Picking a steel guitar role model

Curt Trisko · From: St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

I feel the need to pick a high-profile steel player and try to emulate their style and development. It seems like that's a way to make learning the steel guitar fun and enlightening. I'be been listening to music with prominent steel guitar for about 5 years now, excluding listening to TNN with my parents when I was really young. I recognize most of the big names now, which is neat when they make conversation on this forum. There's no steel player where I like all of their musical choices, but the two steelers that I'd learn how to play their music are Steve Palousek and Ken Champion. I don't know enough about steel guitar history to know what this says about me or my tastes. I love the music of a lot of other steelers, but not all of them make me want to retrace their footsteps in how they developed their style.

Robert Parent · From: Gillette, WY

My long time favorites are: Weldom Myrick, Hal Rugg, and Lloyd Green. There are several others that I like but these three are on top of my list.

I see we have another MN steeler among the group, nice to met you.

Robert

Robert Parent · From: Gillette, WY

My long time favorites are: Weldom Myrick, Hal Rugg, and Lloyd Green. There are several others that I like but these three are on top of my list.

Robert

Don R Brown · From: Rochester, New York, USA

We all have our favorites and that's fine. But I'm taking the approach that I want to learn from as many different players as possible. If you try to emulate one "name" player, 1) you are bound to come up short because you're NOT him/her, and 2) if you somehow DID get their sound dead on, people would think of that player, not you. I like to listen to various players, pick out the parts that I really like to hear, and try to figure how to play them. I believe that will help me learn faster, and ultimately make me a better player, than limiting myself to one or two players to work from.

That's my 2 cents worth, YMMV.

Curt Trisko · From: St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

I bet I'll come up short anyway since I'm not naturally musically gifted like they are. I do think there's something to be said for learning a style like it's a discipline instead of immediately picking and choosing from different styles. It sounds boring and narrow-minded, but these guys developed a "feel" instead of just making pretty noises. For someone not naturally gifted like me, I'd probably suck at creating my own feel if I tried to do it too early in my development with the instrument.

Malcolm McMaster · From: Beith Ayrshire Scotland

I think my own thoughts are that it is better to pick from all the great players (and the not so great) and hope that just a little of each of them shows through in my playing.Having the privilege to meet many of them, my own personal favourites are Papa John, MIke Johnson, JD, all of who not knowing me from Adam, took the time to speak to me, but made me feel like a long lost friend, I just hope that I can learn a fraction of what they took the time to tell me, and that I can pass on to others the lessons I learned from them ,both as a musicians and real gentlemen.
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Matthew Walton · From: Fort Worth, Texas

I think I kind of agree with both sides (I'm so decisive). I definitely think that as musicians, we should learn from and borrow from every genre and even instrument when trying to perfect our playing and "develop our own sound." That being said however, that goal can be incredibly overwhelming, even if you just limit it to steel guitarists that you like. I think that by focusing on a single musician, it can help you keep focused on actually learning. I know that for me personally, if I have an overwhelming amount of options to do, I'll just flit back and forth without actually taking action on any of them (Netflix instant watch anybody?). Some of you may be aware that I really like Dire Straits, especially once Paul Franklin joined. Instead of saying "well, I'll try learning a little from John Hughey, a little from Maurice Anderson, a little from Paul Franklin..." etc. I could say "I'm going to learn every song from On Every Street, one by one." (Granted, I haven't even tried a pledge like this, much less followed through. Oh Well

) I think that this would result in a clear goal that is easier not only to stay focused on, but also to keep and meet clear goals.

The other benefit of this can be exhibited in steel guitarists who know just enough to be dangerous. At this stage, you (arbitrary dangerous steel guitarist) probably know a few songs, and given a decent amount of time you can figure out how to fake your way through most songs. Maybe you even got a couple of gigs with the band at the local bar. However, beyond those few songs, there's not a whole lot that you can do. Forcing yourself to learn an album start to finish would not only make you a better steel guitarist due to the brute force necessity of being able to play the songs, but would also make you aware of licks and runs common to multiple songs; seeing how and when these different licks are applied in various songs would help you understand when/where to put them in other songs you are playing. As an added bonus, you also have ten more songs in your repertoire! After this, you can choose to go on and become famous (results not guaranteed), start on another album, etc.

Everything I say in here is just my opinion. I said some things as "fact," but that's just because I didn't want to write down "In my opinion" every time.
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Paul King · From: Gainesville, Texas, USA

I would have to say Buddy Emmons has always been my first choice. I remember the first time I saw him live. It was at the ISGC in 1981 and I was like a kid in a candy store. As time passed so did my appreciation for so many other steel players. Weldon Myrick, Hal Rugg, John Hughey, Herby Wallace, Paul Franklin, Steve Palousek and several others I enjoy so much.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

The reason I started playing steel is because it's a wonderful instrument. I'm not the type of guy who says, "I want to sound like so and so". I just listen to different players and see what I can come up with. I've got so many favorite players, and a lot of times I hear one of those guys, and I think to myself, "Wow, how did that guy play that lick", and then I try playing the lick and it don't work as good Laughing

But, I'm happy with how I play, even with cerebral palsy in my left hand

Daniel Policarpo · From: Kansas City

I want to sound like all the guys who played on George Jones'records from 1962-1972. That ought to keep me busy for a while.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Emulate sounds and techniques that appeal to you, but remember that the path these others have taken is theirs alone, and pay attention to your own path. Be yourself, listen rather than talking when in the presence of those whose wisdom may benefit you, practice everything you want to master as much and as thoroughly as you can, and in time you may find yourself the steel guitarist that someone else wishes to emulate...it happens all the time Smile

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