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Topic: What are your goals as a steel guitarist? |
Gerald Menke
From:
Stormville NY, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 7:42 am |
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Hello,
In addition to the usual things -- really playing in tune, having a good, distinctive tone, phrasing solos, playing thematically instead of recycling licks -- I was thinking today (on my way to my day job) about some things I'd like to accomplish as a steelplayer/musician, before it's all said and done:
Play on a Grammy-winning song/album
Play on SNL, Letterman, Conan
Collaborate with a funk band
Collaborate with a hip hop artist
Collaborate with a house/dance producer
Get to back up a country legend someday
Play steel and sing at the same time with ease
Improve my reading
Release a steel guitar-oriented album or three
Release an instructional DVD (10 years from now!)
But most of all, make a recording that doesn't make me want to commit hari-kari when I hear it six months later!
What are your goals these days?
Thanks for reading my post, I look forward to your replies.
Gerald
Williams D-10
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Dale Dorsey
From:
Granger, Indiana, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 8:12 am
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| Making a living! |
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Chris Forbes
From:
Beltsville, MD, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 8:37 am
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| To not suck (I haven't met my goal yet!!!, LOL!!!!). [This message was edited by Chris Forbes on 24 June 2004 at 09:38 AM.] |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 9:21 am
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| My goal is to master all of the J. S. Bach suites for solo violin and cello. |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 10:14 am
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To continue what I'm doing. The steel guitar has an enormous potential, from classical (see above), to "art" music, to the various forms of 'pop' music as well as the traditional country. There is a tendency to view it as a niche instrument, in the same way that banjos are, when in fact, it's much more versatile.
I've had the good fortune of being able to work in a number of different venues, in spite of not being a great player. More often than not, all I have to be is adequate, and willing to try something different. |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 10:18 am
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| Hell, Gerald, why'd you leave out winning the lottery and getting elected president? My daydream list looks something like yours. But my realistic everyday hope is that I can just play some good music of different types that make me and the people listening feel really good, and makes them realize what a great instrument the steel guitar is. and it would be really nice to make enough bread to pay for my equipment, which is all just sitting on my credit card right now. |
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Terry Wood
From:
Lebanon, MO
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 10:28 am
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It's good thing to have goals.
Mine are to keep on playing steel the instrument I love. I want share with others what I can and promote the instrument we all dig.
I'd like to see more artists that I admire in the SGHOF. Some are Maurice Anderson, Julian THarpe, Sonny Garrish and others.
May GOD bless you all!
Woody |
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Jerry Clardy
From:
El Paso, Texas, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 10:36 am
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That darn Earnest Bovine! He always chooses the good ones before I can. I want to do what he said and become the staff steel player for Barney on PBS...  |
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Ben Slaughter
From:
Madera, California
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 11:28 am
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Put the legs on right the first time, not break the 3rd string, not throw out my back shleping gear, change the strings on the C6 neck....
No, seriously, I'd like to be able to play more of the fast PF stuff. AND to always be able to have fun and enjoy it, not be a job or chore.
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Ben
Zum D10, NV400, TubeFex, POD, G&L Guitars, etc, etc.
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Jeff Lampert
From:
queens, new york city
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 1:09 pm
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Be recognized as a great jazz musician by other great jazz musicians (pianists, sax players, etc.), and recognizing myself as a great jazz musician. A seemingly insurmountable mountain to climb. Not sure I can call it a goal because there is no realistic way that I can see of getting there.
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[url=http://www.mightyfinemusic.com/jeff's_jazz.htm]Jeff's Jazz[/url]
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Ryan Giese
From:
Spokane, Washington, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 1:48 pm
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| My goal is to play until I die. |
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George Kimery
From:
Limestone, TN, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 1:51 pm
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| My goal is to figure out why a black guitar sounds better. |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 2:26 pm
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Very simple.
Play great music of what ever style crosses my path, do it from the heart and sound like myself. |
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Terry Sneed
From:
Arkansas,
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 2:29 pm
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Other than learnin to sing and play at the same time, my only goal is to play for the pure enjoyment of playin the pertiest soundin instrument of all time! and I would love to play with a good (not proffesional) Gospel group some day to.
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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.
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Herman Visser
From:
Rohnert Park, California, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 3:08 pm
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| To play a song well enough by christmas so that Santa will (wife) buy me a New STEEL guitar. Something really slow will do |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 3:14 pm
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| My goal is to always have a gig. I've been lucky so far. Oh yeah.........and win the lottery so I can continue to pretend that I'm living large do to my fantastic steel guitar playing. -MJ- |
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Robbie Bossert
From:
WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 3:23 pm
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To sound pleasing to my own ear one of these days.......Other than that, just enjoy the time I have to play this incredible instrument.......It's just amazing. There's always something new to learn. I still believe that it's the most beautiful sounding instrument in the world when it's played right......
