Doug Jernigan

[Pete Martin]

I’m sure this has been posted before, but I just found it. Some seriously great non pedal playing by Doug Jernigan. I’ve always liked his pedal playing but he hits several home runs here!

https://youtu.be/GY3ptUrneOw?si=fc_DbOhN6n6SPWt9

[Gary Spaeth]

strongly agree.

[Michael Kiese]

100% agree. Very inspiring.

I actually took a bunch of lessons from Doug based upon the TSGA straight steel performances that Stephen Cowell uploaded to YouTube.

I’d like to share with the forum the following insights for posterity.

Doug and Buddy Emmons were pretty close friends and they’d freely exchange ideas and tips/tricks. Doug told me that he and Buddy would “lock horns” and trade solos back in the day at various conventions. They really enjoyed playing with one another.

Buddy’s jazz improv work for single line improvisation was primarily on the C6 neck. Buddy didn’t have to use pedals so much for his jazz improv, he could manage all or most of his jazz improv with the straight tuning itself. That said, I’m sure Buddy didn’t limit himself to not using pedals during solos. Just saying all or most of it can be done with the straight tuning itself, which is a very powerful insight.

Doug uses Buddy’s C6 tuning, which has a high D instead of a high G. The top 3 strings were C, E, and D. So the highest string was 1 whole tone lower than the 2nd string. It takes getting used to, because it’s awkward having the top string be lower in pitch than the 2nd string.

The high D allows more scalar improvisation language as opposed to arpeggiated improv language. The player has the option of turning the D into a G for chord work.

Doug’s playing and Steve Palousek’s playing on straight steel prove that you really can do a lot of great improv on straight C6 with no pedals. That in itself is an inspiring gift to the rest of us.

Many thanks to Steve Cowell for documenting the TSGA throughout many years, so the rest of us can enjoy and be inspired.

[Jack Hanson]

About as good as it gets.

[Rich Arnold]

His non-pedal playing sounds like his pedal playing.
Like my pedal playing sounds like my non-pedal playing.
I wonder if it would work that way for everyone. In their own way of course.

[Joe Burke]

Can anyone recommend some non pedal recordings by Doug Jernigan?

[Pete Martin]

His non-pedal playing sounds like his pedal playing.
Like my pedal playing sounds like my non-pedal playing.
I wonder if it would work that way for everyone. In their own way of course.

Of course you can only play what you hear, so yes is my bet

[Michael Kiese]

Can anyone recommend some non pedal recordings by Doug Jernigan?

How's it going Joe,

Steve Cowell has been dutifully documenting TSGA performances for many years and he has put them up on his YouTube page:
https://www.youtube.com/@scowell

There are a handful of performances of Doug performing at the TSGA in the non pedal room, and you can find them on Steve's page.

That's just about the only place you can find Doug playing straight steel. Everything else Doug plays is on PSG.

[Joe Burke]

Thanks Mike - those videos are great!