Debunking Bravado

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

James,

Of course, I had mentioned clips as an example in hopes of receiving input from others who may or may not agree with my observations, should they have been tuned in to a televised production some time ago.

Robert Harper · From: Alabama, USA

Jerry, I can't play as good as you. I just does what I can.

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Bill,
What in the world does "flaunting credentials of leadership" have to do with "attempting to celebrate some of the heroes of steel guitar?" I realize that the majority of your posts are, as I've stated before, one-man jam sessions with words instead of musical notation; a la Sun Ra or Ornette Coleman. I don't think your "phrasing," as it were, is quite correct, in your " Witnessing tendencies to become squeamish or possessing the markings of a spoilsport," since no one has done either of these, unless it was to inject humor into the "proper etiquette." By what, or whose, standards, do we determine those who've reached the plateaus of excellence, so that we'll know not to speak of them again? And how many plateaus of excellence are there, Bill? Remember, the "baker's dozen" was created by those illiterates who toiled in anonymous labor at the king's ovens, and who threw in an extra doughnut, lest they be accused of shorting the king's daily desire of pastries, and have the stirring arm chopped off, for perceived thievery.

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Stephen G.,

I double checked your profile as a measure of safety in approaching your level of intellectual prowess. I'm inclined to believe that you may be a bit misleading in stating your qualifications. I have a "feeling" that your savvy of the workings of the steel guitar is more than a little above average. You also pitch a curve ball gramatically that is not easy to connect with. Literacy seems to be the least of your problems. In answering two of your questions, many of the play on words comments that I've written, as you've stated, or written about, were shuffled about before deciding that they are relevant to my "pitch". I wouldn't go too far out on that limb; the one suggesting that the "heroes" of steel guitars
remain as something of a mystery. I've always pictured an elevated musical plateau as a place very difficult to reach. Emmons, Green, Chalker, Day, Byrd, Franklin, Wallace, Jernigan and dozens of upper echelon players have reached
that likeness of an "eagle's mere".
Granted, much of the perfection heard in their musical presentations, can be imitated to a lesser degree, with proper instruction. I've always considered the "A" pedal, more than the "B" pedal to be the key to musical expression found in the E9th chromatic tuning. Still, the elusive "plateau" looms in the misty ranges of our hopes and dreams.

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

Bill
If you spent as much time practising the steel guitar as you do consulting your thesaurus, you too would be world class.

Also since when have the forumites profiles been an indicator of intelect?

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Ken B.,

You've undoubtedly heard of the "Wolf in sheep's clothing". Hearken to those words of wisdom!

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

Ken, I sincerely doubt that Bill requires a thesaurus to be close at hand in order to craft his phrases. His writing sytle is actually quite common in parts of the academic community; it encompasses both subject matter and riddles.

Additionally, since each reader will put a different "spin" on the statement or question, it becomes a "perpetual motion machine" as answers beget more questions. It forces either abstract thought processes or "shutdown" statements ("What does this have to do with...", "If you spent more time...", "I don't get any of this") when the reader is either frustrated or annoyed. Often those who don't get it are both.

Bill's grammar and spelling may not be flawless, but for many his threads are thought provoking and far more entertaining than the 197th thread entitled "I don't like what they play on the Opry anymore".

Wink

_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Milewski,Jim.

Your reverberative comment, simplistic in appearance, evokes a penetrative mindset. If you will comment again, please in your own words, explain to me how "Eddy Edwards" fits into your professional career. Billy Gibson singer/bass player mentioned to me an Eddy Edwards from Vermont. I know that there is one E. Edwards from the Utica, N.Y. area who tinkered with the pedal steel, and was quite knowledgeable on a six string guitar. BTW, do you still use those customized fingerpicks? I should have inquired about the metal used to fill the tips. Thanks...

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

Bill, please read my profile and analyze me. I have always wondered about myself.

Thanks in advance.

Les

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

Jim S
I understand the points that you make and agree. Some people do take the bait while others go along with the ride to keep things going for fun.

I have never come across any other style of writing where there are gross gramatical errors and mis-use of uncommon words. I've said it before on here that sometimes Bill raises some pertinent and reasonably interesting topics, but many just can't be bothered to get into deciphering mode to work out what the man is saying. It's almost like a foreign language at times. I don't get it and nor do some others on this side of the pond. Maybe its a sense of humour thing. English is a universal language, but I would pity any students trying to learn it if we all spoke and wrote in this fashion. Luckily in the UK we have a plain English campaign where it is seen as positive to avoid the use of jargon and nonsensical written expression.

I would love to sit down with Bill sometime and debate the merits of steel guitar with him. I bet that his verbal communication skills are completely different to his written skills.

