Sting's A&E Concert Steel Guitarist: Who and Why?

Al Gershen · Post by **Al Gershen** » 25 Nov 2001 12:38 am

Hi SGF:

I watched portions of the A&E concert this evening featuring the European singer/bassist, Sting, along with a very large and interesting band.

Included with the band was a pedal steel guitarist whose name I missed when Sting introduced the band during the last song and whose name was unreadable in the closing credits.

Can you identify Sting's steel guitarist? He seemed to be a very motivated musician and from his facial moves, he certainly enjoyed the music.

Better yet, given the type and variety of music that was covered by Sting during the concert, I believe a better question would be: Why was there a pedal steel guitar included with the band?

I'm afraid I'm not one of those who believes that a steel guitar will fit in with ALL types of music. On the other hand, I enjoy seeing the instrument and its players challenged and tonight's Sting concert certainly was such a test.

But the long and short of it was that the instrument added little to the overall sound of the Sting band.

I'm not a real Sting fan and I don't follow his recordings so I don't know if he normally uses a pedal steel guitar in his sound. If he does and the instrument does well in those recordings, then perhaps tonight's concert was poorly mixed or maybe the wrong songs selected. I'm just not sure?

If you saw this concert tonight (I'm sure A&E will probably rebroadcast the show soon), what are your thoughts about the use of the pedal steel guitar in Sting's band?

I look forward to your comments.

Regards,
Al Gershen
Grants Pass, OR

Harry Hess · Post by **Harry Hess** » 25 Nov 2001 12:56 am

Don't know who is playing PSG for Sting or anything about the players abilities. But I do know that I'm glad that he is on the gig.

I also know from experience that a very good PSGuitarist can be totally over looked and given extremely poor exposure by those who know nothing of the instruments characteristics or capabilities and proper mixing techniques. Very unfortunate for a player doing the best he can.

It's best not to harshly judge a PSGuitarist working under these conditions. The guy could be a monster player for all we know.

Regards,
HH

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 25 Nov 2001 1:58 am

I think the PSG would fit with any style of music but I'm not sure the E9 tuning would fit all styles. I'm not sure what tuning I heard on a Pink Floyd concert years back but the steel guitar was the right instrument for that tune. It was a non-pedal steel and sounded like it belonged there.

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 25 Nov 2001 4:01 am

Sting is very "into" steelguitar, he is a big PF fan!
Isn't it Paul Franklin on his recordings?
Don't know who is his roadplayer, was it perhaps Paul just for this show?
Who can tell?
JJ

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 25 Nov 2001 4:39 am

BJ Cole has been recording w: Sting on quite a few albums already.
the other day on French Tv was an interview w: Sting and his concert in Italy.
i did see a Steel on stage, but nobody sittin behind it playin'...
the x-cerpt was too damn short of course.
i have always been a Sting Fan, cause i like the kind of melodies,time signatures, and messages he has.
i sure would like to hear Paul Franklin playin' w: him.
So far tho' BJ Cole has done an X-cellent job
Steel Stings

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 25 Nov 2001 7:46 am

It was N.J. Cole. I saw him for a few seconds.

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 25 Nov 2001 8:12 am

It was N.J. Cole. I saw him for a few seconds.

...Far Out!...we've had "Tex" Ritter, "Tennessee" Ernie Ford, now we have "New Jersey" Cole!...

Buck Reid · Post by **Buck Reid** » 25 Nov 2001 8:15 am

I know that Sting used B.J Cole and Paul Franklin on a few recordings and i also know that he is a big Steel Guitar fan. About 4 or 5 years ago, i was out with the "Large Band" and we opened for Sting for something like 21 or 22 shows. He approached me and asked if i would help him out by playing on a couple songs on the show,of course i said yes! At the sound checks he would ask questions about the instrument and crawl around on his hands and knee's looking under it. Al, i didn't see the special that you speak of and maybe you felt like Steel didn't belong but Sting is a fan of our instrument and i think this kind of promotion is exactly what we need more of.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 25 Nov 2001 9:11 am

I know that Sting's a big country fan also! He wrote and recorded a duet with Toby Keith which was a fair sized hit. I forgot the name of it now but it was a good song.

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Have a good 'un! JH U-12

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 25 Nov 2001 10:10 am

"I'm So Happy(I Can't Stop Crying)" PF on steel[This message was edited by Larry Miller on 25 November 2001 at 10:11 AM.]

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 25 Nov 2001 11:39 am

All Music guide lists BJ Cole on the album with 'I'm So Happy...'. Do you know that that was PF for sure, Larry? Great song. Great steel, whoever did it.

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 25 Nov 2001 11:46 am

It was B.J. Sting introduced the band in the end. The thing is, B.J only played on a couple of songs - but Sting should have let him play on all tunes, why not? If nothing else, to add ambience and atmospheric swells that only a steel can do. Sting should know this by now.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 25 Nov 2001 12:51 pm

Congrats to BJ !

Amazing how a steel player can get one of the best gigs in the world with some of the absolute top musicians, international exposure and be making a big pile of money and us losers in the steel guitar community with computers can find something to complain about.

BTW: Steel players can be the worst at recognizing the steel when it is being used in music outside its typical annoying whiney thing context

. BJ has a very large palette and could be playing more than we know.

[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 25 November 2001 at 12:52 PM.]

