The Steel Guitar Forum

Passion exudes from my husband when he plays certain pieces. I’ve seen him weep on many occasions. Presence of the Lord, America, Danny Boy, and Somewhere Out There are a few that require tissues.
Anybody else?

Donna Dodd

I have never played well enough to weep while I play. But I can certainly understand Tommy doing it. I have on occassion wept when others have played.

carl

A few years ago we played a benifit for a little girl with cancer and she wanted to hear Last Date. They sit her up on stage next to me and boy was that ever hard to get through. PS I'm sure that there are many that hear me play cry a lot.

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Bob Myers Derby SD10 3&4
S10 Emmons p/p Nashville 400

Yes I have. many times at church, and a few times at home. not one doubt in my mind, it was God's spirit.
Terry

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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

Yes Terry.it is God's Spirit and His Love that come and just touch you, and here come the weeping,
hey Carl.just go head and say it,I bet you cry many time if only your steel guitars can talk,
STEELIN FOR JESUS. .......Gary<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by GARYPHILLIPS on 30 May 2004 at 08:18 AM.]</p></FONT>

everytime i hear myself play i want to cry...its that bad

Oh, YES,
MANY times with so much SOUL and SPIRIT WHILE playing, and, MANY times while Watching and Listening to others.
But, The HARDEST and WORST situation I got myself into that was for me both MENTALLY and SPIRITUALLY a NIGHTMARE that only STEPHEN KING would be intrested in buying the "Rights" to for a Futre Horror Flick. I just WISH That EVERYONE in my Local church that had seen my "ORDEAL" would FORGET IT....Ha, Yea, Right. In 2001 when I had to play a "Piece" at my Wifes' Grandfathers Funeral down here in Winnfield, LA. My Father-In-Law ask me if I would play a number during the service, and, I was quite honored, Due to the Fact that he wanted a "STEEL GUITAR", and ALL BY ITSELF TOO, WOW. I had asked him what song He thought that would be an "Approprate Arrangement" for Mr. Elzie, (My Wife's Grandfather)and, He said "Well, I wish there was an OLD tune that Had something to do with "Trains," but, In a Southern Gospel/Funeral setting. (Mr. Elzie worked for the "Frisco" RR back in the 1930s, and LOVED OLD trains) The first one to come to my mind was Hal Ruggs' Rendition of "Life's Railway to Heaven" that Just "Chills Ya"... I had learned this number quite a few years back after I bought the "Hal Rugg," "Weldon Merick," and "Sonny Burnett" Cassett. When The time came, I played it as close to the way Hal had arranged it, at the 24th fret and so on, But, As I was playing the song and I was REALLY getting into the "Spirit" of it All, not long after the first verse, my Eyes of course started to be filled with tears, and That's OK, but, It started to become a REAL problem because the "Familey" and myself had VERY little sleep for three full days Before due to the taking care of everything that a Familey Does that involves A Loved one "Passing". Well, my eyes were feeling quite RAW, and VERY DRY, very RED, and they Itched quite a bit as well due to lack of sleep and LOTS of Tension & Stress. (They felt Just about like the "Morning after" you have played ALL Night in a REAL SMOKEY BAR for about 6 hours straight the night before)
Well, When the tears started, and a pretty hefty LUMP was in my throat, my eyes REALLY started BURNING, and, I had to Play on REGARDLESS, and my eyes was CLOSED SHUT TIGHTLY due to the BURNING, because if I opened them EVER SO SLIGHTLY, it got WORSE, BIG TIME, and I KNEW from Experience that THIS was NOT GOOD. Can you IMAGINE this? Ha, A FUNERAL of a LOVED ONE to "Boot" in a Southern Babtist Church where You could do a WONDERFUL COMMERCIAL for AT&T by "Testing" the Ol Cell Phone asking GOD,..."CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW"? (He HAD TO OF HEARD ME, it was ringing "WALL-TO-WALL" in that Sanctuary.) It was WAY TOO QUITE while ALL THIS was going on. And, To make matters WORSE....My FRIGGIN NOSE was starting to "RUN" like it was in the FINISHING 3/4 TURN at the "Kentucky Derby" and there was NOTHING I could DO but to let the "Checkered Flag" "Wave" that "RAGING MISSISSIPPI RIVER" of "Snot-a-Running" on to the Finish Wire, Who, BTW, was in the LEAD by at least 7 FULL "PONIES", with "DEFINATLY-OUTA -CONTROL" comming in a VERY CLOSE SECOND, and "DOWN-THE-MIDDLE" was in a Sure 3rd. I was in a "Fix" to say the least. ...All I can say is THIS..........It did NOT get any BETTER...But, The Good Lord REALLY musta been PLAYING "Life's Railway" FOR ME, Because I don't REMEMBER NOTHING of what I did or HOW I did it, because I had to wait until the "Vidiographer" gave a copy to Dad several days later to see for myself.
I got to hear the "Cassett Recording" of the service later on that evening, and, Honestly, I really don't know HOW or WHY it came off Good enough "Sound Wise" as well as it did. I Give God the Glory and the Thanks for Helping me out on THAT one. Oh, just One more thing ......Ya just HAD to BE THERE.
Imagine if you can, The EMBARESSMENT when I DID see the "Playback" of myself with Tears a running down my face NON-STOP, my eyes had a FIVE ALARM FIRE OUTA CONTROL, And Oh, Yea, Let's NOT EVEN FORGET the BEST part of this "WHOLE PEACHY AFFAIR".....None other than the UNINVITED/UNWANTED Guests who call themselves just the "GOOD 'Ol BOYS" who was just a "PASSING THRU"....YEA..."Snot-Bubble" &nd "Bro.Bugger"..Yea, Ha.. And the way my Body was "Slanted" to the RIGHT "Wing" of Things, and my Body "Twisting" in ways that "THIGH MASTER" NEVER got to do TO or WITH ANYONE, ANYWHERE, at ANYTIME,dead OR alive, like what I went through. I was TRYING to PLAY for what seemed like an ETERNITY the WHOLE TIME while I was in the vicinity of the TWENTYEIGHT FRET and BEYOND in the likes of "HUGHEY-LAND"
NOT GOOD, Folks......
DON'T TRY this at Home......Yea....

