Louisiana Steel Players ...

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

Hi, guys ... here's what I hope will appeal as a great idea and some fun food for thought ...

I haven't seen anything in Louisiana in the way of steel guitar clubs or associations to represent steel players in our fine state ... and, talking with the few steel players that I've met since my move here (in May of 2012), it seems there isn't one.

I happened to mention to a couple of steel players that it'd be nice to have a steel guitar association like other states do and they agreed with the idea, said they didn't recall Louisiana ever having a steel association, then pretty much said, "Well, why don't we start one?"

The couple of local players I talked with have shown an enthusiastic interest and I'd love to try putting something together (I got so enthused about the idea myself that, in a moment of inspiration one evening, I drafted up a fun idea for a possible Louisiana Steel Guitar Association logo, shown below) ...



But, as it was suggested to me by one of those players, before I actually put too much time toward trying to get something like this put together, it'd be great to find out how all our fellow Louisiana steel players feel toward it.

I guess that's a logical place to start! So, my question is: how many Louisiana steel players would be interested in having such a club or association? Perhaps monthly meetings (or, at least, periodical) where we can get together and have some great Louisiana steel guitar fellowship and share our music together with steel jams and such?

I'll be totally honest ... I've never started a steel club or association before, so I'd be a total green-horn at it and, being inexperienced at an endeavor like this, I'd sincerely welcome and be completely open to ideas and suggestions as to how to go about it and what all it entails.

I'll also be contacting other guys who've already gotten something like this started in their states or areas to get their advice and wisdom as to how to go about it correctly.

At present, it's all still an idea and everything is simply still in the talking stages, but I'd love to give it a go and try to get something together if there's enough interest in having a steel club/association like this here in Louisiana.

Let me know what you think, guys, and I welcome your input, ideas, suggestions and advice. Thanks!

[Bob Cox]

Nice work Jim. I like it.Hope you get the association together. Last time i seen you I was playing a show with you at the wild dog saloon in Huntington WV and you were with Tye thats been a while.

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

Thanks, Bob. I remember that Huntington WV gig. That has been awhile back! Good memories, though. I get a little nervous at the idea of starting up a steel guitar association only because I've never done it before, but then I think "everyone whose ever started one has been in the same boat". The flipside of the coin is that it'll be a lot of fun, especially if it benefits all us steel players here in Louisiana by bringing us together for some great fellowship and music.

[Tommy Shown]

Jim, I would be interested. FOR SURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tommy

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

Thanks, Tommy ... that's you and Billy Tam both now, so that makes three of us so far. Here's hoping more of our Louisiana steel guitar brothers join in and voice an interest. And, I believe it'll happen as more Louisiana players discover this.

I'm sure it'll start out pretty small and modest, but as time goes by it'd grow and get better and better. I've talked with a couple of guys who've started steel associations before and it seems some have started with only four or five players and gradually grew larger as more players became involved.

It'd be so great to be able to get several steel players together and have this thing grow into something where we can start having regular monthly (or bi-monthly) steel meetings and, who knows? In time eventually, if it gets big enough, maybe actual steel shows like other states do.

It'd be great fun and a way for us all to share our steel music together. Pedal steelers, non-pedal steelers, Dobro players ... I think there's a lot of steel talent in Louisiana and a good time to be had by all with a steel association here.

By the way, the Jones brothers at the little club over there in Denham Springs have generously volunteered to let us have steel meetings there on days they wouldn't normally be open, so it looks like we've already got a prospective place where we could set up some steel meetings when we're ready for that step.

Naturally, although we want to get as many Louisiana players involved as we can, our steel association would be open to any steel players who'd like to become involved.

[Joel Hill]

Hi Jim, I would be interested in becoming a member of the association. Although I live in Mississippi, I play most weekends in the Monroe to Vicksburg areas. Let me know the next steps if I am allowed to join. Good Luck!!

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

Hi, Joel, why of course you can join! And, welcome aboard! You'll be member number 4. Right now we're in such infancy with this thing I'm still discovering what all I need to do to get this thing off the ground.

At least, until this thing ever gets large enough to warrant it, there'll be no membership fees or anything like that.

I've got a membership list started and the main thing I need is simply good contact info. If you'll send me an email with your contact info, I'll be happy to add you as member number 4. Thanks!

[John Peay]

I'd like to join as a "non-resident" member! I wanted to be the first, but I see Joel beat me to it!

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

Hey, John ... welcome aboard! Sending you a PM, by the way. We're going to be headed out to hear Billy Tam play at the club tonight.

[Dale Rottacker]

Jim you'd be the perfect choice to be President and head this up...and because of that let me be Member #6, though it would have to be in absentia, as I'm pretty sure I'd have trouble making the meetings with regularity from Washington...wish I were closer...Good luck with a worthy venture...

