Will True Country Music Make A Comeback Without Deviations?

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 15 Jun 2014 4:47 pm

Who would imagine that our lead instrument known as the steel guitar would take a dirt road and not be able to be brought back into the mainstream of sound tracks at recording studios? The whole country music system has crashed wherever it was once a source of entertainment.

Bill Duncan · Post by **Bill Duncan** » 15 Jun 2014 6:25 pm

I hope so, but I doubt it.

My favorite type of music is Southern Gospel. I never thought steel guitar would be unwelcome there, but it is almost gone in Southern Gospel too.

Jack Harper · Post by **Jack Harper** » 16 Jun 2014 5:08 am

bill;
this weekend was the steelin' the gospel steel guitar showcase in Arkansas. a big success.
what made it that way was the crowd response they came, kept coming and stayed. they response to every player was outstanding, some, when they came in didn't have a clue what a steel guitar was, but, when they left they had nothing but praise for the instrument and the player.

country jack
myself, I can't understand the mentality of the record industry that is eliminating the pedal steel on records.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 16 Jun 2014 6:23 am

One quick answer is not many youngsters are taking up playing the Steel guitar. The difficulty factor vs learning and playing a six string makes it an easy choice.Plus the price factor as 6 strings come in all prices where the Steel guitar takes some serious cash to own. For years the first player eliminated from a group has been the Steel.(not in my bands) String benders doing steel licks is plentiful. keyboards with their electronic simulating abilities has taken over. Unless the Steeler is Multi instrumental most bandstands are not occupied with a Steel. But us true old school Country folk know what the Instument adds or has added to what was Country music. Will it come back to Country Music? We may never see it but I'm sure it will. There are so many good players that have created it's history. There are some ears out there or some day will want to explore the sound. PS there are no Steel Guitar junk yards that I'm aware of. So the Instruments don't seem to die they just get transplants and new blood.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 16 Jun 2014 6:52 am

Will True Country Music Make A Comeback Without Deviations?

Let's see, let me check my sources, and uhâ€¦

Hmph! What was the question?

Jordan Bissonnette · Post by **Jordan Bissonnette** » 16 Jun 2014 7:31 am

in Canada pedal steel seems to be very popular in Folk and Indie music. I come from a small city and there's 4-5 pedal steelers aged 20-35. The pedal steel is definitely making a mini comeback around here anyways. it's rare to listen to a folk cd nowadays without hearing steel on a few tracks at least. Of course its not like the Buck and Hank days but it's better than nothing!

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 16 Jun 2014 9:18 am

i agree....i hear lots of music with steel and keep running across more and more younger players.

to me it seems like an upsurge of interest.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 16 Jun 2014 9:23 am

Who gets to define "true country music"?

Jordan Bissonnette · Post by **Jordan Bissonnette** » 16 Jun 2014 10:57 am

exactly! music will always evolve. people used to consider Cash as too rocking and devil'ish haha. But from what I see in most of the bands that I listen to is that the steel guitar is still alive and kicking and on most alt. country and folk records you will hear some steel guitar. So IMO it's not going anywhere. It's also being used in jazz and blues and rock. Youtube and all the great lessons make it easier for people to learn the instrument too.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 16 Jun 2014 12:19 pm

When I started playing steel guitar in 1948, only musicians knew what it was.

When I retired from playing steel guitar in 2001, only musicians knew what it was.

Stuart Legg · Post by **Stuart Legg** » 16 Jun 2014 1:18 pm

When songs with Steel Guitar generate $$$$$$ then there will be an upsurge of steel guitar in the mainstream.

Storm Rosson · Post by **Storm Rosson** » 16 Jun 2014 1:22 pm

My "True Country Music" never left it just got digitized.

Curt Trisko · Post by **Curt Trisko** » 16 Jun 2014 1:38 pm

Asking this question is the same as asking "what is the essential essence of country music?". We could go on and on and not accomplish anything except hearing ourselves talk. The country music that draws from rural, religious experiences is probably history simply because less and less children are being raised in that environment. Jimmy Buffet and Kenny Chesney gulf-and-country probably isn't going anywhere. "Lonesome fugitive" and "man in black" country probably isn't coming back since our society doesn't romanticize marginalized groups anymore, and when it does, it's with a much more aggressive style than slow, understated ballads.

For me, the essential essence of mature country music is to accept life for what it is and reflect on it in a sharply perceptive, but reserved fashion. Country music believes in fate and this helps level out the highs and lows in life. I read this quote from Willie Nelson that sticks with me:

Ninety-nine percent of the world's lovers are not with their first choice. That's what makes the jukebox play.

