Do D. J.'s Know What A steel guitar is?

Bowie Martin · Post by **Bowie Martin** » 16 Oct 2007 4:25 pm

Our band played Saturday at a nice annual festival.
I was sitting on the stage with my D-10 Emmons, tuning, and doing a sound check. The big country radio station had a tent next to the stage and their DJ's were doing the band introductions. So, the DJ walks on the stage (I have on picks, the bar in my hand, doing some licks for the sound guy), and he ask me "You play steel guitar.?" Immediately I thought to say - no, I just could not find a table so wanted to sit down and eat my sandwich here ("Give Him A Sign."). Stunned I replied yes. He says to me "That is the first time I have ever seen one of those up close." Guess that lets you know the capable hands country radio is in today.

ajm · Post by **ajm** » 16 Oct 2007 5:30 pm

His initial question was a bit awkward, but I'm pretty sure it was just phrased wrong. After all he did know what a steel was, he just hadn't ever seen one up close before.

My gripe is with other so-called musicians who don't know what a steel guitar is. I know another guitar player who has played for many years, and no matter how many times I correct him he still calls it a slide guitar. And this is another musician.

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 16 Oct 2007 5:50 pm

What gets me is when you do a session for a producer who really doesn't know too much about the steel. If you play something really nice, but a little over their lexicon of what they know about steel, they don't get it.
But if you give them something that sounds like Jerry Garcia they go bananas and think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Out here in LA I run into this often. They'll figure if they add a steel to a song - one that has no reason in the world to have a steel on it - that it'll make it country.
So you end up spending your time trying to put a square peg in a round hole.
Whatever...work is work, I guess. I'll get off my soapbox now...

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 17 Oct 2007 8:09 am

No, and apparently most of them don't know what "back-timing" is, either!

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 17 Oct 2007 9:18 am

Skip, if that ain't the truth, then grits ain't groceries!

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 17 Oct 2007 4:56 pm

OK Donny, what is it?

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 17 Oct 2007 7:03 pm

Amen, