***RIP*** Steel Guitar

[Eric West]

Sorry Ricky for not having time to let the article load..

I Buy CDs when they REALLY grab me.

The last ones I've bought in order have been Lloyd Revisited. GREAT and a great personal letter. It was before I went to visit Nvl and we became fast friends.

Then Brad Paisley. Mud on the Tires. Great stuff. Great Steel.

Then I think a Time Jumpers DVD. Dawn Sears and Jon Hughey all the way.

Then Brent and Randy Mason.

GREAT guitar. Didn't really think about missing the Steel. I was torturing my Squier(s) and just loved the hell out of it.

Then The last two Brad albums. Sam as before but even better guitar.

OK. Maybe I got a few yard sale ones in the meantime. Some Charleton and LR.

Fast forward to this summer.

I've been listening totally to Outlaw Country. Sometimes Willies Place, and sometimes the "Roadhouse".

Yesterday I bought three CDs.

Lucinda Williams. I love her voice and attitude. Jailhouse tears was a fun one. I don't think there was any steel, but I don't care. I can't help thinking that whoever it is that is going to marry her as they are saying is making a mistake....

Then, I couldn't find anything by The Flatlanders, or Wayne Hancock. Didn't have enough money left when I found the Billy Joe Shaver ones.. They're next..

I DID pick up Two Dale Watson CDs.

Whiskey or God, and The Truckin Sessions, cause it had "Draggin Fly" on it and I LOVE that little tubey 10th string "hook". Bought it for three reasons. I like Dale Watson's "truckin voice", I LOVE BOTH the Tele and the STEEL on his stuff.. ( I wonder who the player is...)

To me, like Jaimey Johnson, its the Real Deal.

Anyhow Ricky, the upshot is, to me I don't buy CDs for the Pedal Steel. Not soley. It's an afterthought.

If the music is good, and a pedal steel fits it, then great. I have tons of hawaiian music that has NO steel guitar. Only slack key. I'd rather listen to The Makaha Brothers play Hawaiian Music than Jerry Byrd or Don Ho. So shoot me.

Kind of like a Sitar.

If it's going to fit in under or accentuate the theme of the music, then it's going to "make it".

If people bought Sitars out of the music stores in the 60s like I could have, they'd have had to hold their breaths a long time before the music industry formed itself around them.

Anyhow, GREAT Pedal Steel on the Watson CDs, and GREAT TUBE TONE.

There's my 2$.

Not much time to follow this stuff now, I'm working a lot of hours before I get rained off the paving projects and get more music going this winter.



EJL

[Ben Jones]

"Ben , hit string 3, then string one with 3 ringing, and raise string one for a unison."
-Thanks Steve! My first string raise must be a halftone as i did not get a unison.

[Jeff Evans]

"Ben , hit string 3, then string one with 3 ringing, and raise string one for a unison."
-Thanks Steve! My first string raise must be a halftone as i did not get a unison.

Pull the other half with your bar hand's middle finger. You might have to work harder to sound as bland, banal, and tedious as the rest of us.

[Theresa Galbraith]

I happen to disagree with some of her statements.

[Rick Campbell]

I happen to disagree with some of her statements.

Theresa,

Your statement doesn't tell us anything. Please be specific about what you don't agree with and explain why. We'd like to hear the opposing opinion.

[Earl Hensley]

Anyone that has labeled a steel as only a country music instrument has never heard Doug Jerigan play jazz or Joe Wright play rock & roll, or Ron Elliot play the Lords Prayer. Come on people, lets put more steel in all kinds of music. I like blues, and steel fits there too.
Keep on pickin'

Earl

[Steve Norman]

I think Ricky and Ms Leslie are doing great things. And thank you 2 for it! Hopefully Ill get to see you in the Pacific NW someday.Classic country does well up here!

[Ricky Davis]

The Article is NOT about Steel guitar being in other music. It is about the loss of pedal steel guitar in todays mainstream Country music.
Yes of course Theresa disagrees; as I'm sure she; like others, thinks there is plenty of steel guitar in todays country music, because it's IN THERE or on stage. Somehow solitifies the song as a country song...with NO audible part of the song other than some coloring way in the background. I'm sorry but that Does NOTHING for country music and DOES NOT make it a country song.
You listen to any of the top hits coming out of Nashville...and there is 3 to 4 note varience of melody to the singing/song...and mindless lyrics of some lifestyle that the songwriter chooses to write about....and the production is of a freakin' "High school muisical" song. With some steel guitar doing something or another in the background...with no melody or intrical part to the song whatsoever; and that is what Leslie is writing about.
I love Paul Franklin and you ask him if I love him...and he'll tell you I do...ha....He knows I think the world of him and he is truly a master of the steel guitar....>but you ask him and he will tell you the same thing I just said.
So there Theresa; I filled in the blanks for ya.
Ricky

[Mark Eaton]

Ricky, it's been written about on the Forum a number of times but it's a good reminder and I think you nailed it: lack of melody.

