Having another steeler in the band

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 29 Sep 2004 12:09 pm

I'll be doing a few gigs backing a singer/songwriter with a 5 piece band. The guitarist just quit and will be replaced by a guitarist who also plays steel (but not in this band) and can mop the floor with me and the steel I rode in on. He really is significantly more experienced and more accomplished than me. I enjoy hearing him play steel in other bands and learn a lot from observing him. But this is a new situation for me and I'm distinctly uncomfortable with it although I'll forge ahead and do my best. Any thoughts?

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 29 Sep 2004 12:17 pm

Play it simple stupid, follow the melody and don't step on him. Keep a smile plastered on your face all night just like the Joker from the Batman movie and have fun!

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 29 Sep 2004 12:43 pm

Jon this happens to me on a semi-regular basis.
Jim Heffernan, formerly with Joe Diffie and Brad Paisley and also one of the Resocasters with Mike Auldridge and Hal Rugg, plays bass or lead in a band I'm in. If your guy is anything like Jim he will be a great source of encouragement and inspiration.
I don't know too many of the good guys who want to make us uncomfortable when we play in front of them. I'm sure you will both enjoy it.

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 29 Sep 2004 1:30 pm

Did ya ever hear the story from Jeff Newman, about when he was new to Nashville and kind of "green"? He got a call for a club gig in Printers Alley and when he showed up Buddy Emmons was on bass and Curly Chalker on guitar!

And I managed to avoid this one, but many Nashville steel players ended up on tours where Johnny Cox was driving their bus!

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 29 Sep 2004 1:36 pm

I was in a 5 piece band and all the others could play steel. I was on steel as I could not learn how to play another instrument. Every little flub on steel brought calls of Booooooo.

Reece Anderson · Post by **Reece Anderson** » 29 Sep 2004 2:39 pm

....never compete with anyone but yourself.

Grant Johnson · Post by **Grant Johnson** » 29 Sep 2004 2:44 pm

I am forunate enough to play very occasionally with Jon Rauhouse, who can mop me up on the Steel Guitar. I come out of those gigs with much inspiration to work harder at the steel and I definitely check my ego at the door!

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 29 Sep 2004 3:14 pm

Jon, I completely understand where you are coming from. Having this player in the band could help you tremendously. It may elevate your playing and he may give you some helpful advice as well. I see this as a positive for you and and you may learn some different approaches and some new licks as well. Just have fun and enjoy playing and if you guys are not good friends maybe a good friendship will start up for you guys.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 29 Sep 2004 3:16 pm

Hey, I've played gigs where Jim Loessberg was on drums and Randy Reinhard was on piano. This Saturday, I'll be on steel and Johnny Cox will be on bass. Get over it. Just play the gig and be the best John Light you can be.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 29 Sep 2004 3:23 pm

The best incentive I ever had was in playing with an agency's A-team which called me when they needed a steel player.
These musicians worked with each other 5-7 days per week and could complete each other's sentences.

So, go for it!

James
Sho-Bud LDG (en route)

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 29 Sep 2004 3:25 pm

I'm afraid you'll just have to kill him...

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 29 Sep 2004 3:45 pm

Jon... Don't sweat it my friend. Do your best and enjoy.. You are selling yourself short. No need to. We have ALL played with guys that were better. You are vital to the situation I'm sure,otherwise you wouldn't have the gig. Turn it up and wail. You'll be fine... and so will the other guy..... bob

Winnie Winston · Post by **Winnie Winston** » 29 Sep 2004 4:16 pm

The MOST fun I ever had was playing a gig with two bands (40 min on, 40 off) and then... in the last set of the night BOTH steels were playing. After a while we got to a point wherte we could do harmonies on some things, or just know when I went up, he went down.
It was great fun, and I learned a lot from him.
Then, again, I did another gig like that, with a different steeler, and it was terrible-- he was completely locked into "arrangements" and did not understand how to "hang loose" He complained I was always getting in his way, and I wound up just sitting and not playing (and not getting dagger-like stares from him).

Best!

JW

BobG · Post by **BobG** » 29 Sep 2004 4:49 pm

I've also had Bens' experience of having to share a stage with Jim Heffernan. When I found out he was sitting in on Bass one evening my palms began to sweat, but to Jims credit he made feel totally at ease .. he's a true professional and a real nice guy, very supportive. Looking back on that night I can't remember ever playing any better. I guess it's true.. playing with excellent musicians really does force you to "raise your own bar".

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Bob Grado, Williams D10 (lefty), Peavey 1000,
Profex ll.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 29 Sep 2004 5:18 pm

Then, again, I did another gig like that, with a different steeler, and it was terrible-- he was completely locked into "arrangements" and did not understand how to "hang loose" He complained I was always getting in his way, and I wound up just sitting and not playing (and not getting dagger-like stares from him).

Aw, c'mon Winnie, I thought we were having fun!

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 29 Sep 2004 5:40 pm

...funny, I was just wondering this afternoon what a band would be like with 2 steels...they do it all the time with guitars...hell, some bands even have 2 drummers...why not switch off instruments, vocals, or maybe play both steels in the same songs once in a while...sounds like an opportunity to be a unique band...

