Wanda (Barringer) Bruening passing

[b0b]

Received via email

Yesterday, 03 Jan 2019, Wanda Bruening passed away at the age of 93. She was inducted into the Michigan Steel Guitar hall of fame 09 Apr 2000. Daughter of Harvey Barringer and Susie Lambert and the oldest of five children . Her father taught her to play her beloved and favorite instrument at Barringer House of Music on West Vernor in southeastern Detroit, Michigan. She continued to teach Steel Guitar into her 90’s. Her commitment and dedication to teaching steel guitar her entire adult life is a measure of her compassion for sharing something that was such a very important part of her life. She shared her music with anyone willing to listen and it is a moral imperative that we remember the fidelity and ardor to her craft!

[Franklin]

Heartbreaking news! Wanda was my Hawaiian teacher. It was Wanda who showed me the fundamentals for building great playing skills. She would say, "Don't just copy, create your own ideas"....I wish everyone here could have heard her play steel back in the 60's. Wanda had the most beautiful left hand....She was the first one to point to the bar and say, "That's your heart, feel it"...I am paying forward her wisdom and insights.... Wanda's philosophies are still teaching new players...
May God bless your family through such a loss.....

Love,
Paul Franklin

[Jason Dunkle]

Paul,

I'm very sorry to hear about the passing of Wanda. I know how big of an influence she had on your playing. I can tell by the way you talk about her that she was a great person.

Jason

[Jim Cohen]

Paul, my condolences to you and to Wanda's family and friends on her passing. I know how huge she was in your life and that you still credit her daily for giving you a great start on steel guitar and, ultimately, on your career. Without ever having met her, I know that I, like many others here, am still benefiting today from the teachings of one of my teacher's teacher. And we continue to pay it forward...

RIP, Wanda.

[Sonny Jenkins]

Thanks Jim for sharing a photo of this beautiful and talented lady. She may be gone, but her contribution will live for a long time.

[Kathleen Aseltyne]

Hello All,
I just joined Steel Guitar Forum. While searching Paul Franklin, I realized that Wanda Bruening was my first pedal steel teacher at Barringer on Vernor Ave in Detroit also! I am wondering if anyone has any videos of Wanda playing? She had amazing stories about how women steel players back in the day had to have a little curtain in the front to keep them "modest". I put pedal steel aside for many years but now that I am retired I am back at it! I have a new great woman pedal steel teacher - Andrea Whitt. No curtains needed anymore!
Kathleen

[Erv Niehaus]

Paul,
I know what you mean about the left hand.
My guitar instructor also told me that the left hand was most important in playing the steel guitar.
Some of your best steel guitar players are left handed, also.
Erv

[Don Kona Woods]

I enjoyed meeting and having a friendship with Wanda at the Aloha International Steel Guitar Convention in Winchester Indiana. A Great and Gracious Lady