Which Player(S) Inspire You To Practice?

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 20 Dec 2012 10:05 am

I thought this would be a great thread to start. We all have our favorite players, that we want to emulate to some extent. For the last 6 few months, ive been concentrating on this material from these great players..

Buck Reid: A Work In Progress
This CD has inspired me immensely. Buck has a very unique way of phrasing his passages that challenges me continuously...Executing a lot of his tab effectively required repetitious exercises in order to program my right hand, and is taking time to develop. Right now Im concentrating on 3 songs from his CD which effectively are improving my speed picking. The first is The Waiting Room on C6..
Sour Dough, and Kelsey's Song on E9.
I highly recommend Bucks Tab if you want to take on a major task and make some real progress in your overall playing.

Steve Palousek: Let The Games Begin
The first time i listened to this CD, I was absolutely floored at Steve's abilities.
I immediately began work on his arrangement of So Much it Hurts Me. From there I moved to I Wont Mention it Again, and now im working Nighlife on C6 in D.
Steve has developed an amazing fluidity level which we should all strive for. His execution is so clean and precise...Both E9 and C6..Steve is a real master.

Mike Johnson: I Listen to everything I can find on Mike on YouTube. Mike is a master at spontaneous creativity, which is a necessity for the studio player. Being creative on the fly is something that only comes with years of experience.

So tell us...Who inspires you, and why?

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 20 Dec 2012 10:30 am

David Hartley. Every time I pull up a video, he sends me to my steel to find a couple of moves he has put in. Usually, I find that I already know that lick, it's just that he has found an unexpected way to use it. Same with John Hughey. I bought "The Key" to pick up some moves, but when I would do it, it was something I already knew, it was just that he was doing it so well, it sounded exotic.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 20 Dec 2012 11:00 am

Michael Schuppe · Post by **Michael Schuppe** » 20 Dec 2012 11:03 am

Tom Brumley. Gary Morse. Scott Walls. "Cowboy" Eddie Long. Dave Hartley. Zane King.

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 20 Dec 2012 11:14 am

Mickey,
When you mention Reid and Palousek, my first thought is 'da back neck since their recent CD's have ample C6th offerings. I'm not familiar with M J's c6th work, so there is no disrespect intended. Now, having said that, lets move on. I highly suggest you include your allotted listening appreciation to big band ditties from decades ago. Play close attention to their back up punches. Fast forward a slight to Sonny Rollins, forward a slight more to Joey DeFrancesco, back to Barney Kessel and way many more names I won't mention 'cause it may take up multiple pages and bandwidth. If your ear is really able to comprehend, you will without a reasonable doubt hear pedal steel. Case and point, at least from my experience. Emmons played a neat triad lick, I think the tune is Danny Boy. That spiffy lick was also picked by Sonny Osborne, on banjo. Said lick came from, well, I don't recall the ditty, but as I regularly tuned into a big band swing radio station, low and behold, that lick was being sung by three ladies. Bottom line, inspiration in my opinion should include other avenues.

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 20 Dec 2012 11:28 am

Jeff Newman! He could talk it and do it and you could progress as far as you could afford.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 20 Dec 2012 1:03 pm

For me, it's guys like Paul Franklin, Bruce Bouton, Tommy White, Sonny Garrish, Dan Dugmore, Gary Morse, and many others because these guys are a few of my heroes who made me want to play steel.

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 20 Dec 2012 1:24 pm

Great response Gary...much appreciated too...!

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 20 Dec 2012 2:07 pm

Jay Dee Maness makes me sit down to my steel a lot, too.

Mike Kowalik · Post by **Mike Kowalik** » 20 Dec 2012 2:08 pm

Loessberg.....because of his technique,tone,style,and vast knowledge of music theory.

Andy Vance · Post by **Andy Vance** » 20 Dec 2012 2:20 pm

I can honestly say that there are a lot of players that inspire me to play, some are on this forum. Lloyd Green has always made the steel come alive for me and still does. As I find others that have an innate ability to make the steel guitar sing/cry, I find more players that make the steel come alive for me! The steel guitar has always drawn me to it and being part of this forum has introduced me to a lot of music that I'd likely have missed out on had I not joined. I have so many inspirations now, I don't have the time to sit behind my guitar and attempt to do them justice!

Brett Lanier · Post by **Brett Lanier** » 20 Dec 2012 3:16 pm

Currently this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTqF_FUs ... ata_player

Jim Curtain · Post by **Jim Curtain** » 20 Dec 2012 4:02 pm

Red Rhodes on Mike Nesmiths "And the hits just keep coming."

Don Drummer · Post by **Don Drummer** » 20 Dec 2012 4:29 pm

Jim Cohen. We are about the same age and like the same tunes. I'm inspired by his tenacity. He gets better and better.

Les Anderson · Post by **Les Anderson** » 20 Dec 2012 7:27 pm

I suppose if I had to choose one particular steel player who I would love to sound like it would be Billy Cooper. His soft style of picking turns my crank. It's almost as though he were not using picks. I don't like that sharp twang that results from the way many steel players snap their picks off the strings.

Terry Winter · Post by **Terry Winter** » 20 Dec 2012 7:42 pm

My picks at least now would be Tom Brumley,Lloyd Greene,Papa John and Al Brisco. One of my absolute top guys is Curly Chaulker on E9th. Terry

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 20 Dec 2012 8:06 pm

Most of the top steel pickers make me want to take mine out and burn it...........but OCD kicks in and I am right back at it........

Joe Gall · Post by **Joe Gall** » 20 Dec 2012 8:28 pm

Anyone who can make this damn thing sound better than me. So basically everyone with just a hint of PSG talent!

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 20 Dec 2012 8:57 pm

Yes!...Keep'em coming!!!

Bryant Aycock · Post by **Bryant Aycock** » 20 Dec 2012 9:28 pm

Early on, it was Hal Rugg, Walter Haynes, and Clyde Mattocks. Today, It's many. I like to go back to the to the 50's and 60's.

Mitch Ellis · Post by **Mitch Ellis** » 20 Dec 2012 9:40 pm

Mr. Buddy Emmons, John Hughey, Loyd Green, Paul Franklin, and Mike Johnson.

Mitch

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 21 Dec 2012 5:44 am

i too listen & learn from the Pope : E - Mr E9 : Lloyd - Mike Johnson - Paul F - Joaquin Murph & Jean Yves Lozach
& the many fo'bro's who contribute here
like them Cajun cousins...

Paul Wade · Post by **Paul Wade** » 21 Dec 2012 6:14 am

first my teachers T.C. furlong Don Kates Paul Franklin, and Mike Johnson. buddy emmons curly chalker
Steve palouski buck reid hal rugg T.B

Tim Tyner · Post by **Tim Tyner** » 21 Dec 2012 7:24 am

Mike Johnson,J.D.Maness,Weldon Myrick,John Hughey.and Clyde Mattocks.Whenever I get to thinking that I can play a little I just find out where Clyde is playing and get a reality check.He has always inspired me to want to practice and become a better player.

Ray Anderson · Post by **Ray Anderson** » 21 Dec 2012 7:38 am

Too many great ones to give kudos to, you can't fairly declare a "best". I will have to say that the one that draws my attention and peaks my interest with the use of passing chords and notes along with his ability to incorporate the bass strings and "milk" the low chords on the neck and is just "unique", would have to go with Jeff Newman. At my age and being a Nooby I have set my sights on this style and live in hopes of just scratching the surface of his style and technique.