The Steel Guitar Forum

I've been realizing lately how strongly my musical preferences are still influenced by what I heard growing up. My father was a really good trumpeter is his day, he got through WWII playing in the premier Army band and had job offers from the big swing bands waiting when he got out. For some reason (sanity?) he turned them down, got normal, got married, and started churning out rugrats, myself included. But we always had good classical and swing music playing, and my older sister got seriously into baroque recorder and keyboard music so I grew up hearing those long, evolving melodies.

I'm not sure if music is genetically hard-wired into some people more than others, but I would think that at least, musical parents get their kids started playing more frequently and your early listening habits are a form of operant conditioning. Thoughts and experiences?

Dad was/is a classical nut so I grew listening to that shi... I mean STUFF!

Also, after I started learning to play, I would put a stack of 8 LPs on my turntable just before going to bed each nite; Scruggs and Green. I wonder if that helps people learn?

Early 60s, folk music and Mitch Miller some how got me playing on a plastic Uke at age 5, and guitar soon after.

Hillbilly & Bluegrass

My dad played fiddle, banjo, and mandolin. His mom played banjo and guitar, his grandfather played fiddle. I have uncles and cousins that all play fiddles, banjos, dobro, and guitar.

I think my dad had every Jimmie Rodgers recording, Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, Gid Tanner & The Skillet lickers.

Anything with fiddle and banjo on it is what I heard.

I remember specifically, James Taylor, Steely Dan, Simon and Garfunckle, John Mellencamp, Huey Lewis, Pat Metheny, Dan Folgleberg, and Willie Nelson. (Most of my childhood was the 80's)

<SMALL>(Most of my childhood was the 80's)</SMALL>

Phew!
Thank your lucky stars.
It could've been MUCH worse than those you listed.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Marty Pollard on 15 July 2005 at 10:05 AM.]</p></FONT>

(Thanks for offering the chance to share, DM).

IMHO, it probably IS a big help for kids (potential players) to grow up hearing and listening. Even if the parents don't play. Just so they expose the kids to neat sounds (besides what they hear in Disney musicals and Barney, or Sesame St., or whatever else).

However... now that I mentioned those... Looney Tunes (if they contain enough slapstick to hold the child's attention) show a very entertaining use of music.

[Sorry if that's a bit off subject].

FYI...
Before my brothers and I were born, Dad toured the nation pickin' and singin' country/pop. He brought us up playing, (but the RIGHT way!...with classical training! ). We were all pushed to practice and eventually got really good I guess.

But each of us, in our younger days, shunned country and sought rock music, whether it was oldies (the old groups being all that was officially allowed, in our babtist household) or later...punk rock, heavy metal, and even Hip-hop/Rap. Despite all that junk, in our teenage years we all eventually fell in love with the country and bluegrass music we'd already heard through the years. Big bro tours the country now in a bluegrass group, playing fiddle. Little bro picked up banjo and dropped the cello. (He could still play cello great, but has just lost interest. We all think he ought to put work into it and start breaking away from 'the page', but he says it's too hard and has all but totally given it up).

Anyhow... Nowdays I love clasical more than ever, as I do all styles. (The more I listen, the more I love all good music).

Dad is now more oriented toward either business, or young people. Not so much a listener, (but I can tell he probably used to be).

BTW, Marty... I agree. I do my best listening right before sleep. There's no distractions then. I don't know if it helps with getting sleep, but surely it helps the ears. (Keeps 'em workin' at least). <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Cody Campbell on 15 July 2005 at 12:18 PM.]</p></FONT><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Cody Campbell on 15 July 2005 at 12:30 PM.]</p></FONT>

My parents weren't realy musical but my Dad like to listen. He used to go to Bob Wills dances in NW Ark and East Oklahoma so there was a lot of western swing in our house. We also listened to a lot of Blue Grass and of course Buck Owens on his TV show and through Hee Haw. The first real Blue Grass I remember hearing was Jim & Jesse and I think the song was "Give Me Forty Acres". I took piano lesson as a juvy so I developed an interest in clasical. I guess that's why today my collection includes a wide variety of music excluding Hip Hop and RAP. It just doesn't have any appeal to me.

