The Steel Guitar Forum

I’m new to Steel Guitar but for many, many years I was a regular ole Guitar player in a lot of bands. Some pretty successful, not stardom neutral paid the bills and “almost” made it.

I was speaking to Les Paul and played him a demo we had done of “Bye, Bye Blues.” We were breaking in our new 16 track (tape) studio. He listen and stated giving me tips on mic placement etc... then asked who’s playing the rhythm guitar? I stated, me .. he said, “now THAT is good! Rhythm guitar is a lost art. You remind me of Jimmy Atkins ... maybe you heard oh his brother Chet! LOL

Wanda Jackson told me “you’re the most versatile steel player I’ve worked with. You can do the country stuff, but you also rock.” That meant the world to me!
And back in the 90s, Chet told me he really liked the sound of the pickup rig I had on my dobro. Twice. He didn’t mention my choice of notes....haha.

Lloyd Green told me he enjoyed my set at the PSGA show back in the early 90’s. He said “you’ve got your own distinctive style, and that’s nice to see”. That was a very high compliment!

Sort of an underhanded compliment that will always mean a lot to me was from my son, who was probably about 14-15 at the time. We were in the balcony of Garrison Keillor's beautifully restored Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul for one of the few concerts performed by the reunited original Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen. (Fiddler Andy Stein was in Keillor's house band at the time.) After a particularly nice solo by Bobby Black, my boy leaned over to me and said something to the effect of "so that's how that thing you play is supposed to sound."

My wife always tells me how peaceful and quiet our home is when I'm not playing.
I think the neighbor's cat appreciates it too......

One time after a town concert I was packing up my gear and a custodian was sweeping up the grounds. He asked me "What do you call that thing?". I answered "a steel guitar". He said... "oh, some people can really play that thing."

After one of my sets at the steel guitar convention in St Louis, Buddy Emmons came up to me, shook my hand, and said "Hey man, I really like what you were trying to play."

Ouch!

Years ago I was in a little trio that regularly played the early show at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. After one night an out-of-towner came up to us and said "Ya'll are better than some of them that's on TV!" Out of any of the compliments I've received, backhanded and otherwise, that's my favorite.

I think that the best compliment I ever got was at a jam session where a friend told me that, when we were playing, it felt like we were sitting around telling each other jokes.

Buddy Emmons came up to me, shook my hand, and said "Hey man, I really like what you were trying to play."

I heard that Buddy had a card made up and he would hand to musicians... "I really dig that song you were trying to play." Not sure if it's true or just an urban legend. It's a good one though! I use that line a lot, especially with drummers... "I like that beat you were trying to play".

I was doing a bill with the Everly Bros and others,and Buddy was playing with them. I hit a little clam on an intro and as I walked off stage after our segment, Buddy was in the wings. As I walked by him he softly said “I heard that”.
Horrified for about 5 seconds then I thought,or rationalized, that if he didn't like the other stuff I played,he’d have said nothing. I felt like I was sort of accepted because he gave me a shot. I’m sticking with that thought!

The funniest NON compliment was from my dear spouse.
After an absolutely amazing solo from Chris Scruggs at a Marty Stuart show, she said, "I didn't know it could sound like that!"

My 11 year old son told me I was the "Best pedal steel player in the whole country"....
But then he reminded me that I am "The only pedal steel player in this whole country".
Oh well, guess thats the best I could hope for.

When I started playing, back in the 70s, I played through an Ampeg tube amp. It sounded kind of muddy. Then I got a new Peavey Session 400, way more power and clarity. The bandleader told me "I can hear every mistake you're making with that new amp!"

Andy DePaule wrote:My 11 year old son told me I was the "Best pedal steel player in the whole country"....
But then he reminded me that I am "The only pedal steel player in this whole country".
Oh well, guess thats the best I could hope for.

Very nice! Although keep a wary eye on those đàn bầu players...imagine a pedal steel with a hand "pedal", extensive artificial harmonics, one string, and no steel bar!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5smV8NbWiA

Yes Nick,
That's my favorite traditional instrument here.
Not so easy too play. In fact very tricky.
Best wishes,
Andy

My wife told me, “That didn’t suck.”

The comment by Reece Anderson at the end of this topic:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... greg+booth

That really made my day.

Nice thanks for that video. Amazing!

Greg, great playing on both the dobro and Steel in your video.

My wife said, you are starting to play much better, I actually recognize some of the songs you play. She then said, "play my favorite one, you know the one,......Far, far, away!"

My music teacher once jokingly told me "Hey your not bad.....your not good but your not bad"

My wife said, "Hey - I can actually recognize that one!"

These are all well-deserved compliments, and I have none, but Greg has delivered the proof in the pudding, posted by Andy, so there's my excuse.

Greg Booth wrote:The comment by Reece Anderson at the end of this topic: https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... greg+booth That really made my day.

I just gotta say that I missed this first time around, and I'm listening to it for the third time over the course of the morning.
I didn't hear anything that you weren't trying to play. And I can't say as I prefer one instrument over the other on this tune.
And the ending is just remarkable. I envisioned Buddy on bass. Whoever did it did him proud.
Excuse my digression.

Best compliment? Last night the drummer said "Ian! I could hear you!" At least it felt positive...