The Steel Guitar Forum

If I may say something. I find it funny when I read some of these post about Robert Randolph. I come from the same church he grew up in and play the same style not on the big stages that he has but I have played some great venues. People love our style of music for its high energetic feel. At the same time there are alot of country steel players that I listen to 20 times a week. Tommy White, Zane King, Paul Franklin, Joe Wright, Bobby Seymore who I had a chance to play with , Buddy Emmons took the time to so me some stuff at the 2001 Namm summer show in Nashville. Micky Adams I watch his videos on YouTube nightly. Lloyd Green love his style. I say all that to say this , the sacred steel community respects where this instrument came from and the guys who have made it what it is. But just because we don't play the instrument in the traditional way doesn't mean we deserve to be disrespected. Yes Robert Randolph is who we thought he was , he is Robert Randolph and when he sits behind his guitar he is Robert Randolph. God gave all of us a gift but he never said we all had to use it the same way. We all can learn from one another just have a open mind.
God Bless u all and your gifts of music

Great to hear from you, Dashawn. And I couldn't agree more- I've tried to express very similar thoughts, and so have many other forum folk.
I first heard Robert live a long while back when he first started playing secular shows and he shared a show with my band at The Wetlands in NYC. I was watching the reactions of the kids in the audience to his style, approach, and mainly, energy, and thinking, this kid is going to go places...
At least I was right about that. When Bob Stone first became acquainted with the Sacred Steel style in florida and got Arhoolie interested in recording and video, I was absolutely astounded that such a vibrant musical style, entire genre in fact, had gone so completely off the radar to and for so many of us who eagerly lap up anything steel related. On first hearing Aurbey Ghent, Willie Eason and the Campbell Bros., I thought my head was going to explode. Having had the distinct good fortune since of playing with Robert and Roosevelt Collier has only deepened my enthusiasm for what they're doing and where it comes from.

It's always seemed beyond obvious to me that the steel community should, would, and does support, encourage, and trumpet the praises of any style, player, genre or venue that spreads the word on steel guitar, and the beauty in steel guitar music. I simply don't understand what motivates people to denigrate a player or style. Best wishes to you, I can't wait to hear your music!

I think Robert Randolph is a great musician. Just not my style of music. I respect anyone that can play an instrument. Im sure it takes a lot of talent to sing opera and I respect the work the singers put into doing it. But its not my thing!! It would be pretty boring if everyone liked the same thing all the time!

Dashawn,
I believe the sacred steel style is just as valid historically to the pedal steel as all of the other forms of music individuals desire to play with this instrument.
I've been playing for 51 years and some could say I've accomplished so much in my journey. I can tell you with certainty that some musicians don't respect all of my musical choices.
Remember this.....Some folks are driven to see the world and desire to experience difference, while others are born into an area and never have any desire to see the rest of the world that surrounds them. That's alright! We understand their decision. You and I are in the first group. We have to accept that the second group will never care to understand why mastering different musical styles is a great experience.

Since time beginning human beings have been organizing sound as a way to express,explore entertain,etc. People were making sounds or pounding out rhythms long before conservatories and style purists were institutionalizing the "correct" way to play anything.What conservatories do is conserve what is/was known and organize this for reference for interested musicians.But,they don't by definition innovate.That is up to the player.Robert Randolph's and sacred steel styles will be studied, organized and disseminated and someone will say there is the correct way to play it. Sacred steel's innovations will become a standard until the next innovation comes along.Steel guitar can now reference at least two clear traditions that grew organically out of strains of American culture just about like every other kind of music.Paul Franklin mentioned the music choices he made that are not respected.The same was true of Charlie Parker,Jimi Hendrix, and Chet Atkins.Louis Armstrong did not care for bebop and many guitarists did not( and some still don't) think much of Hendrix.And so it goes.These discussions are a blast to read.

Hats off to all who have posted on this thread, especially to Deshawn Hickman and Paul Franklin, for advocating evolution and change with our instrument.

Without change, our instrument will eventually fade away.

Thanks for starting this thread Dashawn. I don't know you personally but I'd love to change that someday. Actually, I would love the opportunity to learn a lot more about the Sacred Steel history. It sounds like you could be of great value to me in that endeavor.

