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Topic: How Says Steel Players Can't Sing |
Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 24 Feb 2005 6:04 pm |
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New CD just out by Maui steel player, Henry Kaleialoha Allen called "A Lei Of Stars".
This time he leaves the steel for the microphone and sings. Lots of hapa-haole classics done in a jazz styling. Here's a list of the songs.
1. A Lei Of Stars
2. Sophisticated Hula
3. Malihini Mele
4. Lovely Hula Hands
5. Lahaina
6. Grass Shack
7. For You A Lei
8. Hanalei Moon
9. Beyond The Reef
10. Aloha, I Love You
11. Walking In The Sand
12. A Million Moons
Way to go Henry! |
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Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 24 Feb 2005 6:09 pm
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Ooops! Sorry folks. The headliner should have said "WHO" and not "HOW".  |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Feb 2005 6:13 pm
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No one said they can't, but I'll say they shouldn't!
(Why mess up the beautiful sound of a steel guitar?) Ha! Ha! |
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Jim Phelps
From:
Mexico City, Mexico
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Posted 24 Feb 2005 9:19 pm
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| Forumites Rick Alexander and W.C. Edgar do good jobs of singing and playing steel, too. |
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Rockne Riddlebarger
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2005 5:23 am
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| Many classic Hawaiian, blues and western swing steel players sang while they played. If one is gifted with a voice then one should use it, regardless of what instrument they play! I have been fronting bands for several years singing and playing steel with my band SPEEDING WEST. There is a bit more difficulty in "splitting " your brain in order to play back-up and fills while singing but with a little practice it's like acompaning yourself on any other instrument. I have learned to watch my steel with peripheral vision so that I can make eye "contact" with the audience. I think the steel guitar has been held back so some degree by the lack of front men (women) singing/playing in high visability and not just relegaded to the back line. Aloha Nui and AAAA-HA! |
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 26 Feb 2005 7:08 am
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Thanks Jim! It's not the easiest 2 in 1 activity I've ever tried, that's for sure (walking and chewing gum is).
Rockne, welcome to the forum. You are so right!
In so far as my personal listening taste goes, I'm with Bobbe about 99 1/2%. When I want to listen to music, it's mostly instrumental featuring Steel Guitar - Vanduras, Herb Remington, Jody Carver, Jerry Byrd, Bobbe Seymour, Bobby Lee, Cindy Cashdollar etc . .
BUT - Joe Public wants to hear singing, because that's what he can most readily relate to. A hook line he can chime in on, a melody he can hum. Joe doesn't even really know what a Steel Guitar is. He knows what a Guitar is, because there are singers who play Guitar - plus it's a more "up front" visible instrument. Joe sometimes even plays a little Air Guitar himself!
It just seems to me that promoting Steel Guitar (or any instrument for that matter) would be helped if the player sings too. Then Joe will take notice, and maybe notice the instrument too. Will he ever play Air Steel? Anything is possible. But to put Steel up front in the limelight, the Steeler has to be the Singer. The best example of this is "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" You know who I mean. I'd hate to be responsible for yet another 4 page thread though . . .
When I do live shows, I play Steel Guitar and Guitar (about 50-50) and do all the lead singing. I play a Stringmaster T8 or Steelmaster T8, and I don't sit to play. I jump around some, or at least bob up and down a little now and then.
And like Rockne says - Eye "Contact".
So important. If you don't look at them, they are far less likely to look at you. And if they're looking, they're listening!
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Rick Alexander
Big Steel
57 Stringmaster T8, Remington Steelmaster T8,
Gibson ES 335, 69 Stratocaster, 68 Telecaster.
[This message was edited by Rick Alexander on 26 February 2005 at 07:14 AM.] |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 26 Feb 2005 7:27 am
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| For those of us who have heard Jeff Au Hoy sing,we know some steel players are fantastic! Of course Jeff can play many instruments, probably some that I don't even know about. |
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 26 Feb 2005 7:47 am
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I wanted to go see Jeff when he played Carnegie Hall, but I couldn't find the place. Whenever I asked somebody how to get there, all they would say was, "Practice man, practice!"
RA |
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Rockne Riddlebarger
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2005 5:15 am
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| Hey Rick, thanks for your welcome. This is such a cool place to mix with other steelers, I don't know about most of you out there but here in Cincinnati steel players are few and far between. It is so nice to find a community of like-minded people. I have one question though, and excuse my ignorance, who is He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named? Don't open a can of worms over it, a hint will do. Thanks. |
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Jimmie Misenheimer
From:
Bloomington, Indiana - U. S. A.
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Posted 27 Feb 2005 6:32 am
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| Well, I CAN'T sing when I'm playing - but then I CAN'T sing any other time either... Jimmie |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 27 Feb 2005 6:37 am
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Rockne, I'll give you a hint....his name begins with Robert Randolph.
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 27 Feb 2005 6:39 am
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Hey Howard, is it Robert Randolph?
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 27 Feb 2005 8:16 pm
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| Yes Jeff. And it's a good thing I didn't mention Jerry Garcia. |
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Jim Phelps
From:
Mexico City, Mexico
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Posted 27 Feb 2005 8:25 pm
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Welcome to the Forum, Rockne!
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| here in Cincinnati steel players are few and far between. |
I can identify with that!
I have a buddy in Dayton named Johnn Barlow, plays guitar with a blues band, say hello to him if you ever run into him or his band.
See you down the Forum. [This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 27 February 2005 at 08:33 PM.] |
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Howard Tate
From:
Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 28 Feb 2005 12:04 am
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Last time I was in Gulfport both Joe Wright and Hal Higgins sang and played fills. Both did very well. Of course Joe is not normal, he plays with his eyes closed, looking around, doing comedy, he looks like he's not paying attention at all and sounds great. It seems like the steel is the easiest thing in the world for him. He's incredible.
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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3
http://www.Charmedmusic.com
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