What was your first gig playing steel?

Jerry Mason · Post by **Jerry Mason** » 26 Feb 2005 10:25 am

I know this is an old over-done thread, but I just played my first job on steel a couple weeks ago. I played for a "Conway Twitty" singer at a local show in New Martinsville, Wv. Things went pretty well and I surprised myself by not hitting too many mistakes. What seems strange, is we had a pracitce on the night before the show and everything sounded terrible. From this I knew that if we had a bad practice the show would go over ok. This sounds weird but have any of you had experience like this?

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 26 Feb 2005 11:09 am

For me,that was over 50 years ago,& I can't remember that far back. I do remember that the band I was in,("Country Ramblers") had a local radio show,3X a week (M-W-F),& we used to perform,(for free,of course) at a bar in Windsor Locks,Ct.(the "Brown Derby"),every Sun. afternoon. That was around 1954. That's about as far back as I can go.

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Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 26 Feb 2005 11:19 am

On Steel I gotta claim only 26 years.

It was a wedding at an Odd Fellows Hall, and we rehearsed a bunch of stuff. A bunch of guys that worked for the freight co that shipped my PIII back out here from MD grabbed me and put me to work, days and weekend gigs. I couldnt' believe that we got a hundred bucks a piece.

It didn't sound right to me, but they loved it. I bought gas and oil for my house with the money.

Lots of stuff a few thousand gigs later, doesn't sound perfect. Not always anyhow.

I know it was really nice to get out there and play live, and be worthy of making money when I did it.

Those two feelings have not diminshed, nor the need for both.

Enjoy it, and feel good enough about yourself to demand payment when entertaining others, especially of somebody is making money off you.

It's a journey that lasts as long as you want it to.

EJL

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 26 Feb 2005 12:13 pm

My first gig with steel was about 6 years ago with Kris Kehr and the Stone Poets. It was terrifying, I'd only had the steel briefly and didn't know how to play much of anything. So I brought along a B-bender Tele to fill in where I couldn't figure out a reasonable steel part. But it worked out, they really wanted a steel player, and they were OK with me learning on the job. The old adage, when in doubt, lay out, was very useful. In fact, it still is, for me anyway.

I have always felt, never have a really great rehearsal right before an important gig. For me, I think it's that I don't learn much if everything goes well. One learns from errors, and there are always some hiding back there, particularly if I'm trying to push the envelope. Better to get 'em over during rehearsal, then I tend to remember to look out for them. I also think a really great rehearsal sometimes induces over confidence.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 26 Feb 2005 12:59 pm

1971, freshman in college, played with a country group at the Star Restaurant in Bradford, Pa. Got paid $35.00. The place really needed a chicken wire enclosure but didn't have it. What an education.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 26 Feb 2005 2:45 pm

I started doubling on guitar and steel in about '71 and doubled from then on, but didn't take a job as full-time steelplayer until '78. Since then I've been in bands playing any combination of the two plus fiddle.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 26 Feb 2005 3:21 pm

My first payin job, was a little over 6 yrs. ago with my departed friend Jack Montgomery, the old Tennessee Saloon Chloride, Az. [aint nobody heard of that place] Since I was the lead player I had to double. Looking back, it must of been horrible!! Of course my wife and bass player, can attest to the fact some pretty bad sounds can still come from an Emmons!![ gotta be the guitar] lol...
Larry

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Robert Thomas · Post by **Robert Thomas** » 26 Feb 2005 3:33 pm

My first paying job on steel, 6 string Gibson BR-9, was for a grange Hall at Fox Hollow, just out of Eugene, Oregon. That took place in the year 1949.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 26 Feb 2005 3:55 pm

Mr. Thomas, I was only 1 yr. old then.. Well done Sir!!
Larry

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Emmons S/D-10, 3/4, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

[This message was edited by Larry Strawn on 26 February 2005 at 03:56 PM.]

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 26 Feb 2005 4:00 pm

My first was in the late 70s, just a teenager and started playing for a gospel quartet.I had started out playing drums and bass in gospel music at 13 years old..
Hook

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Allen Moore

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 26 Feb 2005 4:32 pm

Thanksgiving week this year at Bueberry Hill, 2 songs on steel 3 on reg. guitar with my son's band. I have the board tapes, and they tell the cold terrible truth.JP

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 26 Feb 2005 5:56 pm

My first gig playing steel was June 13, 2004 in Hollonville, Georgia at the Hollonville Opry House in Hollonville, Georgia. I loved every minute of it! Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 26 Feb 2005 6:29 pm

My very first gig was in about ’55 at Shorty's Bar & Grill, in Phoenixville, Pa. I played with Tex Carson and ‘The Smokey Valley Troubadors’. I was kinda an addition to the regulars for that job, so; as an extra, I was paid $3 for the 9–1:30 gig! The rest of the band was paid $5 each per-night and my pay was considered compension for gas-money. After the first several week-ends, (Fri. & Sat.) I became a Regular and received the Full $5 per night, like everyone else! [I was only 18! (under age)] Our band included: Tex - Ryhthm, Billy Smith – Les Paul (Elec. Rhythm), Bill Dubois - Kay (Elec. Bass), Cilff Sterner – }

Accordeeeen!

{ [Had to play a lot of Polkas], and myself made up the (5)-piece Band for about (4/5)-Yrs. The first night included the ‘Shakey-Foot’ syndrome! (Never happened since!)

