Are Steel Guitar Players a Dying Breed? No!

[Niels Andrews]

I am carrying this on from a recent post about tab. I feel it deserves it's own thread.
I would agree that the apparent situation is a decline in Steel Players, but that I believe is due mainly to the passing of the WWII generation. The instrument itself I think will see a growth in the future as artist realize the abilities of this amazing instrument.
There is no argument that the genre of music that supported the Steel of the past is in decline, just as the "Big Band Sound" of the 40's music is. It exist in more of a nostalgia market and always will be around.
When you look at the instrument itself, it has it's own abilities pretty much unrivaled among musical instruments. I have heard all the talk about computer simulation and synthesizers but they don't get the job done. Just as the listening is turning away from pitch correction and lip synching, there is no replacement for the human artist.
What will be the game changer is when a new artist captures the attention of the youth with their creativity. I don't think 40 year old country is going to do that.
So somewhere out there is the person who will be the game changer. I encourage every player out there to help new players along their path and for young people to play their music on this great instrument.
This is I feel the future of the Steel Guitar.
Hey B0B can I get an emoticon with a target?

[chris ivey]

i don't believe there is a decline in steel players. there may actually be more than ever.
as the world population continually increases, so does the number in our subset.

[Dick Wood]

Steel has been moved to the background in music these days. Occasionally we hear it up front along with some small fleeting passages but we will never again hear it dominate songs like it once did.

The sound we all loved has been replaced in today's music by gritty guitar licks.I think producers fear it brands their particular artist as too country so they control it to some degree in how much it's heard in any song.

On the local scene. I can't even begin to tell you how many times people walk up to me and say, "man you guys are a dying breed". They say you can go to 20 clubs and maybe see 2 steel players.

I think there may still be a lot of steel players but my guess is that they are more bedroom players than working musicians. Many of us are getting up there in years and just don't gig much anymore.

Just my observation after working around D/FW for the last 35 years.

[Lane Gray]

BUT look at how many bands playing stuff we don't care for use it. It may not be playing as much George and Merle, but it's still out there.

[Niels Andrews]

The key point is all of us are getting older and the dynamics of music are driven by youth. They are the ones that attend concerts and buy music. Perhaps the reason steel appears in the background is the talent playing is not worthy of being the focus. The instrument is capable of so much more than anyone has ever brought out yet.
It is human nature to say that our era was the best and there will never be a better player than the handful we idolize. But there will be, but it might be in a form we are not ready to accept.

[Les Cargill]

I was driving back from rehearsal yesterday ( about an hour's drive ) listening to a Texas music radio station and nearly *every* song had not only steel on it, but fairly prominent steel . Now, this is not a station programmed like a ClearChannel station, but still...

It's TexasMix 105.3 outta the general Houston metro mess.

[Eric Philippsen]

Pedal steel is so hard to play. I'm not talking about conquering the complexities of an Emmons or Jernigan or [insert greats name here] tune. It's learning to play simple changes and grips. Don't get me wrong. Practically every gig I get young people coming up who are fascinated by it and I try hard to explain in the most fun way what it is and what the knee levers and foot pedals do. But more often than not the light fades in their eyes when they realize it's hard. 6- string is SO much easier and cheaper and they know it.

I really think I'll change my "demo" licks to non-country ones on the front and non-jazz stuff on the rear. Seriously, maybe pop that Zen pedal and play a few Robert Randolph licks. That's what they relate to and what will keep their interest piqued.

[Tom Gorr]

It is definitely an instrument that has a built in personality screen. That's actually a good thing about the instrument. 97.6 percent of the musician population isn't up to the challenge.

[Donny Hinson]

When you look at the instrument itself, it has it's own abilities pretty much unrivaled among musical instruments.

You're a steelplayer, so you're predjudiced towards steelplayers. Most people are not, and they view steel as they do other instruments that aren't as ubiquitous as guitar, bass and drums.

What will be the game changer is when a new artist captures the attention of the youth with their creativity. I don't think 40 year old country is going to do that. So somewhere out there is the person who will be the game changer.

I feel the only thing that might make a significant difference would be to have one big shot producer or one major label embrace the instrument as they did back in the '60s and '70s.

IMHO, as long as the powers-that-be continue to shun the instrument, we ain't goin' nowhere.

[Joseph Napolitano]

The Powers-that-be don't control the whole musical universe anymore. Pedal steel is gonna become more popular, because of it's sound.It just isn't gonna come from Nashville.

