Lap Steel in 2020 & a Question

Terry VunCannon · Post by **Terry VunCannon** » 19 Dec 2020 12:33 pm

I feel lucky to be a lap steel player in 2020. Yeah, the live music scene locked down and brought an end to my working gigs. But, during the year, I focused my time on a series of solo single recordings of mine, and managed to put out 4 singles during the year. I have been very pleased with the sales, downloads, and streams that my digital tracking shows to have reached over 61 countries around the world.
How was all of your musical reflections for the year 2020 been? Hit or miss...???

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 19 Dec 2020 12:46 pm

Miss.

Allan Revich · Post by **Allan Revich** » 19 Dec 2020 1:24 pm

Hit and miss.

Acquired new instruments, experimented with new tunings, and improved my playing. All “hits”.

I miss playing with other musicians, and I REALLY miss playing live, in a band, in front of an audience.

Will Slack · Post by **Will Slack** » 19 Dec 2020 2:44 pm

I've enjoyed the chance to do a lot of woodshedding, but this year has made me realize that SO much of my love for music is collaborating with others.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 19 Dec 2020 4:34 pm

Hit or miss...???

I miss the live gigs, but I managed to record and upload five new videos to my YouTube channel this year. That's going great, getting 24K views per day worldwide, so I'm doing my part for steel guitar! Also seen an increase in my online book sales. I guess a lot of people have time on their hands and want to play an instrument. I also did some web site work... put all of the audio for my books online and discontinued the CDs. My band has a few gigs starting in April. We'll see how things go.

Steven Pearce · Post by **Steven Pearce** » 19 Dec 2020 6:18 pm

I’m 66, got a wife that supports the music I do, 3 dogs that love me and we’re all healthy.
So I got no complaints about life. Musically, the brakes were applied while we finished album #6 so I’ve had a lot of time.I made the commitment to learn to use finger picks and C6th. Both seemed confusing which was only in my brain, I knew they would both improve my playing. I’ve played open D and never strayed.
Well after a few months, playing C6th and A6th with finger picks every day, I’m loving both.
Thanks to the Forum and all here.
Steve, out in the woods!

Nic Neufeld · Post by **Nic Neufeld** » 20 Dec 2020 9:27 am

Mostly a miss, musically...not least because my musical compadre (jazz guitarist I worked with) had to move out of state, so even if there were gigs...no band to put together for it.

Funnily enough, our last gig was a year ago, a Christmas luau at the regional offices for a certain less-well-known-at-the-time videoconferencing tech company, called "Zoom". Would that we were paid in stock!

Still, I've had a good year overall, much to be thankful for. Immediate family able to mostly isolate, and stay healthy. Still have my job and have adjusted very well to remote office work. I don't particularly miss commuting!

David DeLoach · Post by **David DeLoach** » 20 Dec 2020 1:06 pm

2020 has been the hardest year I've faced yet - and I'm 62. The intensity and the rapid cadence of challenges from so many different angles for months on end almost broke my spirit. But by the Grace of God I'm still here and still standing.

On the lap steel front in July something clicked and I've been arranging songs for solo lap steel as fast as I can write them. I've got a stack of arrangements I've written since July that is at least 3" tall. Would this have happened without traveling such a difficult path? I don't know. But I do know arranging tunes for solo lap steel has been a rare bright spot for me in 2020.

I guess this old hymn I arranged sums it up for me...

(it's in Leavitt tuning)

Travis Brown · Post by **Travis Brown** » 20 Dec 2020 2:18 pm

It's been the worst year of my life by a very wide margin.

One of the few bright spots is after a couple of decades of procrastination I finally started playing lap steel, which has been a nice diversion.

Don Barnhill · Post by **Don Barnhill** » 20 Dec 2020 5:23 pm

David DeLoach wrote:2020 has been the hardest year I've faced yet - and I'm 62. The intensity and the rapid cadence of challenges from so many different angles for months on end almost broke my spirit. But by the Grace of God I'm still here and still standing.

On the lap steel front in July something clicked and I've been arranging songs for solo lap steel as fast as I can write them. I've got a stack of arrangements I've written since July that is at least 3" tall. Would this have happened without traveling such a difficult path? I don't know. But I do know arranging tunes for solo lap steel has been a rare bright spot for me in 2020.

I guess this old hymn I arranged sums it up for me...

(it's in Leavitt tuning)

Very nice! Thanks for sharing that.

Don Barnhill · Post by **Don Barnhill** » 20 Dec 2020 5:28 pm

2020 has had its ups and downs for me.
The ups are:
Procured some great instruments
Sold our house, etc
The downs were this pandemic and all that it entails. Changing the lives of so many.
I truly look forward to a better day. Best of luck out there!

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 21 Dec 2020 12:30 am

David,
Thanks for posting the hymn, IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL. Composed by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873.