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“Big John” Bechtel
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’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence

Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 26 Feb 2005 6:49 pm

First steel gig was on Wolf Island in the St, Lawrence River near Kingston, Ontario in the late '70's. I had just acquired an LDG and sold my Sidekick to a fine young guitar player named Dan Ellsworth, who recruited me into a dance band he was starting - we became the "Limestone Cowboys" (Kingston is called the Limestone City), and Dan was able to get a bunch of Saturday Night community hall-type dance gigs. In retrospect, those were great gigs - pay was decent, always good food, and nice peole in the crowd, as opposed to all the drunken criminals that frequented the critter clubs. I had done my share of gigs playing guitar and singing, but found this to be a different experience - playing with a real good guitar player, and ok bass player, and a weak drummer. The first song I suddenly felt nervous, which I had not expected, and my volume pedal foot was shaking so bad I could hardly control it. I remember that packing up was a real rush because you had to catch the last ferry back accross to the city. That was the first of a bunch of Kingston area gigs I did, and it was a great town for musicians in those days.

Leon Eneboe · Post by **Leon Eneboe** » 26 Feb 2005 6:56 pm

Probably the first gig for me was at the highschool auditorium in Summit S.D. playing with a small group doing a benefit. I played a six string MultiChord thru an Airline amp. We did what we could with what we had, we didn't know any better and we were ignorantly blissful. I remember the microphone was plugged into a Deluxe Fender Reverb amp, and the mike sort of fell apart once in a while. THis was at least 30 or 40 years ago. I sold the MultChord shortly thereafter, got a Fender 400, then a ShoBud LDG, and now have a Williams single neck l2 string. Good memories tho, humble beginnings and "lesser" equipment make you appreciate the "stuff" we have now.

Leon Eneboe NV ll2, 400, l000, Williams.

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 26 Feb 2005 8:57 pm

Talent night at church..1973, age 14. I played "The Old Rugged Cross". Two years later a guy called our house looking for the "Duncan guy that plays steel guitar".
My Dad was probably the one he was after, but I told him that he was talking to the right guy. I borrowed Dad's Bud and I had my first practice with the "Gloryland Quartet" that Sunday afternoon and we recorded an album the next weekend! I was on my way...well...sort of!

Incidentally, they bought me my first steel, a PP Emmons.

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 26 Feb 2005 9:07 pm

First payin' gig: little school house "show date" outside of Prichard, Alabama in 1943 -- dobro -- Co-op band, 2 rhythm guitars, fiddle, steel. each of the four or us got $9.00.

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Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 26 Feb 2005 10:25 pm

In 1980 I took a six string job in Montana, and since no one there knew me I brought my new Dekley and sat it up. I had never been in snow country before and the first night went out side at break to see a Jeep sitting upside down in the parking lot. I knew if he could not drive on the black ice I was in trouble in my Chev. The club shut down shortly after, I swear it was my steel that did it.

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Tom Stolaski · Post by **Tom Stolaski** » 27 Feb 2005 12:04 pm

1974, The band: Last Call. Had twin steel guitars. Me and Mr MVA. Made $20.00 that night.

MUSICO · Post by **MUSICO** » 27 Feb 2005 1:36 pm

My first gig on PSG was easy to get...I do a solo show, standup mixed with music, silly songs or "virtuoso" numbers playing bach mixed with oh susana on the banjo...or "Tubular Bells" in a solo arrangement.

So I´m my own boss. Just decided it was time and took my Carter DB12 Universal and used it to accompany myself fingerpicking style "a la" Bobbe Seymour.

Got a 1000 euros.

Must say it was a good feeling to play steel for a non-steel audience in a non steel country. People loved it, Pedal Steel is a beautiful sound, forget country/non-country, Purist/non-Purist, Nashville/non Nashville,Push/pull-All pull. It's a fact that if you play a few notes on any pedal steel, people love it.

Jeremy Williams
Barcelona Spain.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 27 Feb 2005 2:05 pm

I played quite a few Dobro gigs in 1972 and 73. Even though my Dobro had Bigsby palm pedals on it, my first REAL pedal steel gig was right down the road from Messrs Stolaski's and Van Allen's, in 1974, near Kalamazoo, Michigan in a small town called Delton at a bar called 'Phil's Still'. Band was the LoneStar Statesmen

[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 27 February 2005 at 02:10 PM.]

Jim Harper · Post by **Jim Harper** » 27 Feb 2005 6:33 pm

My first paying gig was 6 mile,s south of Lawton Okla. at a Bar. I was 16 year,s old and they slipped me in the back door.We had a radio show on sat. Morning in Lawton and taped it on Fri. night. After the tapeing we would come back by the bar and play til 11 pm cause i had to be home by mid-nite.Had a cigar box for collection,s and made from 5-8 dollar,s a piece. That was in 1950 and i had a Double neck Supro-6 string. There was 4 in our band called the Oklahoma Rambler,s. God Bless==Jim-Peg Harper

Dyke Corson · Post by **Dyke Corson** » 27 Feb 2005 8:36 pm

Mine was in 1973, sitting in (for free) with a young girl singer and her band (Denise Strode and the Country Ramblers)at a small bar in Champaign IL on Sunday afternoons -

Marc Friedland · Post by **Marc Friedland** » 27 Feb 2005 9:12 pm

Jerry,
Congratulations on your first psg gig.
I tell the story of my first gig on pedal steel on my website, which I invite you to visit at www.marcfriedland.com
From the home page go to BIOS & then PSG History. The 3rd paragraph down tells the story. If you have the time, please don't hesitate to view other portions of my website as well.
Thanks,
Marc

Mark Metdker · Post by **Mark Metdker** » 28 Feb 2005 5:45 am

It was in 1979.
A place called "The Hitchin' Post" in Lewisville Texas. I don't remember all of it, but I can guarantee I probably sounded terrible! There has been a little improvement since then, but not much! HA!

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