Child of the '60's, adult in the 70's, my parent's LP stack included Buck Owens, Ray Price, Merle, Willie, Hank Williams, Billy Vaughan (sp?), Tom T. Hall, Connie Smith, Loretta, Tammy Wynette, Faron Young, Billy Walker, etc.

So you can see why I steel...

BTW, the Doors, the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, never did get very far with my folks. Those would be the sounds to which those famous words "TURN THAT D$#M NOISE DOWN!" would be heard.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 15 July 2005 at 11:48 AM.]</p></FONT>

I was one of the baby boomers and grew up in an ole' Southern Baptist home. So for me it was Red Foley and Tenn. Ernie. I still hear those old rifts in our songs today. It can't be to bad if were still doing the things we did 50 years ago.

Dad was a steel player, played it all from your cheating heart ..to red sails in the sunset. His band always would practice over to the house. And he would always play Tex Ritter, and Hank Snow records...i hated all of it...learned to play 6 string, bought some beatles records...but ever so slowly converted over...now i play steel, love Lefty, and Jerry, and prefer Miles Davis, over the stones....kids

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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....

the soundtracks for the old Scooby Doo cartoon series were a huge influence on me musically...if you get the chance, watch that cartoon and really hone in on the music tracks (the songs and the themes), really cool stuff

<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Stephen LeBlanc on 15 July 2005 at 01:59 PM.]</p></FONT>

Stephen, what's the quick, short, percussive sound that is played contiously (real fast) as a character begins to run, but just hovers in place over the ground before zipping away a moment later after their feet catch a grip?? Cowbell? wood blocks?

Cowbell.

I was raised on Spike Jones.

No musicial parents, a cousin or two who knew a few chords on the 6 string and once in a while bring over a local (real) musician for a jam.

It's funny where that final trigger comes from. In 9th grade, while working the balcony spotlight at a school talent show, who appears on stage singing and playing guitar but my good friend. He never once mentioned he played.

I was amazed and said to myself, "If he can do that, so can I."

50 years later I can say, "Thanks my friend, one two minute song changed me forever."

Boy i did grow up in a musical family. My Dad played fiddle and won lot of fiddle contest here around Okla.He had 6 brother,s and 3 sister,s and they all played country music. All the men played fiddle and guitar-Mandolin and the 3 girl,s all played pianio and 2 of them played guitar. When we had a reunion we had lot,s of music. God Bless==Jim-Peg Harper

My dad played guitar and harmonica. We used to sit around at night , and have sing a longs. My sister brought home a fellow, that, just happened to play a steel guitar. I remember sitting in the living room, listening to him play his steel, along with my father playing 6 string. He gave my dad a nut extension, to raise the strings off the neck and a sought of flat slide bar and picks. I still have the extension, slide bar, and picks to this day. All this happened around about 1954 in Brooklyn, NY, when my sister and her friends went to N.J. too see some hillbilly named "Ernest Something" play at the armory. Who would have thought, that, many years later I'd be totaly hooked on the steel guitar.

Being "middle aged" I grew up listening to big band - and especially Guy Lombardo since I had an Uncle in the band) but primarily country music listening to the Opry, Wheeling Jamboree and the old WRVA Old Dominion Barn Dance in Richmond, Va. In the late 40's and on it was mostly country, especially Eddy Arnold so I could hear my hero "Little Roy Wiggins".

That was my influence when I started playing in Bands in 1959 although I worked a year (mid 60's) in a New Orleans style Dixieland band playing Bass.

I think we're influenced by all types of music, but my main interest is traditional country like I heard growing up in the 40's and 50's.

I needed music as a pacifier from day 1. I broke a few 78's as a youngter. Mother was into 40 and 50's pop including lulubys.

Great thread!

The first thing I remember hearing as a baby was "Guantanamera" on the radio.

As a kid my parents were constantly spinning the classics like the Mozart horn concertos and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Debussy, Ravel, along with Dylan, the Beatles, Stones, then Doc Watson, Nitty Grittys.

