The Steel Guitar Forum

What have you done as a steel player that ranks as a moment in your life that can never be erased from your memory, something you are very proud of and made you feel like all this practice and work was worth it all?
A network T.V. show? An Opry spot? Jam session with Buddy? A Bob Hope fund raiser in front of 80.000 people? Playing for the president? A hit master session? It does NOT have to be this kind of stuff! Did you meet your wife over your steel at a playing gig?
(or lose her there?) How 'bout your first gig in front of people when you parents were there? The first time your Dad was proud of you and bragged to his buddy's about you?
I really want to hear about these great,tender, unforgetable moments in the life of a steel player. Sit in with a famous band when you were a kid? Before you could even play well? Think about it! TELL US!!
Bobbe

Hey guys, more than one story is great, you probibly have several of those majical moments, Every story you come up with will remind us of more of our own. I'll save a couple of mine 'till the end,
This will help us all get to know each other also and will be fun!
The wives should like this one!

J. Stella Likeitiz

Bobbe,
One of my most memorable moments was when I shared the stage you and Jim Vest about a year ago at an NTSGA Super-Jam. Bobbe, It was quite an honor for me to get to play out in public next to a pro like you, especially in front of our fellow club members.

Others highlights of mine include playing Steel for the late Walter Bailes, on his Gospel TV Shows. Then here lately when the legendary Buddy Emmons walked in the Bell Cove while I was playing at the last NTSGA Super-Jam 3 weeks ago. Nick

My Steel Guitar Website:
http://personal.bellsouth.net/bna/a/m/am1070/page12.html

1. Recording at RCA Studio B with Harold Bradley, Pig Robbins, Buddy Harmon, Charlie McCoy.

2. Playing the Opry the first time.

3. Playing the White House.

4. Meeting Weldon Myrick

One time I played an audition with a band without a guitar player. I turned on my Rat Fuzz and tried to cover all the rock and roll parts the best I could. Later a guy walked up to me and said that he heard this amazing rock and roll guitar, but when he looked up at the stage he could not find the guitar player. This guy made me feel good, and to top it off - we got the gig!

1> Backed up Albert Lee at a guitar clinic

2> Played Steel for Del Reeves

3> Had Richard Bennett tell me he thought my Steel playing was "Really Cool.."

4> Jammed with John Hughey on is set at an Indy Steel Club show

5> Heard my steel playing on TV for the first time

Boy Bobbe you ask alot out of a person and this is a great question!Well I would have to say that my greatest accomplishment as a steel guitarist, would be paying for my medical education and grduation day from medical school.I have be very fortunate in my life to have have played with some of the greatist singers of all time, but I have made so many friends with the steel guitar through the years too.When I was a kid in Texas getting to play with some of the top old time musicians and playing western swing and the shuffels and getting to meet all my heros.I have said this before I am the luckiest guy around cause the steel guitarist and the artist came to me to take care of their medical needs. They put their trust and respect in me to do my job as a physician.Alot of people take this steel guitar thing a little bit to serious, just my opinion,IT IS NOT LIFE OR DEATH.The steel guitar put me in a position to save lives and I must say ,I did save alot as an ER physician, and there is no better accomplishment than to save a life or bring one into the world.I did it for nearly twenty years and never got sued. NOW think about that LOL.I made so many friends in the music industry and the medical profession and that is what the steel guitar gave me, or I accomplished with a steel guitar.