[Henry Matthews]

Go to a convention and look at the average age of steel players. I would guess 55. They are about 5 players in my immediate area. One is late fiftys, two of us in our 70's, an two in their 80's. That's not good odds of having a steel player in this area in just 20 years, assuming we live to 90.
Granted, there are afew young players but few and far between. I'd say in 20 years, the steel player population will be cut by more than half.
Country music has gone to the dogs, they want to attract the younger generation so they will spend money on CD's and concerts. Most dont even have a steel. The steel is put so far back in the mix, 99% don't even know its there. The drums and screaming guitars are what's out front and that's what the younger people like. I remember when Gene Watson was at a casino in Oklahoma that I went to see. The sound guy was a rock and roller and all you could hear was kick drum, bass and guitar unti I went over and chewed his butt out and told him I drove up here to hear country, not a rock concert.
Yes, steel players are a dying breed and will be unless real country music comes back to the younger folks but don't hold your breath. They have been programmed to think running around on stage with no shirt and a guitar so distorted you can't tell what's notes they are playing, and don't forget the singers that you can't understand a word they say.
If you think it make me mad, your right

[Dennis Detweiler]

There might be a growth of steel players in areas around the country, but definitely fewer in my area. It's a dying breed here. Country music musicians and clubs are nearly gone here too. Rock and blues players flourish. Depressing.

[Lane Gray]

And what's wrong with playing rock and blues on a pedal steel?
Don't get me wrong: if Danny Naccarato broke gos thumb, I'd fill in for him in a heartbeat. My only regret about the gig would be that it wasn't a full 5 hour night.
But if you want the steel to be a mainstream instrument, you're going to have to play the music of the mainstream. Go find the next Katy Perry and make yourself part of her sound.
Hell, I bet that, back in the 70s, the pedal steel crowd was NOT impressed by Steve Howe and Alex Lifeson playing stadium rock on a pedal steel.

[Dennis Detweiler]

I was talking about the general population of rock and blues players and lack of country players. You can walk into nearly any live music venue around here and hear rock and blues. I've played everything from rock, blues, bluegrass, jazz and country on steel. I prefer country, but like versatility. I also admire hearing clean melody lines with nice harmony notes which is rare with too many musicians.

[Chris Sattler]

It is definitely an instrument that has a built in personality screen. That's actually a good thing about the instrument. 97.6 percent of the musician population isn't up to the challenge.

Did you know Tom, that 82.3% of people just make up statistics?

[Jason Putnam]

Steel Players and their instruments are alive and well!! Its country music that is a dying breed.

[Ken Campbell]

[quote="Jason Putnam"]Steel Players and their instruments are alive and well!! Its country music that is a dying breed.[/quote]

I so disagree with this. I play every weekend to really diverse crowds. Listen to Son Volt or any other up and coming Americana band. Country music isn't dying. The Nashville establishment is.

[Lane Gray]

I'd trade Son Volt for Dale any day.

[Ken Campbell]

Sorry Lane, hate to sound stupid but...Dale who? I don't get it....

[Micky Byrne]

Jason....you are soooo right


Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.

www.micky-byrne.co.uk

[Joachim Kettner]

Sorry Lane, hate to sound stupid but...Dale who? I don't get it....

Dale Watson? I like Son Volt!

[Lane Gray]

I did mean Dale Watson, indeed. He'll be on Austin City Limits this Saturday, BTW, presumably with Don Pawluk.

[Tom Gorr]

It is definitely an instrument that has a built in personality screen. That's actually a good thing about the instrument. 97.6 percent of the musician population isn't up to the challenge.

Did you know Tom, that 82.3% of people just make up statistics?

My statistic has a theoretical foundation in meyers-briggs style profiling, but I can't with certainly say that it's any more than a good guess...so count me in to the 82.3 pct!

[John Peay]

I'd trade Son Volt for Dale any day.

I gotta go with Lane on this one...

[Erv Niehaus]

I think the general population as a whole is getting lazy. I've tried to work with my grandkids on various musical instruments but they would rather sit and fool with their electronic devices. Besides not having the dedication to stick with learning an instrument, they also are losing their social skills. Just go into a restaurant and observe. The young people aren't visiting, they're all absorbed in whatever device is the latest attraction.
To play any musical instrument, especially pedal steel, takes a certain amount of dedication and that definitely is lacking in the younger generation. That is the reason for the decline of the pedal steel, it's just too much work!