Bob Hickish · Post by **Bob Hickish** » 29 Sep 2004 6:45 pm

Jon
Don't even give it a thought !
Most steel players think the
other Steeler is better , the reason
is , you always hear your self !
and know you week spots !
But that don't mean the folks
listening to you would know the
difference . Have fun pick your hart out !!
BH

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 29 Sep 2004 7:42 pm

As a neophyte steeler, I've been told numerous times to get into a band where the other musicians are significantly better than me if I want to grow. Jon, it sounds like just the opportunity in your case by the way you describe it. Revel in it!

Grow, grow, grow! I wish I had a chance to do that.

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Bill, steelin' since '99 | Steel page | My music | Steelers' birthdays | Over 50?

Forrest Lee Jr · Post by **Forrest Lee Jr** » 29 Sep 2004 7:55 pm

I played a casino gig last year and hired Kin Alvers on Steel and Tele. I also hired Chuck Turner on Steel and fiddle. I wanted to bring my steel but we ran out of room!
I'm planning to the same thing again at The Little Red Hen in Seattle on Oct 8th... hopefully I'll have Dan Tyack and Kinny this time and what the heck... Maybe we'll have 3 steels on stage! The casino gig was great because I ALWAYS had a Steel player, as well as fiddle when needed, and twin Tele's when needed. Besides, we can steel each others licks...

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Forrest Lee Jr.

Forrest Lee Jr · Post by **Forrest Lee Jr** » 29 Sep 2004 7:58 pm

PS... I'm the worst Steel player in my band! But I don't care, It's more fun that way and most of the time you'll learn something from the experience.
Roll with the flow, It'll be fun!

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Forrest Lee Jr.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 30 Sep 2004 4:30 am

I ran into that a lot when I was living and pickin' in Southern California. I was in a band on steel with Jim Bob Sedgwick on lead guitar and we got along great. Another time I did a fill in on steel with Danny Michaels and the bass player was James O'Rafferty who is one hot steel picker. I like the pressure personally as it makes you more conscious. The thing I don't like is the sweaty palms it gives you which makes it hard to keep a grip on your bar. The Danny Michaels band I was talking about has used steelers on bass quite a bit. I remember once when Bobby Boydd was on bass and Danny had another steeler who couldn't even hardly play and another time when Bobby was on steel and O'Rafferty was on bass. My band of the last 4 years (The Legends) had a wonderful player (Larry Sutphin) on steel when I joined so I did the lead guitar thing. On occasion if Larry needed off I'd go to steel and we'd hire another leadman or we'd hire another steel player, whichever we could find. It made it interesting. I did some gigs in LA on guitar with a steeler named Johnny Davis who was a monster guitar player but it worked out great. You'll find out that a real "Professional" player will put the sound of the group and the success of the gig above anything personal and you'll have a lot of fun. I got to pick some with the great guitarist (Al Bruno) while I was in LA who could seriously smoke me on lead but never did. He would play his parts and when you did your's he'd only play something to enhance what you were doing or just lay out, a real professional and a gentleman........Have a great day..JH

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Nicholas Dedring · Post by **Nicholas Dedring** » 30 Sep 2004 5:29 am

Hey Jon!

Who's the mystery guest? Drop me an email if you want to be semi-secretive.

Good to hear you've got interesting stuff going on...

For my part, I don't even invite other steel players to come listen if I'm playing. I think I'd just vapor lock in certain situations. You, a braver man than I, go forward unto destiny.

I'm partially inclined to agree with Jim Cohen, though.

Gere Mullican · Post by **Gere Mullican** » 30 Sep 2004 5:35 am

Our band plays on Thursdays and fairly often Duane Birdwell sits in with us. Even tho he don't play pedals he is a terrific steel player and I always play better when he sits in. Shucks he use to play with Jimmy Dickens and some other biggies and I ain't ever played with nobody that anyone ever heard of. I also use to play in a band that also had Bud Gregory (NTSGA members will remember Bud) and we would sometimes switch between steel and bass and lots of times both would play steel. That sure kept me on my toes.
Gere

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 30 Sep 2004 6:32 am

I'm sure one of you guys will know the real story: the touring band doing a gig somewhere on the other side of the country, going to a bar to relax, declining the invitation to get up and play with the bar-band, but saying their 'bus-driver would like to sit in on steel.

The 'bus-driver was, of course, Mr. Cox....

Did this happen, who was the band, or is it just one of those tales....?

True or not, it COULD have happened! It always makes me smile.

I've played Telecaster alongside Albert Lee a few times - the first time, it took me about ten minutes to find the ability to execute the simplest task! Then I found that I played the best I ever have, and surprised myself (I expect it still sounded pretty lame next to Albert - it was good for me, though!)

RR

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 30 Sep 2004 7:39 am

I've played Telecaster alongside Albert Lee

That is some serious stuff, Roger. He's a legend.

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Jeff's Jazz