And let me add a big hearty AMEN to what you, Paul and others have already said here. I respect anyone and I do mean anyone who has sat behind one of these musical bicycles for any length of time. To be candid, I have stolen some great ideas from players who have played less than year! You gotta be careful around me, I got musical ears and I'm always "recording" inside my head. My point is that I respect steel guitar players, young and old, traditional and non-traditional, pedal and non-pedal, double neckers, triple neckers, universals, E9, C6, E13, E6/9, on and on and on. WOW! I literally love 'em all, want to know more about the history, and just super excited to see where it is all going!

I will never understand the concept of a musician without open ears.

Most excellent post Dashawn,and I echo what Mike said...Stormy

We have to remember that not everyone can reach the perfection of some of the great steel players of the past and present, no matter how long they practise, and no matter how long they play. But they still have a right to play for the pleasure they derive from it.

There are a lot of competent musicians out there, with many different styles, many of them earning a living entertaining others. The fact is, you don't need to be the world's greatest musician to play. We should not be over-critical of each other. It's not a contest.

In fact, I've heard some musicians, and lead guitarists do this often, who are so good that they go off at tangents, playing really complex riffs far beyond the average guitarist, when not only are they not necessary, but they are distracting. Joan Baez once said that she had a session with Chet Atkins, and at the end of the number she remarked that she expected all sorts of complex riffs from the great Chet Atkins, but all he did was strum the chords, to which Chet responded, "That's all it needed."

I agree with Zane..I love all kinds of music..some things I don't care for and some I like that is not even considered a steel song. The thing about all of it is we are all on the same page ...we love music, we love steel, but we are all different in how we hear it and play it...thats what makes it music. If we were all the same and played the same karoake machines would take us over

Thank u guys for your words and feedback. Mr Allen, Bob Stone was a major help in getting the sacred steel tradition out to the world. We call him Uncle Bob. it was his love for the style that made that happen. Mr Franklin I agree with u 100% some people will never accept that people and music evolve. And may I say sir I'm a huge fan! Mr King when I grew up in the church u hung around the musicians corner just listing and memorizing what u heard. Go home practice and then do it the next time u got a chance to play lol!!! So im like u im going to pay close attention when I hear others cause they may do it different then me and the way they do it might just be something I can use. Its all about growth!! Would love to sit down and talk and play with u . For that matter I would love to sit down with any country steel player and just learn. Im 32 years old but I would be like a kid in a candy store to learn how u guys do what u do. Mr King any time u want to try and link up im all for it.It Would be an honor to do so. Be a blessing to your fellow musicians and not a hinderance.
God bless u all!!!!

Nice thread Dashawn ! Well spoken !

Dashawn, well said. I wholeheartedly agree .

If musicians didn't seek to explore, Mozart , Byrd, Chalker, Emmons, Franklin, Robert Randolph or Freddie Roulette etc. etc. wouldn't have graced us with their imense talents. Play what's in your heart and push it out your soul!

That's what I'm talking about.

Amen!

I agree, Robert is opening new doors for Pedal steel,and that is what we need. he is a musician,frontman,showman,all in one.pedal steel can be used in any type of music....Earl

We should all respect good musicians, even ones who make cheesy music.
I know many pickers who could benefit from listening to Kenny G's lyricism and phrasing. And I don't like his music. It's schlock, but beautifully crafted schlock.
And I hear more soul exposes and expressed in the sacred steel than in many other forms.

Lane Gray wrote:We should all respect good musicians, even ones who make cheesy music.
I know many pickers who could benefit from listening to Kenny G's lyricism and phrasing.

Let's not forget his amazingly curly hair. That should be respected, too.

I consider myself more of a country steel player, but I can tell you there are times when I play it like a blues slide guitar and the steel is an awesome beast for this kind of music. We have a 'sacred steel' movement here in town and I plan on attending their next event.

Too much music, not enough time has been my mantra for years.

"The Unexamined Life is not worth Living"
~ Sacrates


And if you not exploring new ground and stretching and growing with the skills and talents that God gave you... You're probably not doing much examination.

I just wish I could play like Robert....

Cheers Dashawn!

Bob Stone wrote a great book about the history of Sacred Steel. You can find it on Amazon. Really interesting reading!

Music is a journey, there are people that like to travel, and enjoy their trip and feel rich about what they find. Also are there people that stay at home and comment from there about the strange world.