The Steel Guitar Forum

The second most frequently asked question here on b0b's Forum is "Who played steel on xxx recording?"
Why do you care? Does it sound different if you know who played it?

Of course it won't sound different but maybe the person asking likes the player and wants to find more recordings of that person. I'm guilty of that.

DZ

"Why do you care" you ask.

With all due respect, for me it's because of the love of the steel. Just like BASF, steel dosen't make the record, it just makes it better.

For a period of time from the learly 60's and well into the 70's there was a lot of inovation going on with lots of different steel players...knowing who they are I beleive does make a difference and yes, I listen to the recording differently when I know who the steel player is. When I get a new CD, the first think I look at in the liner notes is; who's the steel player?

Maybe I listen to music differently than the masses...I don't listen for "just music" but what was the steel player thinking when he made that pass, what was the equipment being used, ect...I not only love the steel but appreciate the steel players as well.

Maybe this makes me shallow?

It affects my perception and enjoyment too. For example I expect less from a beginner than from an old pro. But I often think it would be better to listen to everything in a fresh and unbiased way. Then I could enjoy it on its own merits.

I wanna know who did it so's I can give credit and admiration to the right person.

"Play it Moon" is self explanatory, but "Aw Buddy now" was for Buddy Charleton, not Buddy Emmons as I had been mistaken for many years.

That kind of thing.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 02 December 2005 at 10:56 AM.]</p></FONT>

Call it ego, but I would think that these players would want to keep their legacy alive by having their names remembered without someone always having to look at the album credits. The general public seems to focus mainly on the singer/songwriter in this industry. Steel players need love, too.

Matt

So what is the FIRST most frequently asked question on the forum?



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Bernie Straub
Emmons LGII S-10
Peavy NV 1000

boy am i glad i didn't ask this one

calvin

So we know who's leg to hump.

Q: "So what is the FIRST most frequently asked question on the forum?"

A: "What do you think of Jerry Garcia's steel playing?"

The most frequently asked question is How can I post my photos on the Forum without reading any of the 400 answers to this same question that are already posted on the Forum.

AHHHH....how do you post pictures on the forum???

I was wondering the same thing. But then b0b said this is a forum that "the whole family can enjoy".

so we don't actually have to go out and BUY CD's, but when we see our Steeler friends we can tell them how great they were on that "xxx" song and how great they sounded !

Wasn't WHO on first, WHAT on second and WHY on third ? ...Or am I confused ?<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 02 December 2005 at 01:31 PM.]</p></FONT>

Here's another take. I have always considered being able to distigish the individual sounds of the great players as good ear training (I still play "Name the Steeler" with my daughter... poor kid).

Seriously, if you can't tell when Paul Franklin is paying homage to Pete Drake, etc..., your cheating yourself of one more way to practice your craft even when you're not at your instrument. And with that in mind, this Forum (here here!)offers new steelers a great advantage in that not only can you know who did what on what-brand, but copedants and general philosophy of the established players are often made available.... I say keep asking.

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Dave Wren
'95Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Session500; Hilton Pedal www.ameechapman.com

<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by David Wren on 02 December 2005 at 01:54 PM.]</p></FONT>

Obviously they have already listened to it in the "fresh and ubiased" way or they wouldn't be asking

I have my own reasons that I prefer to keep private, thank you.



EJL

And most of us are simply curious. For example, why would anyone want to be known as "serious bull"?

check here for the answer

I ask at times cause I have my favorites and want to try to get all the material I can get by them.

Thanks for that link, Don. I knew I had some EB steel pickin' somewhere. I dug through my pile of vinyl and found the 1976 Fool's Gold LP that Chip referred to in that thread! He's right....some fabulous steel, piano by Mr. Bovine.
I believe I am able to pick out his mug in the cover photo too!

See Earnest, if someone hadn't asked "who", I might not have made this discovery and gotten re-acquainted with all this great music! Lots of other interesting things I did not know about you too! <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Jerry Overstreet on 03 December 2005 at 12:34 PM.]</p></FONT>

<SMALL>Why who?</SMALL>

Because "Enquiring minds want to know."

When I was first learning steel, I was absolutely deaf to Jerry Byrd, mainly because an old fool I had played with praised him incessantly. I literally could not hear Jerry Byrd's talent.

Then I got this amazing LP by a group called "The Paradise Island Trio". There were no musicians credited on the album, so I wrote to Tom Bradshaw and asked him "who's the steeler". When he replied "Jerry Byrd", I realized suddenly what a fool I had been to dismiss Jerry Byrd.

Thanks, Tom!!

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<font size="1"><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b2005.gif" width="78 height="78">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
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Another reason to ask,
is to understand which set up that person was using at the time.

If I know it was Big E in 1959, I can find info on what copedent he had,
and it helps to understand his playing at the time.

I think I already appreciate the playing on the song,
long before I ask who did it.

It also helps give an overview of the history of steel playing,
while those who know are still around to tell us..<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 03 December 2005 at 07:44 PM.]</p></FONT>

I think probably the best reason to ask who played on a particular song is, because you don't know who played on that particular song....probably.