[billy tam]

OK, Some of you guys outside the Baton Rouge area and you know who you are, step on up and sign up. It's free and would be a bargain at half that price. Come on Danny Cormier, Charlie Moore, Jimmy Lewis, Richard Comeaux, Joe Rogers, Murnel Babineaux, Danny Harrell, Wilburn Stewart, on and on and on. This could be fun, educational, and everone could keep up with everyone else's new gear.
Billy

[Danny Naccarato]

Jim ole Buddy, We'll be down your way Aug 16..... Delcambre Shrimp Festival..... it'd be great to see you.

Danny

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

Dale, you're on the member list, buddy! Welcome aboard.

Billy ... thanks for the plug there! I knew we had some steel players here in Louisiana, but that's a great list. Had no idea we had so many! It'd be wonderful sometime to get all or most of us together in one spot! What a great time we could have!

Danny Naccarato! Wow, man, it's been quite awhile! I'll try to get out there to the Delcambre Shrimp Festival. Would be great to see you again, too, and hear you play.

[Donnie Weir]

Im only 18 miles from the state line so count me in. Thanks Donnie

[Junior Knight]

Hey Jim..I'm in. I'll Pm you..

[Bobby Bowman]

Me too, Jim.
BB

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

Donnie, Junior & Bobby, we'd be honored to have y'all as members! Welcome aboard!

We're up to 9 members now (well, 10 including myself).

3 from LA, 2 from GA, 1 from MS, 1 from WA, and 3 from TX.

[chris ivey]

i really like the logo. nice colors and steel. good luck with your endeavor. i hope it's not confused by the larger portion of the world that may misinterpret the initials to be lesbian/gay oriented, but i guess there's nothing wrong with it.

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

Chris, thanks sincerely for your kind words on the logo and the well-wishes on this endeavor. I really do appreciate it.

LOL, I was needing a good laugh today and when I read what you said about someone possibly confusing the initials, I laughed out loud. Sure hope that kind of confusion never happens! But, if anyone ever does, all they've got to do is read the title Louisiana Steel Guitar Association right above the initials to know what they stand for.

[Robbie Primm]

Hey count me in I in Shreveport,La.Been playing for 40 years now!

[Jack Harper]

add me to the mississippi delagation.
1 is a lonely number...

country....

[Wayne Goff]

Jim

You are getting a good start for a la assoc.
There are a lot of fine steel pickers in and around louisiana.
I am not a steel picker but I would like to be a member and get to know some of them.
I play Drums and would like to support you and your
assoc.I was born and reared in shreveport but now am living in Mobile,al.I am retired now and have played at several of the shows in the past.
just let us know where you will be and when.

wayne

[Jimmy Lewis]

You can count me in Jim and I will talk to Charlie Moore.

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

Robbie, Jack, Wayne and Jimmy, welcome aboard! We're happy and honored to have you.

[Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)]

I just received an email with a nice suggestion from someone ... to create a "public" membership page that has a photo of the member (with or without his/her steel or instrument) and a short little "bio" stating who they are and the area they live in as well as the band they play for, etc. Any details they'd want to provide about themselves to help other members in the association to get to know them better.

Sort of like the players page you see on some of the steel manufacturer's web sites.

If you'd like to participate in a membership page like that, please send me a photo with a little bio about yourself and I'll be happy to create one.

Reminder: If you haven't already sent me your contact info for the main L.S.G.A. membership list itself, please do so.

With blank DVDs being as cheap as they are today, it'd be nice to record our steel meetings and/or shows (video/audio) and mail out a copy of it to those who'd like to have one.

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I'm also working on trying to set up our first meeting to take place within a month (two at the latest).

I talked with Junior Knight on the phone this morning and, providing his schedule allows him to attend, which looks pretty good so far, Junior Knight will be a featured player at our first meeting! We all know Junior and, believe me, if nothing prevents him from attending, you won't want to miss seeing and hearing him play!

What about a venue for that first meeting?

Well, we've actually got a place at our disposal if we'd like to use it ... here's a photo of the band stand at a venue where the owners have already generously volunteered to allow us to have a steel meeting:



This photo shows the house band (with our very own Billy Tam on that beautiful blue Sho-Bud of his). The guitar player on the left is Lamar Posey who is also a fine steel player himself!

As you can see, the stage isn't very large, but the owners have generously offered the use of their venue for our steel meeting ... of course, nothing is yet set in stone, but it's ours to use if we so desire it.

It is called The Jones Boys' Hall Of Fame Club and is located in Denham Springs, LA. And, great news for non-smokers, even though it's actually a club on the nights it's open for business, it's a very clean-air non-smoking venue.

I go out there every Saturday night to hear Billy and the band play and, even though I'm a smoker myself, it's refreshing to go into a venue that's clean with truly fresh air!

The owners, who also front the house band and are genuinely very nice friendly folks, are true lovers and admirers of steel guitar and have said they'd be honored to allow us to have steel meetings there.