The Steel Guitar Forum

As the subject suggests, I'm new to lap steel. I'm looking to hear some good playing but I don't know of any good players. I just like the sound of the instrument so I figured I'd get one and see where I could take it.

I'm more into rock and blues so who should I check out? I really DON'T like country music. I know that there are a ton of great country steel players but I most likely won't go down that road. To give you an idea, I've been learning Grateful Dead tunes for now just to get my head wrapped around where all of the chords are.

Any suggestions?
Thanks!

Ben Harper. David Lindley with Jackson Browne for starters.

Dave Lindley for sure. Doesn't mix notes in a passage just because he can. Every note played is the one that should have been there. His tone is enviable, and you'll want to immolate him. Start with Running On Empty (Jackson Brown)he's the driving force. Trick is take those licks and try to get into his head how he thinks what goes where and why then add that to your own arsenal.

You should listen to the original Mississippi delta bottleneck players who started it all. Fred McDowell, Robert Johnson, Son House, early Muddy Waters, and Bukka White.

Fred McDowell was (in my opinion) the best guitarist, and the one to start with. And rather than get the complete set of Robert Johnson's recordings, which contain many alternate takes of the same songs, get the "King of the Delta Blues" CD, which contains his best material.

I would suggest that you check out Robert Randolph. He ain't very country

Darryl - please don't immolate David Lindley - even tho he has tone "to burn" !

You will want to check out the Campbell Brothers and then the rest of the Sacred Steel players. Robert Randolph came from this tradition.

Check out the Vanduras. Dan Tyack. David Lindley for sure.

Greg Leisz does a huge variety of music, both country and non-country, pedal and lap.

He has played with may great musicians. Here is one band he is (was?) part of. The video shows the huge range this group covered musically with snippets, and interviews of the members:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqTWgXDogOE

Doug

Oh I forget - this is an ongoing thread of non-country players and bands on YouTube, I bookmarked it and check back occasionally because it just keeps growing:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=208507

There's a few hundred artists so far, oughta keep you busy for a bit... I certainly met some new stuff there, like the band "Pelican." They play the cinematic sort of "post-rock" like Explosions in the Sky & Scale the Summit, but with pedal steel front and center.

Alan,
Sorry for the miss-type. Eyes aren't what they used to be. The time of the post may be a clue also. And yes Lindley does have tone to burn.

KingSunny Ade and his African Beats, from Nigeria. Early to mud 80's recordings had Ademola Adepoju playing pedal steel. Very unusual tuning and style. Really enjoyable stuff.

deleted

Little Feat with Lowell George and Paul Barrerre' (sp)...if u don't dig LF you may be an alien j/k.... and all the aformentioned pickers.

Howard Steinberg wrote:KingSunny Ade and his African Beats, from Nigeria. Early to mud 80's recordings had Ademola Adepoju playing pedal steel. Very unusual tuning and style. Really enjoyable stuff.

King Sunny Adé recorded about 20 albums before he found and hired Demola Adepojo to play steel with him. The CD that really features Demola is called "Juju Music." Here is the cover.



I wrote an article about this for Steel Guitar World back in the 80s. I still have the file and can send it to anybody who is interested.

I just did a little googling and youtubing on David Lindley. All I can say is WOW! The dude is seriously amazing! Ill be checking out some others listed above but the was a good start! Thanks!!

This web page contains 70 videos of Fred McDowell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMLNmv28 ... QapCK3icsz

Check out Glenn Ross Campbell with Juicy Lucy circa 1969-1970. If you like Lindley you will love this guy.