A lot of folks really haven't been exposed to real country music. After church last week a lady asked me what I thought about the new Trace Adkins song that's on the radio, and I couldn't answer because I have no clue about the latest Trace Adkins song, because I might have as much as 60 minutes of listening time in on mainstream "today's hot country!" stations in about the past five years.

You have to remember why today's mainstream country is the way it is: there really isn't much of a mainstream rock music genre anymore, it's been divided into many sub-genres.

So for anyone that grew up on rock and roll, you can still go out and see the Stones; The Eagles; Crosby, Stills, & Nash; Journey;Clapton; ZZ Top, etc., etc. and get your fill of their old hits sprinkled with a little bit of new stuff.

If you want to listen to new music by younger artists that are modern hybrids of The Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd with little pieces of fiddle and steel thrown in to remind you that it's "country," then "today's hot country! is your destination. This has sort of filled in the gap for people that want to hear "traditional" 4/4 rock tunes, because they really don't enjoy a group like Green Day.

I'm not worried about pedal steel guitar surviving, I think at some point a great presence will come back around in the mainstream. The groundswell will come because of "alt.country" artists that still feature great steel, some of which were mentioned in Leslie's article.

My strongest instrument is dobro, and look at the instrument these days compared to where it was twenty years ago. It is enjoying its greatest popularity ever.

I think Bobbe Seymour has written that more pedal steel guitars are sold these days than at any time in history. I think at some point, because of something like "critical mass," there will be more country steel being heard again.

[Donny Hinson]

I listen to atleast 3 different country radio stations a day. I hear steel on atleast every song or every other song all day long.

Uhh...when is the last time you heard a steel intro on one of those songs? Sure, you're hearing steel - but if you're listening to modern country, what you're hearing (for the most part) is just scattered fills and soft padding. Just enough to give a hint of "country".

The "up-frontness" of steel is GONE.

[Ricky Davis]

You have to remember why today's mainstream country is the way it is: there really isn't much of a mainstream rock music genre anymore, it's been divided into many sub-genres.

Mark that is a GREAT POINT my brother....you may have something there.
Donny; that is it in a nutshell....You always seem to have few words that cut right to the chase.
Alan Jackson's new release (something about Bologna??) has Paul Franklin upfront steel in the Don Helms spirit; and that's a good thing. Mr. Jackson has always been upfront with the Steel guitar in his Music....and YES Alan does call the shots on his projects..> That to me is also a GOOD thing. To many artist coming out today are "puppets on a string" and are NOT musicians; and therefore have NO clue about how they want the songs and what songs to come out...they just want to be mega-stars and will do whatever the idiot producer(Not you steve fischel...ah..ha.) line out for them...and the steel guitar is the furthest thing from the idiots mind. I know this for a fact because I know half of them for a long time...and called 3 of them an Idiot to their face..and that the music they produce Sucks....>....so bla bla....long story short: mainstream country is at the mercy of folks that haven't a clue what a good song should sound like.
Ricky

[Ricky Davis]

Just re-read my last post...and I appologize to all reading....I guess I have some attitude today...Really; I'm sorry.
But it just so gets under my skin; about what is going on and I swore I wouldn't comment on the subject of today's country music anymore....>but there ya go....mouth runnith over....
I do understand things change and they always will..> and what you call this or what you call that; will also change...>but good music is good music....and I would just as soon NOT have pedal steel guitar in Bad music...>so if Bad music keeps coming out....then just take the steel guitar out of it all together. (Paul; move to Texas and I'll get you all the studio time you want here....ah...ha.).
Ricky

[Barry Blackwood]

You don't have to apologize, Ricky. You know in your gut what is right.

[Alan Brookes]

...I know there are young people working on the steel but they must be very disenfranchised from the rest of us...wonder why?

It may be because youngsters today are fed on instant gratification. Instead of learning how to play different instruments they can simulate thousands of instruments on a keyboard, many of which don't actually exist. By just playing on the white keys they can stay in tune, as long as they're content to play in C or A min. And on a transposing keyboard they don't even have to stay in C.

It doesn't take long to learn a few chords on the guitar, enough to strum and sing to, but the pedal steel guitar is the most difficult instrument to learn, so most don't bother. It's having a short attention span that demands instant results.

