The Steel Guitar Forum

Is It wrong to try to play like your favorite Steel Guitar player. Im 70 years old and have nothing to do...but play my Steel Guitar...that is when I am able to sit in the seat long enough to play through A whole song. I play for my pleasure...as well as those around me. I dont try to sell music or play for a living...I just love to pick my Steel Guitar. I love Lloyd Green and I dont have anything to lose for trying to play like him...but I get A lot of bad talk from some people...that I should not try to copy another Steel picker. Anyone ever had this problem...Just curious.

There are worse aspirations, of course. Lloyd Green is a unique stylist and his playing can certainly inspire.

It sounds as though playing your steel guitar is your hobby. There's nothing wrong with what you're endeavouring to do and even coming close to replicating his intonation and touch would be an achievement.

As long as you remember that Lloyd, just like a dozen other great players, has made an impression on all of us by virtue of his individuality. You probably won't make a name for yourself trying, but I suspect that's not your objective. You enjoy sitting at your steel and that, in itself, is justification enough.

Just have fun!

Bill, there are a lot of times I wish I could sound like favorite players-I think the best thing to do is to first listen to Lloyd or whoever the player might be, then play something similar to what they did, but with a different style.

Thanks Roger and Brett. No Im not trying to make A name for myself...I just love Lloyds style and I try to play like him. But some folks think I should not do that...but like I said...I have nothing to lose because I dont play gigs...and I only play in church when I can...so Im not hurting no one.
Thanks Roger and Brett for your opinion.

Billy, just do what you want to do. Play like anybody you like, it's your relaxation, if it were your job then there might be room for some disagreable comments. IMHO they may be jealous because they can't play like him.
Enjoy, life3 is too short to worry about what others think.

Have fun
Sam

Don't let anyone tell you how or what to play.

Play from your heart and for your enjoyment.

Any of those that are negative, tell them to spend $10 and learn to play one of these beasts.

Period

Bill,
I have been a fan of your you-tube videos for quite a while, and I like to copy you! So yes in my opinion its perfectly fine to copy other great players. that where I get some of my favorite licks and styles. Love "Making Plans" Bill!

delete

No Bill…sorry for any confusion, but I was referring to Bill Sutton…

I don't think you could have chosen a better player to emulate than Lloyd Green. He has taken many of us to task with his playing.

I think those that discredit your channeling Lloyd are wrong to do so. Just enjoy yourself. Happy Pickin!

Thanks A lot Fellas I appreciate your opinion very much. From what I was hearing I thought I was doing something bad. I know that I will never play nowhere near as good as Lloyd...But I will keep trying to play like him. If I can just play A lick somewhere close to the Great Lloyd Green...I will be A happy man.

Be happy Bill! You have the touch and tone! Please post more videos.

Bill my friend, you're truly one of my favorite players.

I'm gonna tell a little story on you... A couple of years ago, I had sent Ricky Davis a YouTube video of you playing Venus Moon, and asked him to forward it to Mr Green... Really funny how the timing worked, but while I was emailing Venus Moon to Ricky, Ricky was hearing from Lloyd about this song... Anyhow, below read the correspondence... You sure don't have to apologize to anyone... If I could play like Lloyd I would as well.

Below read what Lloyd himself had to say... What a Gentleman he is.

Hey Dale, I forwarded your email to Lloyd and he actually just replied back to me with this.

Ricky, my friend,
Ironically, I was just now in the process of writing you an email to pass along to Bill Sutton!

Actually, Bill Sutton sounded wonderful on that great sounding Emmons steel playing "Venus Moon". I was truly impressed and moved by his cut. Best I've heard, other than the original.. He's a very good player.
He's right, as you know, that song is a bit difficult to play, even for me sometimes, and I wrote the damn thing. Most, but not all of his positions are precisely the ones I used, thanks to Jan Jonsson's immaculate tabs! And it ain't easy to figure out on your own.
But please send this to Dale Rottacker and to Bill Sutton, if you have Bill's email. Tell each I am moved by Bill's presentation and secondly, I thank Dale for caring enough to make me aware of his friend, Bill.
Lloyd

Wow!

Bill Sutton wrote:Thanks Roger and Brett. No Im not trying to make A name for myself...I just love Lloyds style and I try to play like him. But some folks think I should not do that...but like I said...I have nothing to lose because I dont play gigs...and I only play in church when I can...so Im not hurting no one.
Thanks Roger and Brett for your opinion.

You're welcome. Like so many others have said here, play from your heart because that's where the music is

Playing/Sounding like a musician that has inspired you musically; is the Ultimate compliment to that Musician that inspires you.
You are only increasing the progression of your Ear and what and how you hear; when you immolate anything; that is exactly what we all do anytime we sit down to play our Pedal Steel Guitar.
Ricky

Thank you very much Ricky Davis and Brett Day... your opinion means A lot to me...And thanks to all my good friends for all your nice words...some of the finest people on the planet are right here on this forum. Thank you Dale for posting the email from Lloyd Green...I have that message from Lloyd and I was very honored to here from him...I think I will frame it and hang it on the wall. It wouldn't have happened without our good friend Ricky Davis...Ricky is always helping folks on this forum... Thank you Ricky... your An awesome steel guitar picker and A very good friend. I hope the people that told me not to copy Lloyd are reading this

Bill.