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 25 Nov 2001 12:52 pm

Steve, the Toby Keith Album lists PF, I saw Toby and Sting do it live on the CMA's with PF on steel www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Awiarqj7iojka

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 25 Nov 2001 12:59 pm

This is where I got my info from as well:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Akbb1z85aoyv4

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 25 Nov 2001 1:46 pm

Steve, I think we're talking of two different recordings. BJ was on Stings cut and PF was on Toby Keith/Sting duo cut. Great steel on both!!

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 25 Nov 2001 2:00 pm

Looked like he was playing a Williams SD12 keyless. Good exposure for PSG and Bill Rudolph's Williams guitars. He sounded good on the songs he did play on. Some of Sting's music is somewhat different, and steel just doesn't fit.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 25 Nov 2001 2:18 pm

Steel on Stings bandstand,qualifys him as a country act..HOF material,Grand ole Opry appearances,airplay on country radio and last but not least a duet with JO-DEE Messina on the CMA awards show next year as the new Horizon award winner....TRUST ME. Didn't MIcheal Jackson also have a steel on his show?

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CJC

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 25 Nov 2001 2:21 pm

I believe he plays a Kline S12. The last time I spoke with BJ, he mentioned that he would be working with Sting, very nice indeed.

Sage · Post by **Sage** » 25 Nov 2001 3:12 pm

You might be right about the guitar, Darvin. In conversation Bill Rudolph mentioned sending a new keyless to B.J. Cole a few months ago. But chas- It looks like you've actually been talking to B.J. So you'd know better than I.
I disagree that the steel doesn't "fit". Pop music is not a classical form. The only musical forms that would not properly allow the steel (IMHO) are ones that have been established in antiquity and are being performed with a spirit of historical purity.
I saw some of the special and was greatly inspired to see our beloved intrument up there, being played by Mr.Cole. The World singers, percussionists and the Belly Dancer made it even better.
Whether the song had an active steel part in it or not, I was very impressed that they could pull off some of those arrangements live- considering how complexly layered the produced cuts are.
Thank goodness for the players that are willing to be there to bring the instrument along into new styles when the doors are opened. And great thanks to those like Sting who love the steel as a MUSICAL INSTRUMENT and include it in their arrangements.
T. Sage Harmos
[This message was edited by Sage on 25 November 2001 at 03:55 PM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 25 Nov 2001 6:07 pm

Sting is one of the best pop musicians in the world. I don't think of the pedal steel as a "country" instrument - I think of it as a "musical" instrument. Sting writes good music, so it stands to reason that pedal steel would work well in it.

His "I'm So Happy..." song is incredibly good writing. The lyrics are wonderful story-telling poetry, and the music is advanced and challenging. It was one of my favorites on the charts when Toby Keith did it. Paul Franklin's "micro-lick" style fit the tune perfectly.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E7, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 25 Nov 2001 7:06 pm

Well (Bob Hoffnar), not all us "other Forumites" are complaining! I think it's great for B.J., and the steel community as well. I wouldn't even mind if he became the Eric Clapton of the steel guitar. Still, it's not the kind of gig I would personally enjoy, or even do...regardless of the "pile of money" I might get. I've done high profile gigs (like in front of 30,000 people!) and they're NOT for everyone. Rather than having the excitement, spectacle, and exposure of that kind of gig, I'd just as well prefer to do something more intimate, where I could mingle with the crowd during the breaks, and not have to worry about security people, special access gates, to-the-second time constraints, art directors, an army of stagehands, putting up with a hyper producer and a high-profile star, etc..

In short, some of us don't want "fame and fortune". We just want a nice little club with a laid-back atmosphere, where we can invite our friends and fellow pickers and play some good music.

Isn't that OK?

DaveCarr · Post by **DaveCarr** » 25 Nov 2001 7:20 pm

If this was the concert taped in Spain, it was shown here (UK) last week. BJ Cole seemed to play on most songs. However, the sound man wasn't as kind to him as he could have been (kept him low in the mix, at least on the TV mix).
What surprised me was BJC's ability to teleport during "Roxanne". Clearly PSG playing requires deep thought and perhaps meditation, but I never expected that.
(Just joking... if you watch carefully, BJ is at the steel in the close-ups, but in the longshots the seat is empty...duff editing continuity 8^).

Dave

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 25 Nov 2001 7:40 pm

The concert was called "Sting in Tuscany'. It was done at his house as a 'gift to his friends and fans'. The TV show on A & E was three hours long. The first two hours were of the rehearsals with his new players, rearranging the songs, etc. When it came time to do the concert, it happened to fall on Sept. 11. They debated whether or not to cancel, but decided the show must go on, and they all very much rose to the occassion. However, they did jettison some songs from their set list. One of them was "I'm So Happy." which featured B.J. They showed him playing the song during the rehearsals, and it sounded very cool, but it never made the final show. You could see that everyone was ina state of shock. It must have been very surreal to play a concert under those particular circumstances.
[This message was edited by Rich Weiss on 25 November 2001 at 08:14 PM.]

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 25 Nov 2001 7:49 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Whether the song had an active steel part in it or not, I was very impressed that they could pull off some of those
arrangements live- considering how complexly layered the produced cuts are<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Just the fact that it was included I think is exciting. Whether all of us want those gigs or not is less important, I think, than the fact that they are there. It tends to break down the stereotypes and ultimately makes for more possibilities .