Paoletta, Donna Hammit, Tommy Hannum and many others! They were all very gracious!

There was a time also that while I was with Boxcar Willie, I came with him and played dobro on Wabash Cannonball, along with the staff band!!! Wow!!! All those guys are amazing, and there I was on National TV with Tommy White right behind me, LOL!!! Now thats a recipe for a nervous breakdown if there ever was one! It was sooooo surreal, almost like I dreamed it. But I knew it really happened cause I watched it on TV later, LOL!!! Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were also there that night! YOU might have watched yourself! Definetely one of the highlights of my career that all these earlier experiences prepared me for!

These great players were nothing but encouraging to me! We don't have enough steel guitarists now, why would they ever want to diminish us and cause us to possibly quit! No, these guys are pro's and they will encourage and teach anyone who comes along with the interest to play. Hal invited me to come over anytime I wanted and he would show me things. He had his Franklin set up at the house. I sure do miss him...

I'm not writing all this to brag. I have been greatly blessed by our Lord above to have been given all these wonderful opportunities. My message is simple. Keep playing and play your best always! If you notice a certain acomplished musician in the house, don't worry, do not fear! Look inside yourself and to God and he will help you! Make these learning experiences. Play with your heart and with passion. These pros will see that more than hear your notes! Thats what is important.

Now if Jeff Newman came in tomorrow and sat down next to me, I would immediately stop playing, look to the sky and listen for the trumpets!!!!!
Wouldn't it be cool if Jeff was your guardian angel!!! LOL!!!

tomorrow evening I'll know