Did your steel guitar save a life today?The one it might save might be your own! LOL I did leave out the SWINEATONE story this time!For those of you that dont know what a swinette is just email Bobbe or Mr Cole and they will gladly explain in detail! ROTF

My greatest accomplishment would have to be getting Bobbe to return a phone call

I know I'm not a steel player but I am going to put in my two cents worth.Played the Grand Ole Opry from 1968 to 1976 with Skeeter and Jim Ed.
Merv Griffin Show in N.Y.in 1969 with Skeeter Davis,plus Royal Albert Hall,London Puladium and Opry.Met and played a European Tour with Albert Lee in 1969 with Skeeter and RCA Records.
Madison Square Garden with Ed Sullivan as host while working for Jim Ed Brown in 1974.Also played in the Houston Astrodome around 1972.
Short stint with Roger Miller in 1973 and did the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson when Buddy was playing bass for Roger.
Jim Ed Brown early 70's TV shows called "The Country Place" and mid 70's "Nashville On The Road".Played the Palomino Club when Tony Booth and Al Bruno were there plus the John Wayne Theartre at Nottsberry Farm with the famous water curtain.
Played the Ian and Sylvia TV Show in Toronto with Jim Ed and Ann Murray with her hit Snow Bird in 1970.
There's more but I don't want to bore you all.These were some of the high lights of my career and I'm proud of em'.
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Earl Erb on 23 April 2002 at 12:30 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Earl Erb on 04 May 2002 at 08:39 AM.]</p></FONT>

Oh, I forgot.Worked at Opryland for 8 years and played at the White House and met Gerald Ford, I forgot the year. Staff guitarist on Porter Wagoner at Opryland for 2 years 1983-84. Played guitar for harpist Loydd Lindroth at the Opryland Hotel 1985-86.
Quit the business in 1987. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Earl Erb on 23 April 2002 at 12:27 AM.]</p></FONT>

There is tooo many for me to list. But I will say what my best friend/mentor Gary Carpenter told me> "If you take CARE of your steel guitar; it will take care of you"
Ricky

1. Turning my guitar upside down and explaining how it worked to a bunch of local musicians in Honduras. In Spanish.

2. On a DOD tour playing a concert on the deck of a US Navy ship in the Malaga harbor. Not only were the crew of "our" ship in the audience but the ship docked next to it had sailors listening to us from several decks .... and the Italian ship on the other side had *its* crew on deck, digging the country music.

3. Perhaps the accomplishment I value most: being able to help two deserving international players buy steels: one a Filipino, the other a Pole!

Chris

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from the oasis ....

In the early 60's I was in the warm-up band at a Ray Price concert in Hamilton.I was playing a Fender 1000 and had added a knee lever to drop the top G on the C6 a half tone.Big E came over to me after the show when we were all getting ready to pack up.He said he had heard me use the change and really liked it.Needless to say I was thrilled that I had done something that would get to Buddy.Later on when he recorded Bluemmons,I thought that maybe in some small way I had helped plant the idea for that beautiful change.But then again,I had never heard of the Doo-Ahh pedal at that point.So maybe it's just a figment of my imagination.

Nothing overly spectacular in the gig dept, BUT, if I didn't play steel, I wouldn't have got the call to play a huge REVLON party in Ct. where I did meet my Bonnie ( my wife ) and from there we ended up married and our daughter Mandy came to be...Now Mandy's 16 and wants a car , a new computer, a
new wardrobe, her own TV room, her own kitchen, 2 private phone lines ,wants money, did I say she wants money ?
Ain't she grand !!!
TPrior/SteelGuitarHomesite

In the mid-fifties I played steel for Bill Anderson in and around Atlanta. It was his first band called the Avondale Playboys. We had a tv show (black and white only, since color tv wasn't even on the market then) on the first UHF station in Atlanta. We played live three nights a week for several months.
That was really fun then, but nowadays I think it would be kind of scary.
Bill decided to record four songs he had written: (1)Take Me (2)No Song To Sing (3)Empty Room (4)City Lights. Of course it was a lot of fun doing it, but I don't think Bill ever imagined what a hit City Lights would turn out to be, even though it took Ray Price to do it. Those were the "good ole days".

My greatest accomplishment: Several years ago I had the opportunity to play steel for a local band that was opening up for Willie and Waylon at the Astrodome. Setting on the stage and having Ralph Mooney in the audience looking at me eye to eye, was my greatest accomplishment just getting through the first song without heart failure. As WWF Steve Austin says, "that's all I got to say about that."

