The Steel Guitar Forum

In a recent thread a fellow forumite expressed his opinion that the ongoing endeavors of a well known multi-instrumental entertainer would do nothing to "advance the cause" of steel guitar-I myself do not understand this concept in relation to the instrument,what is played on it,or those who play it-Don't get me wrong here-I love steel guitar-I have played it for the last 28 some years and hope that I can stay with it untill I die-I have met many of my steel playing heroes both living and passed away whom I hold in high esteem-I have had the privilege to be at the Opry backstage several times-I have bought,sold,and traded tens of thousands of dollars worth of steel guitars and even become a small time manufacturer of a vintage model of pedal steel-I have had the good fortune of playing steel in a band that opened the show for several times for well known singers-all these things have helped me to go beyond my wildest dreams back to when I was 15 years old with a plastic phonograph,some old country 45's,and a cheap lap steel that I tried to play along with the songs-I know that one thing I do feel is that we as steel players,are somewhat of a fraternity in our instrument of choice and the friends that I have made along the way with it are like a brotherhood-but I cannot confuse that with being part of a "cause" It seems to me that if one desires to be part of a "cause" that they should join an organization like "Mothers Against Drunk Driving","People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals",or "The National Rifle Association" instead of taking up the steel guitar

It appears politics, and jealousy dwell on this forum. This forum is just a microcsm of the world. I come to praise ____________, not to bury him. All in all, this forum is very entertaining!

Larry M-Religion seems to dwell alot on this forum also-which depending on ones' beliefs may or may not have anything to do with steel guitar-I confess to not much reading lately but as I recall The Holy Bible has much to say about politics and jealousy too

Well Paul, a great many of us here on the Forum wish the steel guitar was more popular. We, as players, can't understand why it isn't. I really can't explain it myself, and have just about come to accept the fact that that's the way it is. Recently, I made the following statement here on the Forum... <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR><SMALL>Doing a web-search on AltaVista brings the following results,

Harp----------670,526 hits
Harmonica-----402,594 hits
Bagpipes-------98,957 hits
Steel Guitar---34,099 hits</SMALL><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Now this in itself doesn't prove a lot, but it might indicate that we have a long way to go to be ranked among the most "popular" instruments, on the web or anywhere else. Most of us ignore the statistics, though, and keep right on trying to "further the cause", as it were. Sure, we could go out for some other reason or cause, and devote time and effort, but a lot of us choose this as our primary "campaign" for right now.

We like to think of ourselves as a close-knit fraternity, and that is evidenced somewhat by the success of this unique gathering place.

And despite how you may feel about "campaigning", we could sure use your help!

Interesting research Donny. I tried the same test with my favorite search engine, google.com

Here's the results:
Harp----------989,000 hits
Harmonica-----385,000 hits
Bagpipes-------110,000 hits
"Steel Guitar"---84,600 hits

"Steel Guitar" must be in quotes or it finds all Guitar sites and Steel Sites.

I personally like the exclusive-ness of our instrument. I only wish the public could get over the "country-only stereotype".

HNY,
-j0ey-

<SMALL>a great many of us here on the Forum wish the steel guitar was more popular. We, as players, can't understand why it isn't.</SMALL>

Perhaps one of the reasons steel isn't more popular is that so many players are so firmly rooted in the past and ignore today's music.

I think that if there were more players like Joe Goldmark and Bruce Kaphen and B.J. Cole who are playing CONTEMPORARY music on the steel, the instrument would attract more people. Instead we constantly see players who lament about how great the music was back in the good old days and how awful today's music is.

Let's face it, we are not going to attract a lot of kids by telling them their music sucks and they should listen to stuff from their parents' or grandparents' generation.

<SMALL>we are not going to attract a lot of kids by telling them their music sucks and they should listen to stuff from their parents' or grandparents' generation.</SMALL>

And don't forget how effective telling them to "eat your spinach or you don't get dessert" was, or how "you finish your homework, young man, or you're grounded this weekend" caused everyone to buckle down and get straight A's in school.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

What Mike said, 100%

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Have a good 'un! JH U-12

I'm with Herb on this one.
Let's not forget how many parents told their children that rock and roll sucked in the fifties. I've always believed that the smart parent should have bought a rock and roll record, told their children how much they loved it, then locked them in their room and made them listen to it three hours a day.