A pedal steel guitar is an expensive instrument. You can't just go down to the local music store and find a selection. You have to seek them out, and you have to know what you're looking for. If you think the PSG is dying, try finding a vibraphone...

[Charley Wilder]

This is an interesting thread. I recall pedal steel players in the late 70's complaining that they were forced by producers to play in E9, forced to play the latest hot licks and of course, ending up all sounding alike. BUT they were working! You heard darn little lead guitar back then. Lead guitar had been dying off in direct proportion to the rise of the pedal steel over the years. "The true laboratory instrument" as it was once described. When is the development of the pedal going to stop? Is it ever going to stop? Is this good? Does all this enhance the music being played? Just something to ponder. How much enhancing is needed? Is the pedal steel STILL in a rut? Most fans (who buy the records and come to the gigs) couldn't tell Lloyd Green from Buddy Emmons. Most Country performers don't gig these days, they put on shows! Let's face it, a lead guitar standing up rocking back and forth with the lead singer is much more visual than a guy sitting down behing this steel guitar thing. Plus, this lead guy can sound just about like a steel! Don't get no better than that!
I played non-pedal in bands in northern Michigan from 1967 until 1983. In the early days I was a hot commodity simply because I was the only steel player around. Slowly over the years more steel players popped up in the area. All pedal. I just knew that my days were numbered. It didn't happen. I stayed in demand right to the end. Not because I was all that great. I played in two bands the summer of '83. One I knew the members the other I didn't. In the band I didn't anybody, at the end of the first night I apologized for not doing all that great as the lead singer paid me. I told him I knew that he'd probably rather have a pedal player. He looked right me and laughed and said,"I've sung in bands for ten years with pedal steel players and I never knew what the h*** any one of them was ever playin'. See ya next week".
I don't know where I'm going with this. I know I've never had much for the pedal steel. It keeps developing but is the music getting any better? Is it a machine? Is it a musical instrument? Is it a machine that makes music? Things cycle. The steel will come back into it's own. If only because it IS primarily identified with Country Music. All true Country fans know it. Maybe the bottom line producers don't but the fans do. They just need to be reminded. It'll happen.
I never took to the pedal steel, but I appreciate it and I respect what the instrument has done for Country music. Just a comment.

[Chris LeDrew]

I enjoyed the article. Well written, balanced and truthful. When it comes to mainstream music, things have changed on many fronts. In addition to pedal steel taking a background role in mainstream country, the presence of the guitar solo is virtually non-existent in mainstream rock radio as well. It's all chunky power chords and predictable build-ups. Cookie-cutter, as they say. Many genres are suffering in this way. Fortunately, we do not have to subject ourselves to it. Ipods and satellite radio have made listening to commercial radio totally unnecessary. We are lucky for that. It's mostly ads anyway. The country radio stations of yesteryear have disappeared right along with the steel guitar. It's an end of an era. Luckily, we can access steel guitar on traditional country stations - or just pile up the Ipod and 'lose yourself in the feeling'.

[Mike Schwartzman]

The next to the last last line says:

"Let’s not say that the spirit of the steel guitar is resting in peace. It’s roaming the earth, still haunting many of us."

And hopefully not just "us" on the Forum, but many others too. Nice article, and I'm gonna try to stay hopeful.[/quote]

[Ronnie Boettcher]

I agree with you Ricky. Myself, I am a die-hard classic country, honky-tonk, whiny, crying, belly-bumping songs, singer, and player. I just love that type of music, along with singing, and playing classic bluegrass. I don't care what the rest of the world listens to, or plays. If no one else likes what I do, I can sit in my room, and play to my hearts content, all by myself. I have a cakewalk program on my puter. And if I want to add instruments to my songs, I have 8 tracks to do it with. Sing lead, harmony, rhythm guitar, steel, some back-up lead guitar(suck at that), bass, squeaky fiddle, drums, and banjo. I know I am not alone, and others that want to expand their profiles, I wish them the best. I just live in the wrong part of the USA.

[Bob Simons]

I just reread 30 or 40 year old copy of Steel Guitar magazine....guess what everybody in the country and western steel guitar community of 1980 or so was complaining about??!?? ... the loss of "true" country steel guitar in "modern" country music!

Get over it! I'm sorry to say it again, but I just came another Scotty's "Olde Tyme Country and Western Steel Guitar Show" and again, a brief nod to traditional jazz and Hawaiian and the rest... same old same old! Not a black face or a guy under 50 in the crowd.