I, too, like to drift off to sleep every night to the sound of music.

cheers,
Drew


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<font size=1>Drew Howard - website - Fessenden D-10 8/8, Fessenden SD-12 5/5 (Ext E9), Magnatone S-8, N400's, BOSS RV-3</font>

<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Drew Howard on 16 July 2005 at 06:40 AM.]</p></FONT>

I grew up in the 40's and 50's. I used to lay in front of the old gas stove we had in the living room, and listen to The Opry, The Wheeling Jamboree, and anything else that had country music on it. My stepdad brought home the records,Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow,etc.
My Mother played the piano, and would sing the pop songs of the day. She hated country music, as did the rest of the family.But I took to country music like a duck to water! Of course I've broadened my musical tastes when it comes to listening, but I still prefer to sing a good old country ballad!

Actually, there was NO music in my home until I brought it in... First with a crappy drum set,then with a crappy guitar...
As a young kid I listened to the radio for hours on end,, at first the Platters,Buddy Holly,Fats Domino,Chuck Berry etc
then later the Beatles, Stones, Four Seasons,Byrds,Temps,etc,,,

. NO music in my home at all except what came through the radio or television... bob

All my dad could play and sing was 'Bill Grogan's Goat' on the pianos black keys.
He used to listen to Grand Old Opry on the radio. Mother would take a walk around the block. (This was before cars and televisions.) She was a pianist and an organist. She said I came out singing harmony.
We had the coolest 45's (Eartha Kitt's 'The Heel' (wow), Jo Stafford ("It's a wonderful night for love, mystery, and adventure...), double doubleu-o-doubleu. I couldn't help it.

My first musical memories were around 1950 listening to Sergei Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" on a series of 78s that you stored in an "album". It featured the voice of Basil Rathbone narrating the story and describing the musical motifs ascribed to each charactor in the story,etc. I used to listen to it over and over. As far as music in the family,some uncles on my Mom's side were banjo and guitar players during the depression but they all died before I was born. My older,late brother Bill sang 40s and early 50s pop standards with dance bands around the time I was born and my Dad used to play John Phillip Sousa marches like "Stars and Stripes Forever" and others on a chromatic harmonica - no easy feat.
-MJ-

Both of my parents loved music and were big fans of Hank Williams, Elvis, Jerry Lee, Webb Pierce and the all the other big names of country and rockin' roll music in the 50s and 60s. They bought used 78 rpm records from a local jukebox vendor and played music all the time on our record player at home. We drove to Clinton, Missouri every Saturday night to do our grocery shopping and we would listen to the Grand Ole Opry there and back and sometimes my brother and I would stay in the car and listen to the Opry while our folks shopped. (Much safer world back then.)

My Granddad built and repaired fiddles, played a little, so my Dad loved old fiddle tunes and his favorite recording we had at home was "Flop Eared Mule." Consequently I still look forward to "seconding" behind a good fiddle player. Note the term, "seconding," not used much anymore, but is used to be common term when I grew up for anyone playing rhythm guitar.

My Dad's younger brother, my Uncle Bill, played guitar and when I finally got around to playing guitar serious, I was at my Granddad's house one day with a Gunther Guitar Chord book laid out on a chair in front of me and my Uncle Bill walked in and wanted to know what I was doing? I told him I was learning guitar chords and he picked up the book through it in the trash and I told me you don't learn to play guitar out of a book. I always attribute my lack of knowledge about guitar to that one single incident, or at least it provides and easy out.

My Dad took me to see Lee Mace's Opry when I was twelve and the Grand Ole' Opry when I was fourteen and on that trip he took me to all the shops, the CM Hall of Fame, and even attempted to negotiate a deal for a used Fender guitar with Patsy Sleigh when she was working at Shot Jackson's music store on Broadway, in Nashville.

Without a doubt my parents, Granddad, Uncle Bill and a couple dozen other folks in our community had an influence on the music I play and listen to now.

With all of that said I would like to acknowledge the folks who early on in my life encouraged me to learn to play guitar and by teaching my what they knew: Paul Webster, Gary Shaffer, George Bancroft, Ronald Redding, my Uncle Bill, my Granddad Burford and my Dad. Mom wasn't as hip on me playing music as Dad was, she once told my wife that she would be glad when I got old enough that I got it all out of my system. I don't know how old that will be, but I am 53 and I ain't got there yet. Not even close.