THE BIG E emerges. Happy New Year, Buddy,Herb, Mike,and all the rest.
Music changes, Changes and changes you boy`s were that change once,pedal Steeler`s didn`t mamma tell you boy`s to go do your homework? This is where the yellow smiley`s go, but I don`t know how. I`m in with Mike on this one.
But I can`t forget 14 year`s ago playing in a jam at the T.S.G.A Convention at Midnight,6 steeler`s none over 19 year`s old,two were 16, Sarah Jory and Zane king,Steve Palousick 19, all playing there little Rearends off,sometimes building S--- houses, sometimes playing beautifull melodic solo`s but alway`s at WARP speed,Who are the young gun`s now.
Enough said
Chuck Norris NFM

Well said Chuck, but my dad once told me as a player, I wouldn't make a patch on Elmer Hobar's butt (local steeler). So now you know the rest of the story.
A happy new year to you and all the gang out there.

I know what would help the cause............
More flash.....Bar twirling & stuff like that

I have seen Buddy do the bar twirling completely around mid solo up close when he and Scotty came up here to play a show back in around 1982-I think it was at a place called the Country Music Inn in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago-Buddy had just gotten his rosewood Legrande which as I recall had the new Pentad pickups-I remember asking Buddy about the guitar after the show-I got my Legrande in 1983

Paul,
I do remember the Country Music Inn. I had just polished off a chicken wing before going on stage.

I've just eaten the chicken wing - what do I do next?



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Emmons Legrande III - S10 and D10
Peavey Nashville 400, 1000 and Profex II

I needed a grin today and once again the Big E comes to the rescue. I didn`t even have to put on his records..

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HookMoore.com

Put on your hat!

<SMALL>I personally like the exclusive-ness of our instrument. I only wish the public could get over the "country-only stereotype".</SMALL>

Well, I guess you want to have your cake and eat it. I don't think you can.

I dont know if Buddy was really eating chicken before that show but I am glad that he remembers it-I recall that just about everyone who played steel in this area came out to see Buddy play because nothing like that (having Scotty sponsor a steel guitar concert) had ever happened in Chicago that I can recall-but it was the last song that Buddy was playing that Scotty invited anyone who wanted to see Buddy play close up to come and stand right in front of his guitar and that is when he did the bar twirling trick without missing a note-Buddy do remember what tune you played???

Well, I might as well get this off my chest. Mike says our problem is that we are all just too deeply rooted in the past. But wait a minute, what about those players who aren't? They're out there, Mike!. Players such as yourself, Dave Van Allen, Jim Cohen, Susan Alcorn, our own Bob Lee, Michael Goodsell, Dave Ristrim, Dan Tyack, Doug Jernigan, Bruce Kaphan, B.J.Cole, Lionel Wendling (need I go on?) Wally Murphy, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Maurice Anderson, Buddy (Steel Guitar Jazz) Emmons, and not to forget Robert Randolph (who was the hottest thing around about 6 months ago...what happened?). I've bought their stuff (did anyone else?). But in my own narrow mind, we're still not really gaining much.

Yes, we're heard in a movie score, commercial, or cartoon once in awhile. But really "big" acceptance? It hasn't come. Now here you come again and say, in effect, "These old dudes are holdin' us all back!"

Had it not been for all the names I've mentioned (and many others I haven't)... someone might even believe you. But I guess we all have to forget what has been done in the past, and play completely different, before we can become accepted like "sliced bread and Skippy peanut butter".

Right?<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 01 January 2002 at 06:11 PM.]</p></FONT>

Most of my family begged me not to play the steel... the older I get,the smarter they look .
The bar twirl IS pretty impressive,but I really like the "sittin on the floor under the guitar & reachin up & playing" thing...
As for ol'Elmer...hell, I bet he would've never had the cojones to sing a whole album of Bob Wills songs......well, too .<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Cass on 01 January 2002 at 07:33 PM.]</p></FONT>

Yes, there is something missing. It's the steel players not playing on the local level--the weekend warriors where the masses of people can see us in the little towns where people can see steel guitar firsthand. But in order to do this we have to be flexible and not always play the music we would like to play. That is why after ten years I am playing in a local band which plays mostly current songs, but once in a while we slip in something traditional--I even get to play "Sleepwalk". At least people are getting to see and hear steel guitar when I play in a local club--many young people are seeing it up close for the first time. There are even band members who have never played with a steel guitar. Last summer at Chautauqua, New York many of us got to see Buddy Emmons perform with the Everly Brothers (Buddy, you sounded great!). But that is the end of it--after the hour and half show, it is pack up and run for the bus. I waited backstage just to shake his hand and say hello as he was hurrying to catch his ride. Now it is up to me to keep playing and talking locally about the steel--I have the time at clubs to actually show people up close what a steel guitar can do. Joe

Hi Buddy, good to see youposting again. Give us an update on your hands. Can we look forward to seeing good things happening for you so far as touring and recording are concerned? Hope you and Peg a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

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kd...and the beat goes on...

Donny, I went to see Robert Randolph and The Family Band on New Year's Eve here in NY. He is still packing the arena and the place was hopping with intense energy. He and his group, who were the opening act, out performed the headline band.