The Steel Guitar Forum

Mr. Kayton Roberts and his junkyard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOckHegt3-U

I've got a good friend who has approached me to see about gathering some feedback about regarding a Kayton Roberts video project. Kayton's in his 80's and still has his great playing skills, so this would be a great opportunity to document one of the legends.

My pal (a long-time friend of Kayton's) is looking for feedback about what steel players would like to see in a project like this. Kayton's obviously the master of many effects, behind-the-bar bends, jumping between necks, etc.

He's obviously not going to do a "Steel Guitar 101" sort of thing. What would you like to see? Would you like to have a more "Instructional", "Performance", or "Conversational" sort of format? Are there specific techniques, repertoire, or philosophy you'd like him to reveal? Road and stage stories? He spent a lot of time with Hank Snow, so he probably has a few of those!

I really like the guy's playing, attitude, and joy he communicates and look forward to something like this video project.

Comments? Ideas?

Thanks,
Jim

I was so excited when I heard something like this is in the works.

Personally, I would be interested in a format that explores his personal history and philosophy (maybe interspersed with performance clips), with a collection of specific 'technique' primers as a separate section

I feel that both a straight documentary about Kayton and his life, has a market outside of steel players.

In that vein, if Kayton wants to "Give us the keys to the Junkyard" so to speak, a collection of straight 'conversational' technique primers would also be extremely marketable to many players.

That way non-steelers can still enjoy it without getting bogged down in a bunch of technique that's not relevant to them. I would buy each separately if I had to.

I agree with Aaron that a biographical video would have much broader appeal, and in my opinion, lasting value. Kayton has had a fascinating life and has many stories to tell. Legendary steel guitarists have not been the subjects of good documentary treatment. This is a golden opportunity.

A brief instructional or steel technique video could also be done as a separate project.

Having directed the Sacred Steel doc video I can tell you that I regret not having gotten more bio info on Henry Nelson, for example, but he was disabled by the time we were prepared to video him. Ditto for Glenn Lee and Sonny Treadway.

I learned very early in my folklorist work to get all the documentation you can on older tradition bearers while you can. Tomorrow may be too late.

I wish your friend all the best with this project.

Thanks, Gents. Great comments to pass along.

Yes to the biopic because Kayton was there when the non-pedal steel guitar was in vogue and has kept the flame burning

But with the non-pedal steel guitar player being somewhat of a dying breed (no need for a discussion, you know what I mean!), I think it would be a shame not to capture the technique of a great player like this. Otherwise we'll have to wait for Chris Scruggs to show us!

\ paul

I'd be happy with (and would pay for) a video of Kayton just sitting in front of the camera showing us some of his licks and tricks interspersed with some anecdotes and stuff.

I've always enjoyed the Danny Gatton videos where he's just there with his guitar and saying "hey, this is a cool chord" "check this out" or whatever and giving an example of where you could use it and then going off at a complete tangent. Often he didn't even know the names of some of the chords he was showing us but it really didn't matter. It was all very unstructured but his personality really came through. At the time, I probably picked up 2 or 3 things from the two videos I had but the important thing is that each time I watched them, I just felt inspired to pick up my guitar and play and try some new stuff.

Just sit Kayton in front of a few well positioned video cameras and let him go!

...What Jeff said!

I've produced both types of video programs and in my opinion, the bio approach is important and can be fascinating but it's apples and oranges when compared to an instructional video. Even great players can be astoundingly poor at communicating about what they do (see videos from Tal Farlow, James Burton). It takes a good producer to work with the artist to prepare the material and a good director to set up the right camera angles and then get out of the way. I'd love to see an instructional video by Kayton. He just communicates the pure joy of playing like few others.

A biopic would of course be enjoyable, but I can get all the biographical info from other sources. But instructional material from a player as talented and versatile as Kayton Roberts is a rarity.

Another current thread on this Forum has a link to Kayton demonstrating how to do a train whistle on his steel. Not just informative, but also very entertaining. A whole CD of this type of material would be priceless. I vote wholeheartedly for an instructional video.

I'm sure the joy is pure. Kayton gets that across!

Here is one by MelBay on Kayton.
http://youtu.be/e28aJOWVITc

+1 for instructional