Curt Trisko · Post by **Curt Trisko** » 16 Jun 2014 1:58 pm

One thing I can also foresee is more of the somber kind of country music coming back as more young people become adults in the situation we have in the U.S. where there aren't many good jobs and more of the things essential to proud living are beyond reach, such as nice houses, vehicles, boats, etc. The older generation are trying to extend their time in the limelight at the expense of the younger generations, creating a sense of helplessness because it's still unacceptable to openly express anger at them and to curb their entitlements. At the same time, there's no starvation and desperation, just despondency. Traditional country music serves those sentiments very well. Once young brats gain a mature outlook on life, I wouldn't be surprised to see more of them enjoying traditional country music.

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 16 Jun 2014 2:09 pm

I don't think our Instrument or Country Music has died as such, I think in this Digital age it is being enjoyed in different ways. Where before success was measured in records sold, people are enjoying their music in other ways, You Tube has a huge collection, Soundcloud, Spotify, iTunes, CDbaby et al are full of the stuff, there is a healthy presence in Sweden, Norway, UK & Ireland, Australia.

What I would like to know is where is the next Innovator going to come from, considering the men who put the Instrument where it is today are no longer in the field.

Curt Trisko · Post by **Curt Trisko** » 16 Jun 2014 6:47 pm

James Kerr wrote:What I would like to know is where is the next Innovator going to come from, considering the men who put the Instrument where it is today are no longer in the field.

A lot of innovation comes from either introducing new technology or elements of different genres. Both of those things are what people complain about at as not being "country". They don't like when synthesizers are being used and they don't like it when elements of rock or hip-hop are introduced. For country, I bet the "innovators" that you're talking about did both of these things. Pedal steel was a technical innovation in the 50s and 60s and ended up being often overused. Innovators like Willie Nelson and Buddy Emmons had an interest in jazz.

I think there's been plenty of innovation in country-type music in the past couple decades... it's just been done by outsiders and went unnoticed by country music fans. This may sound stupid, but I've thought there could be a niche for country-disco... country that is danceable in a non-western swing way. I think some disco elements crept into poppier 70s country.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 16 Jun 2014 7:26 pm

One quick answer is not many youngsters are taking up playing the Steel guitar. The difficulty factor vs learning and playing a six string makes it an easy choice.

This is dead-wrong, you're just not listening to them. What do you think of the steel player for the Futurebirds? They've got as much steel in the songs as any country band I've ever heard. How about Bjorn Charles Dreyer with the Sonic Codex Orchestra? Red Sparowes? If you don't mind a lap player who composes more than any pedal steel player in history (Except maybe Dave Easley & Susan Alcorn) Chris Coombs is tearing it up with the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey. When you've LISTENED to the 70 or so new steel players here:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=208507

Then it might be occasion for proclamations.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 17 Jun 2014 2:48 am

Wow,never Hoid of them.

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 17 Jun 2014 4:23 am

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 17 Jun 2014 4:23 am

Bill Liscomb · Post by **Bill Liscomb** » 17 Jun 2014 4:42 am

I still write and record country music. This is Tom "Bleu" Mortensen on PSG.
https://soundcloud.com/bill-liscomb/truck-drivin-girl

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 17 Jun 2014 6:06 am

The GOLDEN YEARS become a reality much too soon. Many former country music stars are falling out of line. As a natural happenstance time triggers events that prevents many seasoned performers from keeping the once popular limelight focused favorably. The uncertain pressures of maintaining a competitive level of performances, slowly becomes a matter of concern. In this matter of sink or swim, many would-be true country performers have turned to POP COUNTRY. With so many rushing to one end of the boat, true country has been forced to sink or swim.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 17 Jun 2014 6:38 am

In a word NO..I think history has shown that every era has it's style of music and once it has passed,it only stays alive in very small niche venues. As music styles evolve,steel will for the most part likely drift away.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 17 Jun 2014 9:53 am

"I can't understand the mentality of the record industry"

My best friend is an audio engineer in N'ville. He tells me that, for years, all of his work orders have come straight from New York City.

Christopher Woitach · Post by **Christopher Woitach** » 17 Jun 2014 12:55 pm

People say "true country music"...

To me, that term probably applies to "Sally Goodin" or "Soldiers Joy" more than anything

I think what people actually mean by that is 40's-70's commercial country with steel guitar

Is this correct?