The Steel Guitar Forum

It seems like pretty regularly there’s a thread here grumbling about how real country music is dead and the kids these days don’t get it. This always kinda tickles me, because I know a ton of people in their 20s and 30s making great music in that style and taking it very seriously. This is a track from a record a good friend of mine made over the summer, which just came out. I think I was the oldest guy on the session, at 27 (reinforcing the stereotype that the steel player is always the old fart in the band). The singer (who wrote the tune) and the fiddle player are both 19. Take a listen and let me know what you think. Country music ain’t quite dead yet.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nZug8tSEyJA

!!!!

Jack, thanks so much for posting/sharing this...I’m only 44, but really appreciate your efforts to carry the torch!? It truly sounds as you guys recorded this in the early 60’s! Great!

Nice track Jack. I like it.

~Bill~

Very nice!

It's fresh and it's real. Good stuff.

Another Topic recording that can't be heard everywhere, I guess none of you really care about this Old Music - Young Band enough to ensure they will be heard.

James

Good country music.

Thumbs up!

I love it, Jack. Thanks for sharing this.

Great Music. Bringing back those good years.

Good Country Music. Heck, I can hear all the instruments and they are clear. No over powering fuzz. I Love it.

Not viewable over here, bummer!

Joachim Kettner wrote:Not viewable over here, bummer!

I think it has to do with European licensing or something. Maybe someone in the know can explain it to us.

The artists name is Vivian Leva and the song Jack posted is: "Why don't you introduce me as your Darlin'". That young lady is quite a songwriter at age 19. I purchased the album download from this distributor:

https://freedirt.net/collections/all/pr ... 6790636588

The website indicates German and UK distribution but they don't seem to have product available there. Also, no sound clips so "distribution" seems to consist of digital downloads and a picture. This artist deserves better.

Nice playing, by the way, Jack. Is that you throughout the album?

Thank you Bill. I've watched a few other clips of her, more in the Folk vain. She's a talented perfomer!

Very nice.

Really good clear country music. She is also featured in several bluegrass or folk style music songs. Impressive singer and great music by the young folks.

I just got home from the Texas show and saw this thread.

Well, Saturday evening I was at my sales table before Lloyd and JayDee had their set. I had my head down when someone addressed me. When I looked up, there stood 5 young men in their 20's about 2 of them had questions for me about some parts and something else. Once I answered them I began asking them some questions.
Yes, each of them was in a band.
All separate bands.
I then asked which ones played steel.
All five of them said that they did.
4 of them from Austin, TX.
1 from Weatherford, TX and he was a music teacher.

This doesn't include the other up and coming awesome young performers such as Jacob King, Austin Stewart, and several others.

Now granted, things are a bit different here in Texas and there's a higher percentage of young players that respect the traditional country music instruments. They may not play them in the manner in which Lloyd or Buddy did but then Lloyd and Buddy didn't play like their predecessors either. These young men know where their roots lie.

I later saw them during Lloyd's and JayDee's set, standing there, listening intently with the look of reverence in their eyes that everyone else in the room had. I also counted 15-20 other 20 somethings in the room that were apparently there entirely of their own choice (not drug along by their family members).

I listen to a Clear Channel top 40 station out of Waco, TX. I may not like all that I may hear but I can tell you with certainty that that the pedal steel guitar is not dead and is definately making a comeback. Many of the songs have steel in them and some have it so prominant that it's going to make many of the youngun's sit up and go "What's That?". Think the kickoff to Highway 40 Blue's. BAM! In your face! That's what I'm starting to hear.

I was totally jazzed to see those 5 young men standing in front of me.

So let's rethink ordering that headstone.

May they pick on.

Joachim Kettner wrote:Not viewable over here, bummer!

Had the same problem. If you have VPN, select a location from the USA and it should work - at least it did for me.

Thanks for all the comments y’all, really appreciate it! Like Michael said, I think there are a lot more young cats playing steel than is maybe apparent here on the forum. Kinda bums me out every time I see someone complaining about the music dying, I think that’s not true.

Also- yes, Viv is a super talented singer and writer and definitely one to keep an eye on. She comes from serious musical parents and is really steeped in good music. I’ve played gigs where she’ll get up and crank out three sets of classic country stuff, so she’s done her homework.

Bill- yes, it is me playing steel on the whole thing.

As for the viewabity thing, I don’t really know what to do about that. I think this video is one that got automatically posted when the record went on iTunes. I honestly have no idea what to tell you about that other than maybe try iTunes?

IMHO, it's not the kids, it's the suits who run modern country. Up in Seattle, there are a lot of young folks playing REAL country. The top 40 country station here switched to easy listening last month. No young'uns up here want to listen to "modern" country music!

Jack Aldrich wrote:Up in Seattle, there are a lot of young folks playing REAL country............... No young'uns up here want to listen to "modern" country music!

I'm a bit curious about this.

Regarding the players: are they affected in stage manner, dress, or accent?

If I walked into a venue with absolutely no prior knowledge of what I was going to see or hear (maybe a poetry reading, maybe classical violin, maybe Hawaiian vocals), would I think "retro", realizing that the performers were going for a "real country" vibe and overtly disdaining "modern country"?

Regarding the listeners: do they distinguish between a vintage recording by a vintage artist and a recent recording by a youngish artist in a so-called vintage style? Can they make that distinction?

What's the tattoo count per capita on the guys? What's the Betty Page hairdo ratio on the gals?