Hey Ron one of John Hughey steel rag would been nice to have right then,
Maybe for time like this we need to have a steel guitar bib
STEELIN FOR JESUS.......Gary

Ron,
What a great writer you are! I swear, I was in the church with you guys, walking halfway down the aisle to give you Tommy's hanky! But I really MUST see the movie version - I'll bring the popcorn and raisinettes!

I haven't actually wept, but a broken 3rd string that caught me across the face once when it snapped sure made my eyes water.

Donna, My dog cries when I play. That makes me sad and I cry too.... Jennings

Playing in many churches over the years, lots of people have come up to me with tears in their eyes, telling me how much they enjoyed the steel guitar. This is also true of my current gig at a Christian supper club.
A lady came up to me last weekend and told me that she cries when she hears me playing "Shenandoah". I hope it is because she likes it.

I have teared up myself many times.

I have been playing for nursing homes and Alzheimers units, by myself, for almost 7 years now.
Everyone should do it on a regular basis. It is very humbling and very gratifying, plus these people need what only you have to give, your time and your talent. I am sure there is a reward down the road for those who give freely what our Creator has given each of us freely. I think we owe HIM a big one! Try it, I know you will like it and yourself!

There was this one time we played an outdoor gig.......they were having a cook out....and my steal was set up right next to the table where they were peeling and chopping the onions.................

Sometimes I drool.

packing equipment to play on a gig, got a phone call my mother passed away, so I packed some better clothes, did the gig, and left for CT after the job, I'm sure my eyes were moist during the sets

pretty interesting topic. Although I have never "wept" while playing there have been times when I played a passage or phrase..or split solo and the deep inside emotions came front and center..I may have been the only one that noticed but just the same, I knew "I" was playing from a different "zone"..

In the right hands and frame of mind, this ( our) Instrument is capable I believe of emotion at the same level of world class violinists..

t

Robert, your right about the nursing homes.
I've never played steel at a nursing home but have many times played my six string and have sang to these precious old people. they don't care how good you are, they just enjoy the fellowship. haven't played there in yrs though, I need to get back into it.

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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

About 10 yrs. ago I got asked to play on a special show as part of the CCMA (Canadian Country Music Assoc. yearly get-together). It was to be a recording for, and in the presence of a fellow who had a rodeo accident and was severely mentally disabled from it. They thought that doing the recording for him written by some top songwriters might jolt him out of his stupor-like state. The room was full of industry types and the immediate family, as well as the young victim who was in a wheelchair and kinda staring at us. As we were recording the family all started crying and we had a hell of time trying to maintain our focus on the project. He never did come out of his stupor but hopefully something sunk in and helped him thru this terrible ordeal.

