The Steel Guitar Forum

As A record collector as well as being involved in Steel Guitar Business, As I go thru old cuts for a record show this Sat. I can't beleive the intro's fills and turnaround that was outstanding in recordings. 90% of today's country Steel exposure could be done on a Maverick . The Public has no knowledge of Steel Guitar. At the last record show I bought Jerry Byrd and Pete Drake albums for $1 ea. Even Santo and Johnny for 2$ What can be done. ?? Ed Naylor Steel Guitar Works

You said it Ed! I still like to listen to those ol' Weldon licks with Moe Bandy and of course Lloyd Green with Don Williams. I think it was Stu Basore and Weldon that did "Whiskey Trip" with Gary Stewart also. Man I would love to hear it come back like all that!

Just my $0.02 worth.

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Emmons LeGrande - 8x4
Session 400 Ltd
Dan-Echo, E-Bow, Ibanez Distortion, Boss Comp./Sustain, Ibanez Auto-Wah

Boys those days are gone for the most part. You will not hear steel out front on the radio very much anymore. Now if you buy lesser known artists who still put out great country music you will still find steel present, Daryl Singletary comes to mind.

I am still playing in a top band in Oregon at age 56. We do old country but mostly newer stuff. I am lucky, the band members love steel and I get to play a lot, but I had to LEARN to play Doobie Brothers tunes and other rock style songs in order to be a part of THIS band, otherwise I would be sitting at home wishing I could still play SLOWLY ever night.

When the audience changes so do the requirements, fall in love with the sound of the steel and play whatever it takes to put yourself in a position to keep playing and to get the sound of the steel into the ears of anyone who will take the time to listen.

That said I would still not be interested in grunge or heavy metal but you get the idea, they would not ask you to play with them anyway, your hair is too short and your belly is to big. Even they have some pride.

Larry Behm

Probably not until the young audience turns to some other kind of music. It's them that prefer banging drums, fuzz guitars, and sex appeal over good music. Had they not been lured to the country-flavored sounds by groups like Alabama, and movies like "Urban Cowboy" they'd still be listening to their top-40 fruit salad of the '80's, and country would still be the nice little niche-market that it once was.

Mass-produced music makes lots of money, but it is inherently ephemeral, and just doesn't have the "staying power" of our '60s staples like Price, Owens, Tubb, Haggard, Jones, etc.. I think most all of the the country music of the '80's, '90s, and probably this decade, will be completely forgotten long before the year 2025.

That 70's steel sound is still jammin everyday in my world!
New Riders!
Poco!
Pure Prarie Leauge!
Flying Burritos Bros!
Ect!...

I would rather go back to the 1950's when
Boggs and Murphey and Speedy and Leon and Wiggins and Byrd and Remington and Chalker ruled.

Those were the days when the steel guitar was
more or less up front.

Cooley always had Boggs or Murphey sitting up front and center,,ditto Tex Williams and Bob Wills. You could tell a player by his style and sound,,,nowadays with all due respect to the players and the technical advancement of guitar technology,,it all sounds pretty much alike to my ears.

Maybe its just me..I dont really know.

I dont think those days will ever be back,at least not in my lifetime.

I lost interest in the 70's for the most part
with the exception of Buddy and Jernigan and Reece,& Jimmy Day everything else became redundant.

But then again,,,Im considered a corn ball,,well if thats so,,please pass the corn.

"A CORN BALL"

I too love the old records but I must differ with the opinion that the old stuff was more difficult. I have worked for 15 years in a studio that makes sound track tapes and when a song would come out and appear on its way to becoming a hit we would make a Kareoke tape and I have had to play the steel as close as possible to the original and there has been some very tough stuff come out on records in the last 10 years. When you listen to the original recording and realize you have to play that intro, solo, lick that Paul Franklin or some of the guys have put out it is sometimes very tough. There has been some really great playing on a bunch of recordings in the 90's. Try getting ready for the solo on Kenny Chesney's "She's Got It All", Leann Rimes "Blue", John's intro and solo on "Look At Us" and the list goes on and on. I agree that the steel guitar is not as prominantly out front as it once was on the recordings but I sure can't see that
the playing is any simpler. There is a lot of very tough steel playing on the current recordings. Of course this is just my opinion and since it didn't cost anything it should be worth that.
Jerry

Hi Jody, As you said, the steel guitarof the 60's and 70's will not return in our lifetime. I am very fortunate to have found a band that plays all the "good stuff". I set up my steel at the front of the stage, and when I have the entro, the band leader simply says, "Jody" and when I have a solo, he also call my name and walks over and stands by me. He treats the lead player the same. Shades of ET. It is great to get to play the good stuff once again after having to play "CROCK" aka Country Rock. We work about a little over 110 dates per year. For a 72 year old picker, it ain't bad. See you down the road. Jody.

That sounds like the gig I have floating around in my head. But, I'm having a hard time finding it.

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Jim Vogan Emmons Sd10
G.D. Walker Stereo Steel Combo
Bakelite Ric
Hilton volume pedal


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jim Vogan on 16 November 2002 at 07:00 AM.]</p></FONT>

Jody "The Voice" -
I too have landed a job where play all the good old traditional songs, Price, Bush, McCall, Faron nad some Tubb's. All the licks I cut my teeth on in the 70's learning to play, I now can enjoy them even more. We do this at the Cowskin Prairie supper club every Saturday night. If it ain't got fiddle and steel in it, we don't do it - period. This is one place where top 40 will never be heard - live or on tape.
I love it -
John Buffington
PS We'll CYA after while in Big D

I guess I never left the 50's & 60's country music. The guys I get together with have the same "old country" interest as I do and we are all retired. That gives us the choice to play a job or not. We ain't gettin rich, but we enjoy playin when we do.

