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Topic: Carlo Rotella on Buddy Emmons |
Frank Freniere
From:
The First Coast
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Posted 29 Dec 2015 8:12 am |
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Professor Carlo Rotella is Director of the American Studies Program and Director of the Lowell Humanities Series in the English Department at Boston College. He has held Guggenheim, Howard, and Du Bois fellowships and received the Whiting Writers Award, the L. L. Winship/PEN New England Award, and The American Scholar's prizes for Best Essay and Best Work by a Younger Writer, and his "Cut Time" was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
Carlo recently contributed a piece on Buddy Emmons to the New York Sunday Times Magazine. Here's what else he had to say about Buddy and the pedal steel:
"As for Buddy Emmons, writing that essay was a labor of love, of course. The Lives They Lived issue is an annual challenge: there isn't a lot of room to work with, there's a lot to say, and it's an essay in memoriam rather than an obituary, so you're not trying to tell a life story or make a list of achievements. In his case, I thought the most important thing was to get the sound and feel of the pedal steel in the piece, and then offer at least an idea of his powerful influence on it. And I wanted the essay to read in its form like a honkytonk weeper, which means the pedal steel enters first and sets the tone before the main thread of the story begins.
I can't claim any special knowledge of the instrument. I was raised on Chicago blues, but have found myself wooed over to country music over the past couple of decades--and recently took up lap steel after many years of fooling around on the guitar. I have been thinking about trying the pedal steel, and when I was interviewing Paul Franklin for the story he urged me to take the plunge, and I did find myself tempted. I also can't help but note that what I'm getting paid to write the Buddy Emmons piece would get me most of the way to owning a decent used pedal steel. . .so maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.
Any advice you might be able to offer about how to go about buying a serviceable used one will be much appreciated." |
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Dan Robinson
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 29 Dec 2015 9:59 am
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Thank you, Frank. How cool is that!
I read Carlo Rotella's lovely article on the Big E. I don't feel qualified to offer Professor Rotella advice on finding a guitar. But will share my observation about Buddy that this is another of "The Lives He Touched." As Prof. Rotella aptly described, Buddy Emmons life work inspired and influenced the entire steel guitar community. Isn't it fitting that the author would be similarly affected? This is just great!
And THANK YOU Professor Rotella for your splendid memorium of Buddy Emmons. |
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Walter Bowden
From:
Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 2 Jan 2016 10:08 pm
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I believe there are several good steelers living in the Boston/New England area that could advise Dr. Rotella about finding a good, gently used E9 pedal steel to fit his needs keeping in mind that college professors don't make as much money as many people think they do.
I read his essay and thought it to be a very nice tribute to a true original American musician and innovator. I would like to think the Big E would look kindly on members of our forum offering some good advice, encouragement and support (as we do for each other) if Dr. Rotella is interested. JMHO.
Happy New Year y'all. Walter
_________________
Emmons S10, p/p, Nashville 112, Zion 50 tele style guitar, Gibson LP Classic w/Vox AC30, Fender Deluxe De Ville and a Rawdon-Hall classical |
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Frank Freniere
From:
The First Coast
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Posted 3 Jan 2016 9:18 am
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Thanks, Walter.
Prof. Carlo Rotella can be reached HERE. |
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