Jerry Garcia playing Teach Your Children

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 12 Jul 2014 3:55 pm

Someone put together a YouTube collection (in the column on the right side) of several of the rarer songs that Jerry played Steel on during the timeframe that he played Steel in the late 60's early 70's.
This is not a complete Jerry steel-ogrophy, but has the Brewer & Shipley tune (not "One Toke...", the other one), a Link Wray session, The Wheel (probably his best touch and tone), Crosby/Stills/Nash solo recordings , Rowan Bros, Baron Von Tollbooth, etc... (who the heck is Paul Pena???).
Some serious Hippie shit from, basically, the leader of the Hippie generation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbwxD5s ... nk8ZqpOsCn

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 12 Jul 2014 9:07 pm

b0b said:

We all try to be a great players, but we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the audience defines a great player as someone who plays music they can feel. That was the secret that Jerry Garcia (and Pete Drake) knew so well.

Thank you,b0b.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 13 Jul 2014 1:59 am

Pete Burak wrote:... (who the heck is Paul Pena???).
Some serious Hippie shit from, basically, the leader of the Hippie generation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbwxD5s ... nk8ZqpOsCn

You are in for a major treat my friend in the link below. The late Paul Pena was a San Francisco based singer/songwriter who passed away in 2005. He wrote and recorded "Big Old Jet Airliner" and long before Paul's version was released (long story) it was discovered by Steve Miller who of course had a major hit with the song in the mid to late '70s and it has been a staple of "classic rock" station playlists for years. There was a documentary made about Paul a number of years ago. He was blind and had many health issues, but became friends with Garcia and the Dead, and used to open for Jerry and others quite a bit around the Bay Area. I saw him open for the Garcia Band at least once that I can remember.

"Leader of the Hippie generation." A job for which Jerry never volunteered, and the idea of it would make him cringe. A little bit like being voted "best pedal steel player" in Guitar Player magazine reader polls a number of times back in the day, a title many veteran steel players have resented for decades, and part of what has kept these Garcia discussions alive for years on the SGF.

Paul Pena's Big Old Jet Airliner:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjr5U7g6aiA

Bud Angelotti · Post by **Bud Angelotti** » 13 Jul 2014 3:38 am

Love it Mark ! Even the hook is there - Thanks for postng !

John Brabant · Post by **John Brabant** » 13 Jul 2014 5:12 am

Wow. This really great stuff. Nice Mark!

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 13 Jul 2014 6:41 am

Lee Warren wrote:
Mark Eaton wrote:Graham Nash wrote the song when he was still in The Hollies, but it was never recorded. What might have happened had the Hollies released it?
I recall another Hollies song ('Jennifer Eccles') that had pedal steel, apparently played on a Fender 400 by Rod King.
Pedal steel was quite an unusual sound for a British pop band to use in the mid 60's.
Maybe Rod would've played on Teach Your Children, if the Hollies had recorded it back then ...

[edited to insert Rod's name]

I think either Stills or Crosby told him that he had actually written a Country song, before that it might have had a different tempo.
The Hollies played it on their reunion tour in '84. Tony Hicks emulated the steel solo.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 13 Jul 2014 7:05 am

Mark,
Thanks for the Paul Pena info.
I also read the Wikipedia info which was interesting, and said he met the Dead in '69.

Any idea which song came first?...
The Paul Pena song with Jerry playing Steel, or the 'Dead's "Bertha"?

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 14 Jul 2014 6:45 pm

Lee Warren wrote:apparently played on a Fender 400 by Rod King.

I thought that a Fender 400 had no.....Rods.....

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 14 Jul 2014 7:36 pm

Was on a session with Paul about 20 years ago......

Had no idea who he was at the time. Here's a documentary:
http://www.genghisblues.com/

Sorry for drifting.

Jack Aldrich · Post by **Jack Aldrich** » 15 Jul 2014 10:55 am

Dave Zirbel wrote:Was on a session with Paul about 20 years ago......

Had no idea who he was at the time. Here's a documentary:
http://www.genghisblues.com/

Sorry for drifting.

It's a great film. Paul was pretty amazing. Blues guitarist of the first rank and Tuvan throat singer.

Jan Viljoen · Post by **Jan Viljoen** » 16 Jul 2014 4:51 am

Hi Blokes,

I dont know all the American steelers, but the song by Garcia sounds pretty good to me.
How did he do the intro?

I did not know he played pedal steel as well, the last I know is that he played bluegrass with David Grisman.
I have the cd, which was a stroke of luck to get it.

Very few pedal steel and bluegrass cd's are sold here.

Let the games begin.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 16 Jul 2014 6:27 am

There are a few YouTube vids on how to play it.
Maybe b0b will chime in with his take on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PEOf6bGizw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6L6WwjXQ_Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mzZ3EcEBlg

Jan Viljoen · Post by **Jan Viljoen** » 16 Jul 2014 7:08 am

Thanks Pete, I will look into it and start practicing.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 16 Jul 2014 8:31 am

Looking through some old files, I see that I wrote out the solo once upon a time:

It might be wrong. I'm not real good at this sort of thing.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 16 Jul 2014 10:02 am

I posted this scrawl here a few years ago. As always, your corrections & suggestions on notes & rhythm & penmanship are sincerely solicited.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 16 Jul 2014 10:26 am

b0b and Earnest, just curious, but have you guys ever transcribed other steeler's parts like this, and if so, why?

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 16 Jul 2014 10:45 am

Barry Blackwood wrote: ever transcribed other steeler's parts like this, and if so, why?

yes, many times, in fact just a couple of days ago I posted a Randall Currie solo here on b0b's forum. Why? Because somebody asked about it and I was curious to figure out what Currie had done. I haven't given up yet on learning. I may have given up on getting paid for it but that is another story.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 16 Jul 2014 12:58 pm

I rarely do transcriptions. Like I said, I'm not very good at it. I do, however, routinely mark up sheet music with fret numbers and pedals. It helps me remember what I decided was the "best" position for a phrase.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 17 Jul 2014 8:29 am

You don't have to be an exceptional musician to be a professional, any more than you have to be the greatest surgeon in the world to remove appendixes (appendices) competently. When it all comes down to it, music is there to entertain people, and if it pleases people then it's worthwhile.