The Steel Guitar Forum

As a new PSG player, I've spent most of the last two months simply learning how to get around on the instrument, and take care of it. Playing half-licks (and some of the wonderful beginners exercises available on the forum)., and learning where my favorite chords are.

However, last night I started playing two songs from my childhood by ear: "Beautiful Dreamer" (Orbison), and "Michael Row the Boat Ashore".

Neither of these are songs that I would have purposefully chosen as my "first", but it felt great to start pulling recognizable melodies out of this instrument.

I'm just curious what songs other steelers "cut their teeth" on, since this was a significant development as a player for me, and I'm sure I'll be coming back to these tunes over and over.


So, first songs?

For me, it was either "Cold, Cold Heart" by Hank Williams, or "Look At Us" by Vince Gill. "Cold Cold Heart" came first and "Look At Us" followed.

Brett

Fire on the Mountain by Marshall Tucker Band. I still play it 30 years later.

The first song I wanted to learn was special to me. My uncle Everett who was a great fiddler and I played rythum guitar with him for years had cancer. I took it to learn Faded Love and do it the way he had played it for years. We got to do it only one time before his health went and he passed away. It was very special to me though, and I still remember it. I play Faded Love it brings back a lot of memories yet today.

I think you have the right idea choosing the songs you like.

Like Brett, I started with "Cold Cold Heart", and also the songs from the Winston/Keith book..Red River, Laredo, Silent Night. Right now I'm taking a little detour from the Winston/Keith book into Lloyd Green's Midnight Silence. I'll probably have to go back and relearn everything again in a couple weeks after I realize I'm no Lloyd Green.

I can remember the first Christmas song I learned on steel-it was "Blue Christmas"-I'd played along with Buddy Emmons' version of the song, and then I played it every year and I still play it every December.

Talk Back Trembling Lips was my first one - http://soundcloud.com/petenicholls/talk ... g-lips-psg

I just realized that I haven't played this song since the very early days!

I hope to start learning some Christmas songs soon.

The first song I learned to play backup to must have been "Some broken hearts never mend" by Don Williams. And my first solo piece was Lloyd Green's "Summer clouds". Waaaaaay too long ago.

Red River Valley from Winnie's book. Then it was Crazy Arms....

I joined a band the same day I got my first steel and was in rehearsals a couple of days later. I clearly remember the first two songs we learned- "Lyin' Eyes" by the Eagles, and "Pananma Red" by NRPS. First one, not so hard. P Red had me tied in knots. Damn you Buddy Cage!
At the same time I started working through the Winston book- as it was for so many others, an incredible help to get going.
I've told all my students ever since- join a band! Now! If I hadn't been in a band and forced to keep up, I know I wouldn't have progressed anywhere near as fast, if at all.

"There is a rose in Spanish Harlem".
After going through the Bruce Bouton video, I could figure it out by myself.

Ray Minich wrote:Red River Valley from Winnie's book. Then it was Crazy Arms....

Me, too.

Honky Tonk Angels, the first song in the Sho-Bud PSG beginner's book. I had no access to a live pedal teacher at the time. (Still don't.)
Six months later when I joined my first band playing pedal guitar it was probably Teach Your Children. That was the mid-70s, so it was still cool. Heck, it's still cool to me.
I remember working on Six Feet of Snow for a full week and then my band decided not to add it to the show. Talk about Girl's Gone Wild!!!!

Old Spinning Wheel

I have always liked steel guitar and even more pedal steel.
The song that really drew me to the pedals and started me playing them was with Mooney playing his style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCS-cG9yPto

Like everybody else who learned from Winnie's book, I first learned Red River Valley.

The first song I figured out by myself was She Thinks I Still Care.

First song I learned was Tennessee Waltz. Then I Can't Help It. The first intro I learned was for Woman of The World, in the key of B. Then most of Hank Williams Sr., and Loretta Lynn songs. And add Stonewall Jackson. Of course then you have to dabble with Steel Guitar Rag.

Candy Kisses was the first one

Guy Clark "Instant Coffee Blues."

"Orange Blossom Special." I'd already been fingerpicking for a dozen years, so the right hand was of no great concern. My instructor taught me a version that was all over the neck, using pedals and levers. It really familiarized me with just how the guitar worked.

Here's the Steelin' that ruin'd me for life:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-c1az4uJzo

I use it as standard Pedal Steel 101 lesson now.
Key of A, 12th Fret A-B position, hold B-pedal down (first 4 notes are strings 8-7-6-6), and rock on/off pedal-A as needed, etc...

My first few (I think they are listed in the correct order)...

Silent Night
Red River Valley
Minuet In G
Star Spangled Banner
House Of The Rising Sun



JSB

When my Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again (by ear only) followed by Cold Cold Heart (tabbed).

I learned scales and melodies long before working on chords in any serious manner.

Bud's Bounce was the first song I TRIED to learn(STILL trying for that matter), But the first song's I learned that I Still Play are Faded Love and Someday Soon.

Josh.