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Les,

If you would elaborate extensively on public speaking, that you have entered into your profile, I may be able to analyze from a conceptual standpoint. There is a hint of vagueness in your profile, such as "early retirement". I can't draw conclusions from selected words, such as "early". Thanks good buddy.

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

Retired at 58 as a Welding Engineer and Metallurgist.

I do public presentations on “The Choices We Make & How They Affect Our Lives”.

I lived with a very severe speech impediment until the age of 50.

That’s all you get. Now, Am I a nice guy or just another wannabe musician? Wink

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Les,

Thanks for the additional profile info. The world would be a very boring place if everyone had the same opinion. As far as good guys go, your choice of instrument covers all I need to know concerning in common qualities that sustain a friendship. I worked with a self-employed welder at intervals as a helper. He developed many original methods to overcome internal stress problems that could break the welding of hardened steel. I have a civil question to ask, should you be so kind to respond to my inquiry. I can't recall what the test was called that was a prerequisite to welding bridge iron. Did you take the test?
Thanks...

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

Now that's a tough one because we live in different countries. We call the procedure up here "a CWB procedure test" and gained a CWB ticket. To make a long story short, the three test specimens were done with 7018 and/or 8018 welding rod throughout. To get my degree I had to pass the test.

The test to get our high pressure pipe tickets is a completely different test again. All fun and games and a requirement of life in certain professions. I already had that one before starting my studies in welding engineering because that's what I did for a living.

jim milewski · From: stowe, vermont

Bill, I don't recall the name Eddy Edwards, I did play with a Bill Gibson many years ago, he was a great George Jones style singer from the Albany NY area. The simple mod I do with the finger picks is to add solder to the tip of the back side of the blade in hopes of a thicker sound on the plain strings.

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Les,

Before I forget, I just recalled the test required before going to bridge welding. It's called "Certified Welder's License". The weld is put through a series of X-ray tests to determine penetration etc. From what I gather, not everyone passes the test. The art of brazing is an excellent method for making repairs or other changes where a foolproof bonding is desired in the use of mild steel. The use of steel may suffice in solid knee lever construction. Thanks for the response.

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Doug,

I played steel for Billy Gibson back in the mid-eighties. I remember playing at The Moose Lodge in Hudson, N.Y. when he walked off the stage and left the drummer beating out a marathon "Wipe Out". I was caught up in the scenario, much to my chagrin. Imagine that!!
Billy had a great rendition of "The Rose".

Barry Blackwood · Posted 5 Jul 2007 5:41 pm

Bill, I think I would be safe in assuming that most of us here on the Forum admire (essentially) the same hierarchy of steelers, for (essentially) the same reasons. Therefore, what's to discuss?

jim milewski · From: stowe, vermont

did Billy Gibson have black hair combed back and smoked Marlboros, he was a great singer and his wife Laura played bass

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

"I have never come across any other style of writing where there are gross gramatical errors and mis-use of uncommon words"

Professor Irwin Corey and Al Capp come to mind, and many 70's Communications professors who railed against "the system" and forced students to phrase/spell things "incorrectly" but in an erudite fashion. We thought it was great fun at the time.

Also, 180-degrees out-of-phase with Bill would be "Ol' Fuzzy" on the Telecaster forum, who maintains a faux-hick persona in his postings that is mind boggling in its consistent inconsistencies.

There I find the opposite problem - I have trouble following Fuzzy. Not so with Bill.

Sidebar - "Milewski" is also the name of a late linguist who developed the "Milewski Topology" of language classification, primarily centered on study of western hemisphere early tribal languages.

Which has nothing to do with steel guitar, it's just (to me) an interesting coincidence.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Barry B.,

You would dash my preamble on the jagged rocks below, in a kingdom of disregard, I presume. An awareness to the existing woeful communication lines with, quote,"hierarchy" is to be passed over with little thought, if I read you correctly. I might ask, why are we striving to emulate those who consciously avoid inquiries made by "counterparts" who are distinguishable through hours of dedication? I truly admire the "hierarchy" seated at one of their greatest pleasures, or the conservative exchanges made possible by a push and shove detail at concerts. Wouldn't it be great fun to have an open line with just one member of the "hierarchy", one who monitors reasonable inquiries?

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Jim M.,

Billy created a jigsaw puzzle for a time, checking out steel players in this area. I enjoyed playing steel for him. His drummer's name was John, as I recall. John was great to work with. His admiration for the steel guitar became apparent, as he was always first in line with compliments. I still have the large black Stetson that Billy wanted me to have, while playing in Ghent, N.Y. One of these days, I'll try to track him down.

Barry Blackwood · Posted 6 Jul 2007 6:11 am

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