Robbie Bossert[This message was edited by pix1 on 24 June 2004 at 04:24 PM.] |
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 3:50 pm
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| My goals as a steel guitarist are to learn more songs to play for steel guitar conventions and shows and to play from the heart and to try different steel parts for every song I play. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 4:11 pm
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Back in the '60s, I did a brief stint at touring with a local star, but that only lasted about 6 months. I played in local bars for a time, and then I heard that Faron Young was looking for a steelman. He had someone from his band "scope out" the Baltimore scene for pickers. I had only been playing a year or two, and apparently I didn't impress him very much.
I did have one chance at the "brass ring", though. Sometime later (about 35 years ago), I was offered a job by Del Reeves which I declined because I had just gotten married and had a kid on the way. A "road job" didn't seem like the proper thing to do then, but I always regretted not having a go at working with a real Nashville star. I thought Del was tremendously talented, and would have been a lot of fun to work with.
After that, I stayed around and played locally, while other steelers from the area like Sonny Purdom and Bruce Bouton took the plunge, and were successful in Nashville. I played pretty steady until 6 or 7 years ago, and then the bottom dropped out of the music scene around Baltimore. Nowadays, I do fill-in jobs occasionally, and maybe a session once in awhile.
My goals? Well, I like to help other steelers, and though I know 'll never be famous, I'd like to be remembered for something, to do something significant. My chance to be a "great" player has passed. Still...there is always the chance I might inspire someone who could be.
At this point in my life, I guess that's the best I could hope for.
Addendum: Oh yeah, I'd also like to do a CD of my own sometime. Who knows...somebody might even buy one! [This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 26 June 2004 at 03:42 PM.] |
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Gene H. Brown
From:
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 7:43 pm
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After I die, I would like to be reborn as John Lloyd Emmons!
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If You Keep Pickin That Thing, It'll Never Heal!
;)
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Scott Henderson
From:
Camdenton, Missouri, USA
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 9:03 pm
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well I have a lot of goals for myself and my passion for this instrument. Formost I guess is I am still looking for that perfect
tone I am real close and hope to achieve it by the end of this year adding and taking away somethings. I guess my biggest goal is to play music that is fun to me and not have to worry about makin a buck with it. At age 40 I have allready achieved what I feel a good goals. I have two CD's out and planning more, I have backed up some of the greats in the business like hank thompson, wanda jackson, leon rausch, and charlie daniels. I have written two books for steel guitar ( and have more in the works) I have played conventions and have made music my career for the last 26 years. But sometimes I get tired of being a prostitute, if you know what I mean. I love old jazz and western swing. I know there is not much for call for the old stuff but I someday want to get to a point that I play for my enjoyment and not my need of $$$$$$$$$$
maybe some day.But for now I will keep workin on that tone thing and keep crankin out those orchestrated paychecks hehehehehe.
could be worse could be doing something i don't care for to make a living. Life is good just want it better
Peace!
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Steelin' away in the ozarks and life,
Scott
www.scottyhenderson.com
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 10:21 pm
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To keep playing live every week.
To live my whole life without being a problem or embarrassment to my family.
To try to remember that if people don't like me, or the things I say and do that it's not automatically something that's wrong with Me.
To become more worshipful of Him that has allowed me to grow, learn, and share my esperiences.
To quit trying to run with every sharp object that appears in my hand..
EJL |
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Leslie Ehrlich
From:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 10:51 pm
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| To play in tune and to avoid playing country music. |
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sonbone
From:
Waxahachie, TX
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Posted 24 Jun 2004 11:17 pm
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| To develop my vocabulary on steel to the point that I can have a truly intelligent "conversation" with guitars, pianos and horns. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 25 Jun 2004 1:04 am
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To play out ( LIVE) and maintain the enjoyment of it.
At my age , like many here, (over 50) I now look for two things when I play out.
The first is to enjoy the music that is happening around me and not get totally frustrated by just going out and playing with anyone who just happens to own a guitar and a microphone and thinks they are still the next UN-Discovered Merle..
Second, To play well, in tune and add to my vocabulary regularly..stretch beyond what I am comfortable with. This doesn't mean that I need to play like Buddy , Randy , Paul,John ,Loyd, Doug etc.. what it means is that I should play well and in tune and what I play should fit , compliment and add to the music.
It's about having fun and actually having a good time.
t |
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