The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a TON of steel music, including many of the great recordings of the past. (Byrd, Remington, Roberts, etc.) I am looking for some new non-pedal stuff to listen to.
I have cd's by guys like Wakefield, Rivers, and Morrell, which I enjoy, but I really like the energy in Speedy West recordings. That fire is hard to find in most recordings.
Any suggestions?

Dave Alfstad

Dave Alfstad wrote:non-pedal
Any suggestions?

Plenty, got your asbestos BVDs on?

If you'd take the time to cruise YOU TUBE under steel guitar players, you'll find more examples than you could imagine.

Some are great; some okay; some are pathetic!

It will help you develop your sense of right or wrong.

Try this out.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqHI46cuPfs

Thanks for the suggestions so far, but maybe I should clarify what I am looking for. I am an album kind of listener. I know it's old school, but I prefer to listen to complete albums and take in the whole thing. I know there are amazing players on YouTube, and I appreciate you guys taking the time to direct me to some, but I am looking more for a studio recording or live album.
Basically, I'm just wondering if I've overlooked someone and looking for a new player to get interested in. I know there are lots of great players, but I know what I really like to listen to. In addition to Speedy, I love Vance Terry's stuff with Jimmie Rivers, and Kayton Roberts has a lot of energy in his playing. I love the Chris Scruggs stuff on YouTube. I just wish he had a whole album of that kind of stuff.
Keep the suggestions comin'.

Forgive me for self plug but I do get a lot of comments about how this is a 'complete' listen from start to finish, lots of styles and sources. You can listen here and judge for yourself, regards Kev
http://kevinbrown1.bandcamp.com/album/home-and-dry

Here are a few you might like .....

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jwakefield

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the- ... /id4317920

http://thetapper.bandcamp.com

http://www.amazon.com/Slide-Show-Cindy- ... B0001XAL5A

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-p ... d511632750

Here's one you'll love featuring Lee Jeffriess. Preview track 2 (It Ain't Hay)--I know you'll dig it:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/munnerlynjeffriess

And then there's Nob Sugino. I ordered three of his cds from Japan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0mMlc7ELIk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6whF3_EKSY

Andy, thanks for the plug.

GB

Steve Cunningham's music will set your hair on fire.

Thanks a lot for the suggestions, guys. So far, the stuff that I like best from the suggestions is the Hank Penny stuff and the John Munnerlyn & Lee Jeffriess cd. That is the kind of stuff that I'm looking for. I really love the Western Swing non-pedal stuff!
I have never really listened to Hank Penny before, so I'm looking forward to soaking in that cd. Is it Noel Boggs on most of that recording?
It occurred to me that I really don't have much stuff by Noel Boggs or Joaquin Murphy. I do have some Spade Cooley stuff, but I don't care much for accordion, so I don't listen to it a whole lot.
Mike Neer, you suggested the John Munnerlyn & Lee Jeffriess cd that sounds great from the samples, and I plan on ordering the cd. It sounds like it is exactly the kind of stuff that I was looking for.
Thanks again, guys. Keep 'em comin' if ya got 'em.

Dave Alfstad

Ethan Shaw (forum member) has a new CD, I haven't heard it in its entirety, but here is a clip:

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

there are like 17 CDs Tom Morrell did with the TopHands - you really should check em all out. some are fairly laid back, but all GREAT steel. some pedal steel on a few.

i may well get flamed for this...when i was new to steel, i was into Speedy, for that fire & playfulness you mention (plus he was all i really knew about) - but i don't listen to him much (if any) now - although those are classics w/Jimmy Bryant.

Thats why I'm SO thankful for all the 'old-timers' around here turning me on to some great Hawaiian steel - i'm afraid i was about to burn out on the western swing deal.

Jerome, I'm kind of coming in from the other side. I have played pedal steel for about 20 years, and I mostly played traditional and Top-40 country. It was about 3 years ago that I started seriously listening to Speedy and Jimmy. I had always thought of Speedy as just kind of a sound effects player. (Boy, was I wrong.) In addition to getting turned on to Speedy I got turned on to Jimmy Bryant, so it was a double bonus!
I love Tom Morrell's playing and, although I don't have all of the 17 albums, I do have some great ones, but I find most of them kind of subdued.
I would say the best example of the kind of music that turns me on right now is the Jimmie Rivers and the Cherokees - Brisbane Bop cd. I know that Vance Terry is playing a pedal steel on that stuff, but the approach is very similar to non-pedal. Even though the audio quality is terrible, every time I listen to that cd (which is often) I just imagine myself at the 23 Club watching those guys tear it up. To me, that kind of musical magic is rare.

Dave Alfstad

i don't think there is much out there to match the Brisbane Bop cuts...
but i would hardly call Morrells CDs 'Pterodactyl Ptales' and the 'Live at Scottys' subdued. they are fairly close to that Brisbane Bop feel imo
Tom mentions they decided to cut PP with as many notes as possible.

course, you have been playing a while longer than me - you know what you like

My favorite western swing band is Billy Jack Wills, Vance Terry play great steel.

For new stuff I like what Nate Hofer does with the Phantoms of the Opry.

http://www.phantomsoftheopry.com/

Yes, that's Boggs with penny.

There's also this collection of Boggs from his later lounge days. Beautifully played steel but not the hot, creative soloing he did with Penny, IMHO.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Very-Best-Noe ... B00004VVY8