This is a very meaningful hymn for me which motivates me to have a closer relation with the Lord. I try to be consistent in asking forgiveness and praying the prayer of repentance.

It is a wonderful experience to be close to the Lord during times like these and this hymn helps.

Here are lyrics to this beautiful hymn:

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Joe Breeden · Post by **Joe Breeden** » 21 Dec 2020 9:50 am

Misses: Lost a close music buddy to Chinese flu, No gigs, no playing music with family and friends. Hits: Family and I are OK and I am spending more time in the woodshed.

Chris Brooks · Post by **Chris Brooks** » 21 Dec 2020 11:11 am

My gigs with 3 bands were going on at a study clip. Since then, practicing and recording with just one of them: other 2 in hibernation.

As you guys do, I work on the other aspects of the biz/art though I do miss live playing!

We can fix instruments, learn new ones, write, publish, record, engineer, publish, podcast. We can catch up on the business side, clean the axes in the closet, organize sheet music and libraries.

We can keep educating ourselves by listening more to music. I find myself going to Osvaldo Ayala, Jordi Savall, Os Tubaroes for inspiration.

At one period in my life, I didn't pay steel for 10 years.

Jim Pollard · Post by **Jim Pollard** » 22 Dec 2020 6:21 am

An "interesting" year. Found an online collaborator (who is also local) and have mixed, mastered and released five singles with her. Four of which I also played guitar, bass, and/or lap steel on. Out of nowhere in the last month I had a song idea (lyrics, it's always the lyrics that are the problem for me) just jump out of me nearly fully formed. It's by far the best thing I've ever written.

Jim

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 22 Dec 2020 6:49 am

Studying music is the one thing in life that keeps me motivated: the prospect of creating music that relects my own tastes and growth what drives me. I don’t do it for any other reason.

Making a record now in my home studio where I play all of the instruments, but have special guest soloists. I think it’s going to be cool and experimental.

I had exactly one gig in 2020–January 19. I’d hate for that to be my last gig as a bandleader. I hope to gig again someday, but without having a new recording and a little buzz around it it’s not easy to entice club owners to book your band.

Here’s to 2021 and screw 2020! And congrats, Terry!

I’m also dedicating more time to teaching. If anyone is interested, look me up.

Terry VunCannon · Post by **Terry VunCannon** » 30 Dec 2020 11:05 pm

Well, NYE is here...lets do this. Onward to 2021.
Thanks everyone for sharing, & the kind words. Here's to more lap steel music in the new year.
'

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 31 Dec 2020 6:47 am

It was an interesting year. I began it by retiring early this year. That was an adjustment. After thinking about starting a new business, I finally decided that I didn't want to get back on the hamster wheel and decided to enjoy my retirement. Went to see my daughter and her husband in Denver in feb just before everything hit.

we had our house on the market, but with covid, we took it off the market. Just couldn't see dealing with moving, selling, finding a new place with the world as it is.

For about 6 months, I took advantage of the lockdown to get deeply into mediation and reading the Buddhist canon. I quit facebook, twitter, linkedin: all social media. I was meditating for hours a day, reading the Buddha's words and I began eating only one meal a day before noon, no drinking or smoking: basically leading the life of a monk. I even started to learn Pali, the language the Pali canon is written in. I didn't play music much but I have to admit, I was the happiest I've been, probably in my life.

But then I got a cancer diagnosis and things sort of changed. I began to drink a beer or two, smoked some weed and got back into playing seriously again.

I re-dedicated myself to the eharp tuning and probably spend a few hours a day practicing and marveling in how great the tuning is. I bought the domain LearnEharp.com and rejoined facebook after being off all social media for six months. My goal now is simply to play, record, learn, teach the eharp tuning. And try not to die.

Brad Richard · Post by **Brad Richard** » 31 Dec 2020 7:36 am

I guess this year has been a new experience for everybody. For me, overall I give it a D- (at best). My music shows were really taking off nicely until late Feb. when, pfft, it was over. Since then, I've been working on playing my lap steel, doing some recording and basically just hanging out. Boring!!!! Our daughter and her family have been out in the oilfields in Williston, ND and doing quite well. Until about March and then, pfft, goodbye income. They've been surviving, but it's very tough. I'm sorry to say this Christmas was maybe the most difficult one ever. No kids, couldn't go visit other family and friends, just me and grandma hanging out. Another day in covidworld.

BUT, this is the day the Lord has made and I'm trying to rejoice and be glad in it. And tomorrow is 2021! Got to be an upgrade. Plus, as Jimi once said, "I've got my guitar and I can play". So, onward and upward. Oh, and I'm getting ready to do some more rework on my Rogue lap steel. There's not much left that's original, but that doesn't mean I can't find even more ways to putz with it. And when I'm done...... Well, whatever.