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I know i'm going to catch some heat on this one.
Back in the 70s'I played the most memorable gig of my life. Anyone familiar with the Grateful Dead can attest to their close relationship with the Hells Angels.
Anway, the Jerry Garcia band was playing a benefit to raise funds to get Sonny Barger (President of the Angels) out of jail.
The venue was a rented "Circle Line" cruise ship which sailed out of Battery Park in lower Manhattan, up the Hudson to the George Washington Bridge and back again. Also on the bill was Bo Diddely and Elephants Memory (John Lennons back up band).
The boat loaded in Brooklyn and sailed across the river to the Battery to pick up passengers. They were looking to have a local band kick things off and start playing as the boat pulled up to the dock. We got the gig because we new a roadie with the Dead named Terry Kane. .
What I remember most was setting up and
playing with Jerry Garcia standing right over my shoulder the entire time.His interest in my steel was obvious. We played
about 45 minutes and than hung out in the VIP section for the rest of the cruise (along with 250 Hells Angels!)
It goes without saying alot of the details of the night cannot be posted on a family forum.
Definately a memorable experience.

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by BobG on 23 April 2002 at 05:26 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by BobG on 23 April 2002 at 08:27 AM.]</p></FONT>

Having Albert Lee play on my CD
Matt

Probably playing the Opry (in both the Ryman and the new Opry House), and playing for the president at the White House Press Correspondent's Association dinner (1970? 71?)with J.C. Riley. Maybe the USO tour I did going back to Vietnam? Lots of great memories. Some getting a little dim now, but still hangin' in.

I know I've said to several people over the years . . . I've had the particular honor to have my father backstage at both the old and new Opry with me. THAT'S a kick!

I forgot this one....
Jamming with Derek Trucks at his home in Florida when he was about 11 years old and already played slide guitar like Duane Allman!

Getting snuck in by way of the back door of "The Captains Table" by Bobbe Seymour when I was only 17 and not legally permitted to enter night clubs - and being promptly seated at Bobbe's steel to set in with Trilly Cole's band so nobody could throw me out! Bobbe has been very cool to 'ole 2pT

There might be another time too... lemme think about it some more

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TheEarlyDays.com

and appearing regularly...
Jimmy Crawford/Russ Hicks... and Buddy Emmons on Bass! aLotOfSpace.com

Bobbe, as soon as I accomplish something in the steel world, I'll be more than happy to post it!

The first time I got to play the Opry, Friday the 13th 1972 with Charlie Louvin. Weldon, Hal and Sonny liked to stand behind the "Newbie" and see what they had to offer. Scared me so bad that my foot shook off the volume pedal.

Working the NBC show B Mandrell and the Mandrell Sister show from 1980 -1982. Then coming back to Nashville and recording her Live Album.

Working all the major TV and Award Shows form 1975 to 1997 With Bab's/ Including the Tonight Show with Carson & Leno. Several Bob Hope Specials, The Dolly Show.

Performing in front of a Million people at the Welcome Back Desert Storm party at the foot of the Washington Momument.

After twenty years of being with Barbara, her giving me a check for the tune of $20,000 for my faithful service and friendship. Love you Bab's.

Working two years with my favorite female singer, Connie Smith 1986-1988 and going to England and doing the Wembley Festival and backing up "Little" Jimmy Dickens.

Asking to play my first time at Stoney's show in Knoxville and having a great time, Thanks Stony.

My career has been busy and blessed.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Jones on 23 April 2002 at 09:38 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Jones on 23 April 2002 at 09:39 AM.]</p></FONT>

Having Bob Hoffnar, Dan Tyack and Paul Franklin playing on my album !
JJ
steeljj.com <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Johan Jansen on 23 April 2002 at 09:47 AM.]</p></FONT>