Stuck in the past I guess.

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SUAS U' PHIOB
Geo

<SMALL>This is one place where top 40 will never be heard - live or on tape.</SMALL>

Here in Texas we play top 40 every night...top 40 from 40 years ago, that is!

Amen, brothers; but let's not forget the likes of Cliff Carlisle,Bob Dunn, Ted Daffan,Deacon Anderson and others that sort of paved the way in the 30's-40's. Yeah Jody S. I know you are a couple of years older than I with a lot more miles under your belt. I am constantly amazed at the world wide interest I receive for the older style of music and the memories of the players.
Bill - www.billchaviers.com

Quote from Donny: "I think most all of the the country music of the '80's, '90s, and probably this decade, will be completely forgotten long before the year 2025."

I'll go one step further. I think that most ALL of the music from the time period that he mentioned will be forgotten after probably the next 10 years.

I work with a guy who is in his 60's and he made a comment to me one time that has stuck in my brain ever since. "Back when I was growing up, it seems like when you were dating someone you both had a song that you considered "your song". A sort of momento of your relationship or something. But looking at today, what are kids going to pick as their song?"

I personally think that some of the music that may squeak through and survive 10 years from now might just be some of the more popular "country" stuff. I don't think that much of the pop/rock stuff will make it. When I watch a football game on TV and hear the music played over the stadium speakers in the background, it is almost always something from 20 or more years ago (the early 80's or before).

One thing that is interesting to me is going to a used CD store and seeing what people have turned back in. Not only rock/pop but country as well.

We all have our likes and dislikes when it comes to music. But there are certain things that are classic and do seem to resonate with a lot of people. These days it seems like nobody even makes a decent attempt at doing something that will last any more.

AJM- Your last sentence says it. Nowdays it is a THROWAWAY society.

But irregardless, I think the Steel Guitar will be back in all its glory. It is a much too versatile musical instrument to be ignored....al

Al Marcus,,a man after my own heart,,good post Al

However, I think (hope) it will be a LONG time before they replace a real human playing a real instrument.

I'm talking about walking into a room and seeing someone actually doing something in front of you in real time.

Also, I know that there are B-benders on Teles, and slide players, and open tunings, and bending strings, and such and such. But to my ears there is still no substitute for the pedal steel. If there is I'd like to hear it.

If you're a band leader or composer you may not want a pedal steel in your band, and that's OK. But if you do want one, there's only one way to get it.

Have a listen to Brad Paisley's stuff. The steel work is right up front and as good as anything you can pick out from the 70's

Singers like Jones, Hag, Watson and the rest of the good ol boys, sang songs that a good crying steel sounded good on.

There is a lot more steel in the last year or so...but the songs aren't ballads anymore.

I've said this before. If you make your living selling records, you've got to make records that will sell. And the younger people are the ones that are buying.

Don't get me wrong here....i'd love for the old crying in your beer songs to come back...but it won't be in my life time.

Bob.

Sorry I think this is a funny thread. Next April I will be 50 year`s old and have played cover music since, possibly around 59 or 60. I remember learning Together Again and All My Friend`s are gonna be Stranger`s my dad and uncle called it that top 40 crap, And I particurly remember sitting around my Dad`s music store listening to the like`s of Junior Knight and Gary Hogue or Buddy Carter whinning about the music of today [70`s] having no steel in it, or at best a little shading and that was it.Supposidly Nashville producer`s had all but banned steel. Today`s music [70`s]was nothing but rock n roll particurly Waylon Jenning`s who had the Moon and would`nt let him shine. Does that sound anything like what were talking about.There will be no classic music out of the likes of those new singer`s.Song`s like Good Hearted Women and Mr. Bojangles or Whiskey River won`t stand the test of time unless you sing it Johnnie Bush style of coarse. And those California Hippy band`s, Flying Burrito Brother`s, there just rockin roller`s they can`t play. Guess some things never change. And I agree the like`s of George Strait,Allen Jackson will beforgotten in ten year`s and those Nashville steel player`s Paul Franklin, Bruce Boutin, John Hughey there no match for those 70`s boy`s. As one rock star sang, same music, new drag. back then we were sitting around a music store now were all sitting around our computer`s. Same story new drag.
Happy Steelin
Chuck Norris NFM
p.s. these statement`s do not reflect the feeling`s of Junior, Buddy or Dad. But we sure miss Gary

Well...what I said was "most all..." . There will be a few artists of the past decade or so who will survive the test of time. IMHO, Ricky Skaggs, Alan Jackson, (early) George Strait, and Brad Paisley probably have what it takes to endure.

Chuck....I'll bet those little people from Mars think we're some what strange also.

But I've got to agree with them and you. There was a lot of country that didnt have sreel. So many I don't even want to start. I didn't notice it until Patsy Cline came out with "Crazy" with that string section on it. But when Pay Price came out with " Walk Me To The Door" and it had strings, I really started to notice how country wasn't really country.

Bob.

"and those Nashville steel player`s Paul Franklin, Bruce Boutin, John Hughey there no match for those 70`s boy`s. "

Ouch...

You said it, John. I can't believe what I read most of the time on this forum.

To think that the heavyweights of today don't match up... ??

Chuck, John Hughey was one of the major players in the 70's behind Conway Twitty mainly. And Paul and Bruce came along a little later. LH