Why, Thank you, Ms Donna....Very Kind Words there...I very much enjoyed you and Tommy "BEING THERE" for me.
Oh, and Yes,.....while it is FRESH upon my P-brain, I MUST RETURN Tommys' Hanky....(Oh, BTW, it IS CLEAN)
And, Thank You BOTH for the "Suport. My Dear, The M&Ms and POPCORN Is on ME....
ENJOY
And, Jim, Dag, how we FORGET as we get OLDER.
Your response telling us about your 3rd string "Poping" you across your "Snozz"...
YEA....One I am HAPPY I FORGOT. When I FIRST STARTED in 1980 playing steel, I Didn't KNOW "SQATT" about ANYTHING about playing steel, BUT, I had been a Guitar player from the time I was in my EGG SHELL...So, I knew that the 3rd fret OPEN was G and all THAT, So, I ALWAYS kept my FACE RIGHT OVER the neck at ALL TIMES making SURE I was at least OVER the fret PROPERLY, and, I made SURE I was at Least in TUNE with everyone else in the OPEN FRETS....Well, I had my Face RIGHT OVER the neck, Looking down and I depressed the "A" pedal, and POW, The 5th String, "B" broke and, Like You, it got me a GOOD ONE, But, in my situation, not only did it WATER my 'OL "Saddle Bags With Eyes"...I started BLEEDING all over my WHITE Shirt, My Steel, and EVERYTHING ELSE that just HAD and WANTED to get RED...LOTS OF RED. I'm TRYING To WIPE it off as I was in the "FUNCTIONING MODE" of ACTING and LOOKING like a SEASONED STEEL PLAYER in MOTION..HA,Ha,Ha...(I had ONLY STARTED 4 MONTHS or so BEFORE this happened) and the leader of the band was CRACKING UP "Blowing It" while he was TRYING to SING to a bunch of REAL Chyeanne, WY. COWBOYS who really DON"T see TOO MUCH OF ANYTHING FUNNY IN LIFE unless it's in a RODEO.
Anyway, Have you EVER NOTICED that there are certain parts of our "Anatomy" that WHEN CUT...Like even a PAPER CUT For Example....YOU BLEED TO DEATH. YA CAN'T STOP IT. No matter WHAT you do, or, WHO you CALL. Oh, Forget TYEING a ROPE or a BELT around the part that NEEDS DESPERATLY to be CUT OFF to STOP the "RED RIVER PLEQE" .......
IT WON'T "CUT IT"..(Excuse the PUN...it WAS INTENDED LOL) So, I'm a Bleeding on a place on MY Snozz, that if EVER CUT or SLASHED in THIS PARTICULAR PART of Your nose....FORGET 911...YOUR GONNA DIE!!!
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by RON PRESTON on 31 May 2004 at 08:35 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by RON PRESTON on 31 May 2004 at 08:38 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by RON PRESTON on 31 May 2004 at 08:39 AM.]</p></FONT>

The nursing home thing is humbling ! there are a number of musicians out here on the far edge of the north west that have done this for several years and the tears do flow when you play something that touches them & it will bring tears to your eye's
A slow version of "maiden's prayer" and "old Shep " will do it for me !

I was playing My Old Kentucky Home and I noticed this old gentleman crying. I made the comment to him after the show, that I noticed him crying during my rendition of My Old Kentucky Home, and that he must be from Kentucky. He said, "NO,I AM A STEEL PLAYER!"

Never have, but I've played songs that really grab me. Then there's Lloyd Green's break in "Remember When" that really gets me too. Absolutely beautiful.

Donna-Yes, I do even at my advanced age and after all these years, when I play these 2 songs.
"My Buddy" , when I think of my friends in WWII.

"Beautiful Isle of Somewhere", my Mom's favorite song before she died 61 years ago.

I still play these songs but usually have teardrops falling on my fretboard.

I love my music and my steel guitar. I still get emotional when I play, certain songs....................al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

In 2002 I had the pleasure of sitting in a room with Jay Dee Maness as he gave a series of lessons with Band In A Box as backup and some of the things he played really got to me and I almost lost it more than once at his incredible touch. I display very little outward emotion but the steel in a master's hands can cause the inner man to almost crash and burn and I can relate to being brought to the brink of tears.