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Topic: Jerry Byrd interview...... |
Per Kammersgaard
From:
Sonderborg, Denmark
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 5:37 am |
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British Country Music People Magazine has a very interesting interview with Jerry Byrd this month. Interesting to a non-player like me at least. Jerry thinks that pedals is a curse, that anyone can play with pedals.....
PK[This message was edited by Per Kammersgaard on 14 January 2005 at 07:23 AM.] |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 7:53 am
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Is that the December issue or the January one or the February one ?
Basil
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| Steel players do it without fretting |
 
http://www.waikiki-islanders.com
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Per Kammersgaard
From:
Sonderborg, Denmark
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 8:02 am
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It's the January issue....
PK |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 10:57 am
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Having heard Jerry's opinion on pedals many times, rest assured, Jerry is not totally against the pedal steel. He feels it has it's place in music as much as any instrument. His main problem with it is that too many peddlers loose/don't develope their personal sound when relying too much on a mechanism to do the job instead of their hands, and end up sounding like everybody else, where as most steel guitarist's have a distintive sound that can be picked out within seconds of their playing. Some peddlers manage to avoid this trap, but too many don't.
Of course, the music industry doesn't help matters when they insist on everything sounding like the latest hit.
The interview mentioned may in fact cover what I've just stated much better, if not, there are examples of his opinions in the 'no peddlers' archives. |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 12:30 pm
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quote:
Pedal Steel
I have never said that I dislike the use of pedals - I dislike what they do with them with only a very few exceptions. Regardless of how many gadgets they invent, it all comes down to this: "Excellency" does not come easily and is not dependent upon "tools" - or even whether you have two hands and ten fingers.
Jerry Byrd
in an article called "Some Thoughts by Jerry Byrd" on the HSGA web site..
So.. where did the British Country Music People Magazine get it's info from ?
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 3:49 pm
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| Very cool, thanx Bas. |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 14 Jan 2005 6:07 pm
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The undesputed "Master" Jerry Byrd, the master of touch and tone.If you have doubts go to the link below and listen to the break he does. Folks, this man don't need pedals.This is one of the most beautifull versions I have ever heard.
Bill
The Record Lady's Real Country Archives
Page Twelve, Waltz you saved for me/ Ferlin Husky.
http://recordlady.webgcs.com/main2.htm |
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DeWitt Scott
From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Jan 2005 2:04 pm
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Country Music People Magazine. I remember it well as they donated not ONE but TWO issues to the steel guitar. I was in England at the time and got a few copies of both magazines. It seems like I remember Bob Powell being the editor so he may have been partly responsible for convincing the magazine that the steel guitar was worthy of taking up the entire issues. Bob was also with BBC radio and always found time to invite the steel players to the studio for an interview when they were at the Wembley Music Festival.
Jerry has told me several times that he is for steel guitar, period. As far as the pedal steel guitar making it easier to play than than the lap steel his comment was, "there is no easy way to play the steel guitar. If you cannot play the non pedal steel then the pedal steel would not help you."
Jerry has never ever even sat behind a pedal steel let alone play one. We all remember when each player had his own style on records and within 10 seconds we tell you the name of the song, the name of the artist and the name of the steel player. I agree that it is hard sometime to name the player on a certain record in todays time as procucers seems to request the "now" sound on most recordings. I have talked with a couple of the session players and being pro players they have sense enough to give the producer the sound he wants. Otherwise, someone else would get the work. When I hear something being played that I really cannot relate to I critize the steel player as I as know him and I also know that he is capable of playing country steel guitar in it's purist form. He is simply making a living.
Jerry refers to our instrument as a steel guitar. He doesn't seperate the two at all. Unfortunately we can't do that. Especially when some one orders an instruction course and say's, "for the C6th tuning". We then have to ask, "is it for a pedal steel or non pedal steel"?
Jerry's thoughts and actions has proven that he has not only ran the gauntlet of music styles but has shared his long time experience with others by way of teaching students on a one to one basis and through his many written instruction books and solos.
His teaching by way of books goes back to the 1950's copyrighted by Jerry Byrd and published by the Rickenbacker company. It seems like I remember seeing ads that advertised his courses in trade magazines where they were sold in single sheet form.
My humble respects goes out to Jerry Byrd, Master of Touch And Tone! Scotty
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