The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a chance for a local reporter to write up an article about our upcoming steel show, but she doesn't know anything about steel.
I sent her a copy of Mike Perlowin's article on steel (found in the links section-"Articles about steel guitar") but I want to send her an MP3 of a steel song also.
I DON'T WANT HER TO HEAR STEEL GUITAR RAG!
Nor Sleepwalk! No stereotypes!
It also is worth commenting that when I tried to explain what a pedal steel was, she she said "Oh yeah, that whining sound...!"
So, what would be a definitive steel guitar instrumental that's not too country, not too "twangy" (she used that word too) and not too jazzy? !!!!

Although I'm rarely interested in appeasement of the "not too country" crowd, this seems like a highly worthwhile opportunity.

I'd suggest "Please Don't Leave Me Anymore" of Hal Rugg's Slidin' For Scale CD. It's not too country, yet it greatly appeals to me. I noticed the classic "I Love You Because" on Hal's Finally CD, but I don't have that one, yet.

Another good choice would be Hughey's Look At Us, but that's bordering being too country.

Best wishes!


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HagFan

Teach!

John Hughey's "Lost in the feeling" would appeal to almost any one, that to me would be the song of choice, for some one who does or does not know steel music!

I like Teach you Children. Even though we-know-who played steel on it, for many, it's an eye opener to the world of steel guitar.
I love Hughey, of course, but remember her comment of "whiney sound" (apologies to Mr. H).

Send her a 'collage' of tunes, not one. Sorta like a band demo, 20 or 30 seconds of several things so you could cover a wider range of styles. Maybe a bit of Bruce Kaphan, some very traditional country e.g Hughey, and BE on some swing/jazz big band style?

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Home Page

Why mess around? Just play "Someday Soon" for her ("Teach" isn't a bad idea either). An instrumental may be too much for someone who already thinks of PSG as "that twangy thing". Let her hear how it sounds with a singer. My opinion...

sgm

How about Paul Franklin w: Mark Knopfler ?
Notting Hillbillies or Dire Straits.

Touch call. I love the collage idea. Maybe include a rocker, blues (Robert Randolph), swing, and a Jernigan-type jazz standard that isn't too out-of-the-box. And at the end (not the first song), include an uptempo country number ("Married To A Waitress" for example). Much as I love "Someday Soon" and "Teach Your Children" as landmark examples of steel-playing, those songs will not dispel the notion of the steel being only "twangy". This is an opportunity to break stereotypes, not reinforce them.

Just send her anything by Ray Pennington and Buddy Emmons. If she isn't swayed by that, she has no soul for music.

Jeff, I don't think any choice of material presented to HER is going to "dispell any myths". I would see this as an opportunity to get people out to SEE a steel being played, which is vastly more impressive than just hearing it. If you want to catch fish, you gotta use the right bait. Get them out to the show to listen and let them make up their own minds.

BTW, I like the collage idea too (but we posted at the same time).

P.S., The woman's age might be a big factor in determining the choice of material as well.

sgm

For a neophyte such as you describe, I too would avoid the typical guitar tunes liket SGR, etc., etc.

I would heartily recommend that you consider our own Forum's J.D. Walters CD. All songs thereon are middle of the road, non-country sounding, and should appeal to almost anyone who likes "MUSIC" in general.

It's tastefully performed, with a fresh NEW sound and is a true master at work.

I can think of no other CD to use to introduce a newcomer to. Good Luck.

My two cents:
I'd advise caution when using our own sense of what's good or what's familiar. This is in all probability a relatively young woman. You're not gonna catch her attention with even the best treatment of western or big band style swing. She probably has no roots in this style at all. I like the idea of snippets from several tunes rather than a single one. I would take some popular music -- the Mark Knopfler suggestion is great -- possibly something from Fiona Apple or Beck -- somebody in the mainstream that a twenty-something (or so) audience can understand. The objective would be for her to say, "oh THAT'S what that is".

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro

"Secret Love" by Lloyd Green. Or "Lost in the Feeling" by Hughey as mentioned above. Blue Jade or Londonery Air?

Thank you all for your input. It's not easy when our "stereotyped" image of steel is challenged!
I like the idea of 20 sec snippets into a collage. If it's not too much off-topic, can someone tell me how to do this? I've got plenty of MP3's, I just don't know how to break off the first 20 seconds or so and gang em together.
(Maybe another post in Computers?)

The collage is a great idea, since there is no one tune that demonstrates the versatility of the instrument; a Joe Wright perfomance of nearly any tune comes close though, and most certainly destroys all the stereotypes.

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HagFan


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ron Page on 16 September 2002 at 12:30 PM.]</p></FONT>

Teach your children.
I don't even know your name.
Sally G.

Blue Bayou....Linda Ronstadt

...what Bob jest said.

Tom

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR><SMALL>I have a chance for a local reporter to write up an article about our upcoming steel show, but she doesn't know anything about steel.
</SMALL><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I would contact a reporter, who knows what a steel guitar is, and ask them to do a write up on your upcoming show.

That's probably easier said and done in Tennessee than in Rhode Island, Larry.

I think I'd go with "Blue Bayou" or "Teach" to introduce someone to pedal steel. "Someday Soon" was my immediate reaction, but a song about a rodeo cowboy probably won't help shatter any "just country" stereotypes.

My first thought was aslo Someday Soon. Another option that gets you away from the "Rodeo" cliche is Ray Charles' "Feel So Bad(Feel like a Ballgame on a Rainy Day)" which has some killer, funky, swinging, Emmons C6 on it, both solo and comping. Ray ain't bad either.

Along With Ray Montee, I would like to suggest JD Walters "Unforgettable".

It is masterfully done, well mixed, has a great vocal and has worldwide familiarity because of Natalie Coles" Million dollar record of the same name.

A sure winner for steel guitar...al

Tell her to watch "My Own Private Idaho"...no western cryin' cliches, twang or frantic bebop licks, just Bill Stafford's solo steel. The movie may take her mind off the instrument that is producing the music long enough to open it.

Lloyd Greens --FEELINGS__AP. Jack