The Steel Guitar Forum

He can't wait to get more free time so he can study. I guess when you devote your life to doing something, it might not end... until you do.

If Paul is that determined and devoted it leaves some mighty big foot prints to follow for all the rest of us in terms of commitment. (Mom do I have to practice again?)

Paul and the Timejumpers played in Portland today to a very informed sell out crowd. They are not strangers to the the folks out here, they were very well received to say the least.

Larry Behm

To study what?

I don't think he needs to study steel guitar playing anymore.

I know it's January 9th, but I am having Fran (my girlfriend) and her daughter Shania over for lunch today. Its our Christmas lunch together as she has had Flu all over Christmas. We are exchanging and unwrapping presents. I have already played Paul Franklins Christmas instrumental CD twice this morning and It's going to be played agin when they get here shortly. You know, there will just NEVER be another steel Christmas collection as good as that one in my opinion. It's mind boggling what that man can do on both E9th and C6th also.

Many regards

David Hartley.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall, or perhaps the Grand Ole Opry?

The great Cellist Pablo Cassals once remarked that in his old age he was still playing the same exercises he learned as a boy. I studied for several years with the sarodist Ali Akbar Khan and his message was the same, that practice and study are essential and never ending.

Being a great player is as much as anything a lifestyle choice. The fact that Paul wants sit down and take more time to study is both incredibly impressive and obvious. If he didn't have that drive then he never would have become the player that he is.

I continue to be amazed at the lines Paul comes up with. I was just listening to Billy Currington's "Let me down Easy" and he plays, [I'm pretty sure it's Paul, correct me if I'm wrong] a really nice lick or phrase that I don't recall hearing before. Just sounds terrific.

He has an ever deepening well of musical knowledge to draw from and continues to put new and fresh ideas out there.

It keeps the rest of us on our toes trying to cover the songs properly.

I'm still studying how to change strings.

Your supposed to change em? But seriously, If someone like Paul Franklin feels he can still learn something then I need to get on the ball here.

I remember going to the june jam in Tenn back in the ninties and seeing some of the great players we've heard over the years like John Hughy, Jeff Newman, Paul Franklin, Tommy White (i think) just to name a few off the top of my head, They would line up across the stage as many as maybe 10 at a time, most had some sort of hat on their head, they would take 1 song and take turns playing a part of the song going down the line, They all sound great to me but when it came to Paul he Played it a little different and maybe in a way you would'nt expect, it sounded Fantastic, and i remember the other players taking their hats off and throwing them at Paul and smiling.
I was thinking at the time, how did he come up with that. I think Paul was just being Paul, Just doing things a little different and still capturing the melody and sounding great.

I was at the Station Inn on Dec. 20th to see the Time Jumpers for the 4th time. The first two times I'd seen them, John Hughey was with them and I thought the were the ultimate with that lineup! The next time I went was shortly after John had passed on and Paul was fairly new with the group. I didn't know what to expect as I didn't think anyone could ever fill John's shoes in that gig and Paul didn't! He went in another direction and made the gig his own. John did a lot of those fast chord melody things on C6th which was his thing but Paul played some single note things that I'd never heard before and I was totally amazed. When I went back this time I was even more in awe! From the first song to the last it was his gig! At one point he lost some power and fidelity in his amp and had to replace it but he played one ride with the faulty amp and even that was good. On another point, the fiddle lineup of the TimeJumpers is the best it's ever been IMHO. Larry Franklin is a keeper, must be that last name, eh?.............JH in Va.

Well Larry, I think it might mean CheetoTM sales are going up there too..

It reminds me of a question probably the Most Recorded Steel Player asked me one time. Not so long ago..

"What if I decided to move out there? Could I make it?"

I hesitated a while...

I told him "No."

There was some silence..

He asked me why,

"Well, frankly, I don't think you could stand it."Even the "sit down jobs.."

Like I said, I wished I'd have known about the TJ show earlier, I"d have subbed myself.

Jollies sucked as usual. Except for being able to play with Kevin Neal again. I don't care what band I've played with over the last 25 years, the acoustics in that particular club always swamp the music..

How was Artie and the BH Express this weekend?



EJL

This is why Paul is one of the best players in todays steel world !

I don't know 0.0001% of what Paul does. But the more I learn, the more I realize that I don't know!

Maybe there is no crossover point where a serious student feels there's not a lot left to learn.

Adam Stein wrote:How do you get to Carnegie Hall, or perhaps the Grand Ole Opry?

Bob Hope said he was driving in Nashville and he rolled the window down and asked a guy walking down the street how to get to the Grand Ole Opry. The guy responded: "Try singing through your nose".

The more you know, the more you realize what you don't know.
JJ

Larry Behm wrote:He can't wait to get more free time so he can study. I guess when you devote your life to doing something, it might not end... until you do.

If Paul is that determined and devoted it leaves some mighty big foot prints to follow for all the rest of us in terms of commitment. (Mom do I have to practice again?)

Paul and the Timejumpers played in Portland today to a very informed sell out crowd. They are not strangers to the the folks out here, they were very well received to say the least.

Larry Behm

Amazing!

When I lived in Vegas, Mel played there frequently So I spend sometime with Paul. He told me knowledge of the geetar helps you get around the guitar faster. I'm sure with practice, learning more does a great positive in your pickin and grinin.

I remember hearing that Chet Atkins said when he wanted to learn some classical guitar techniques and styles he took lessons from a classical guitarist and he was a well established player when this happened. Just shows to go ya.
Walter

Larry, next time you see him, tell Paul he can come to Beijing and I can teach him what NOT to play. He and I share the same birthday; perhaps that might sway him to buy a plane ticket for a May 31st celebration steve t

Hi Larry, This is a very good thread.
Funny thing, I had just finished reading this whole thread when I decided to check out the tennis sceen, which I also love, and I read this about the world's no. 1 tennis player Rafa Nadal:

"Nothing Nadal does will surprise me anymore." Gilbert, who has coached Agassi and Andy Roddick, said it was Nadal's never-ending search for improvement that makes him the game's top player at the moment.
"He's constantly trying things. I'm not sure I've seen somebody in his position tweak his game as much as he has. That keeps him motivated." Gilbert said in a telephone interview.

Yes, it is a life style choice. Don

I also hung out with Paul when he was in Portland. I mentioned that every true virtuoso musician that I have played with has been not only down to earth, but also very dismissive of their abilities. I mentioned Derek Trucks, Sonny Landreth, and Bill Frisell, and Paul himself, and Paul said something like "I wouldn't put myself in that league", to which I responded something like, "you just proved my point".

Paul's definitely at the top of his game, which is very heartening to another 50-something.

I had a chance to meet and chat with Paul F a little at the Portland shows. He was so very gracious and friendly. When I thanked him for his many generous and thoughtful postings here on the forum, and mentioned how I enjoyed his playing and his teaching materials, he was very modest.

What Dan said: the more accomplished the player, the more modest the "attitude."

Something to aspire to and learn however old you are.