You're mighty welcome Bill. You too are inspiring musically and a kind supportive stand-up Guy. Continue on my brother.
Ricky

LOL I don't know any steel pickers in my past that has not copied some licks from Lloyd Green.

Consider this.

"Copying" other players is a well known jazz strategy. That's why you can buy Parker solos transcribed note-for-note. That's why saxophonists try for that Getz or Desmond tone (Mea culpa).

Artists have often learned by copying other artists. I've spent hours sketching in front of those marvelous Dutch group portraits in the Rijksmuseum. A writer might be assigned homework to write about the same scene in the style of a) Hemingway, 2) Faulkner, 3) Wolfe, and 4) Kerouac.

It's my feeling, though, that when a musician gets out on stage, he or he will still sound like himself or herself.

BTW: loved Lloyd's response to you, Bill!

Years ago after going to St. Louis two or three years I worked up the nerve to meet Speedy West who had been an idol for years. He gave me a great piece of advice which went something like this: "You have to play your own guitar. You can sound like me(Speedy), Buddy, Hal, Lloyd, or any of the others but you have to play your own guitar."

Well, Bob Carlucci is MY favorite player.. It has to be that way because he's no one else's favorite player. Look, play what you like, but play from your heart... Listen to who you like, and just play... We all have favorites, and yes we have all copied someone and even sound a bit like them... You could pick a lot worse than Lloyd to emulate thats for sure.


This is not a brag, its a simple fact- throughout my years I have heard the following comments from other musicians, most of them working and knowledgable-

1- You sound like Buddy Cage
2- You sound like Rusty Young
3-You sound like Sneaky Pete
4-You sound like Jerry Garcia
5-You sound like Ralph Mooney
6- You sound like Tom Brumley

why these wonderful all now departed players???
Only because they are the players I listened to by far the most, and tried to copy some of what they were doing..
Never once was told I sounded like Chalker, or Emmons, or Greene, or Charleton, or any of the other greats, because for the most part, they weren't the guys i was listening to and copying from. [also I wasn;t GOOD enough to copy those guys!].. In my youth there were some fine local players that did listen to Emmons, Chalker, Rugg,Myrick, and they sounded like them\.... Your influences always come through and thats a good thing.... Just don't forget that you need to input some of who YOU are as well... Its all good... Listen to who and what you like, learn from them, and then add your own personality... pretty simple right? yeah not that easy, but I know you get the idea..... bob

Bob Carlucci wrote: ...Only because they are the players I listened to by far the most, and tried to copy some of what they were doing..
Never once was told I sounded like Chalker, or Emmons, or Greene, or Charleton, or any of the other greats, because for the most part, they weren't the guys i was listening to and copying from. [also I wasn;t GOOD enough to copy those guys!]... Your influences always come through and thats a good thing.... Just don't forget that you need to input some of who YOU are as well...

I agree completely, Bob. Y'know it's kinda funny. Over the years people have remarked on what they call "my style" (one player even posted once that he was "studying" my style.). This has often led me to wonder what the heck is my style and where did it come from? I sure couldn't describe it myself.

But I eventually concluded that my so-called "style" is the result of all the influences I've had as a player (and generally in music) over the decades, and especially the many steel guitarists whose lines & solos I loved enough to try to copy, either for a cover gig, or just to figure out how they played it. Take all of that and filter it all through my technical limitations and what comes out the back end is, voila!... My "Style"! [Actually, it's been remarked more than a few times that my 'style' sounds like "what comes out the back end"... ] So when someone tells me they like my style, I genuinely do appreciate it and I thank them but part of me is secretly thinking they just said "I really like the way you limp."

But two of the biggest factors in my resulting 'style' are my "ears" and my "chops", both of which have limitations that are painfully obvious to me. If I could 'hear' what those cats were doing and had the skill set to execute anything I hear, then, yeah, my style would be very different.

Wow! What a great extended thread this is. Just chiming in as a former Nashville pro steeler who was fortunate enough to hang in there longer than most. A lot of great experiences under my belt...some very unforeseen. Having the formidable Jeff Newman as my father-in-law and what I learned from him in many ways(Wow again!). Have discovered a growing number of players that were not household names in the steel community that are flat playing their A$$es off...great taste, tone, and imagination on a variety of guitars and set-ups. Guys like David Hartley, Joe Rogers, Dale Rottacker(whom I recently contacted just to send him an "atta boy") and just yesterday Bill Sutton. I am currently going through a battle with chemo for the big "C", haven't touched a steel guitar in four years now. But...still listening and learning, especially from the likes of the good guys I mentioned. Don't fret about what you have gleaned from the "greats"...that is exactly what has gotten us this far! I sincerely hope and pray that another steel is in the "divine" plan. If it happens I am confident and very excited that I will experience a new level of playing just because of staying "tuned in". Everyone of you...press on in all good ways and endeavors. I plan to be a part of all this for as long as I am able. Thanks! Respectfully submitted, RK

"I plan to be a part of all this for as long as I am able."

Which will be a very long time I hope Rick... Wishing you all the best from upstate NY...bob