It is interesting to note that the loudest most enthusiastic applause I heard was for Al Perkins who had the temerity to sneak a lap steel and a dobro on stage and play BLUES!!!

[Georg Sørtun]

Another part of the world, different musical traditions, same thing ... changes and complaints about same changes. No big deal, IMO.

Mainstream music, or "musac" as it's often called - or as I personally often call it, doesn't contain anything special. It isn't supposed to, as it isn't meant to appeal to anyone special. Its only purpose is to sell, and it does, mainly by trying to cover everything and not contain "too much" of anything.

If one wants to find something special in yesterdays' or today's music, one has to look really hard for it - whatever it is. Specialties, especially those that are based on old traditions but also those that try to refine old into something entirely new, don't sell all that well, never did. It will always be around though - just not in the main stream.

The only periods of my life I really listened to mainstream music, was when I was working in various local radio stations here in Norway. It wasn't my job to select music - or "musac", so I only made sure it all came through technically correct so those at the other end who happened to like it could enjoy it. Only on rare occasions - maybe once or twice a week, did I put through something I cared to listen to for the music itself. Again, no big deal.

Do I miss the steel guitar in Country Music today? Not really.
Do I miss good instrumental parts, on steel or other instruments, in Country Music today? Yes, I do, same as I miss meaningful lyrics and well-balanced, high quality performances and equally high levels of technical quality.
Nothing new there either, as finding music I really, really, like to listen to and hear over and over again, has always been hard.

My music collection - which isn't limited to one type of music - is small, and it grows at an extremely slow phase. Satisfies my need for "good music" though.

No matter where they put "my" music - underground or under ground, I will always find it. It may just take a bit longer in some cases, but, IMO, that's not a "modern music" thing.

[Barry Blackwood]

I don't know where I'm going with this. I know I've never had much for the pedal steel.

That being said, maybe this should be in the 'Steel without Pedals' topic?

[W. C. Edgar]

Ricky you know you can add me to the list of artists out there that carry steel. Last year when I toured Australia for 2 weeks I used steel or I didn't play. This past July 24th we were playing in France and I carried Fiddle and Steel. Yes, when bands start cutting back because of the money and dropping pieces the steel is always the first to go because to so many players it not about the music but just about the money. How many times have you heard someone call about someone filling in on a gig and the first thing out of their mouth is "what does it pay"? I've even had guys tell me, "I don't leave the house for any less than $150 a night". Well, stay home because I don't need you that bad. I had to recently make a decision in my own group to keep it going. Between upkeep on the sho bus and storage on it and insurance and everything else and then clubs not wanting to pay very much I came to a decision. First off, this is COUNTRY MUSIC and I don't play with out a steel guitar so I started playing it myself. I have always been able to sing and play at the same time so I raised my Pro 2 up and now I front my own show, and yes, play steel (pedal steel) standing up. You can say it's Jr Brown meets Alan Jackson and it's way cool!

So, you can add my name to the list Leslie had in the article that uses steel all the time and keeps the sound alive. PS, I'll be at the Sportsman in Buffalo NY next month with my guys. I'll bet ya played that with Dale a time or two.

In parting, as long as there's guys like us out there Wayne Hancock, Dale Watson, Miss Leslie, WC Edgar, Real Country Music as we know it still has a pulse.

www.wcedgar.com

www.myspace.com/wcedgar

www.universalvisionentertainment.com

[Danny Crelin]

Leslie is incredibly talented and passionate about the steel... (go figure)

She is also a true person when expressing her love for the most incredible machine ever built...

There is a need to keep her state of mind available for everyone to read and enjoy. And if one person can change the world.... She's right up there..

On a lighter note... Thanks for mentioning my NEW band (JASON ALLEN) and not old band... HA!!!!!

Much love Leslie and Ricky (big papi) ......

Danny

[Ricky Davis]

You'da Man WC....I hear ya bro; you're preachin' to the Choir here man...ha.
Danny; thanks so much and you'da Man too.
Ricky

[Barry Blackwood]

the steel is always the first to go because to so many players it not about the music but just about the money. How many times have you heard someone call about someone filling in on a gig and the first thing out of their mouth is "what does it pay"? I've even had guys tell me, "I don't leave the house for any less than $150 a night". Well, stay home because I don't need you that bad.

I'm staying home, W.C. Apparently, a lot of others are too, since you finally had to start playing steel yourself. Schlepping the steel around is a lot different than throwing your guitar-in-a-bag over your shoulder - in my case, it was two amps, steel, and accessories, all amounting to around 175 pounds. Damn straight I'm not going out the door for $50!!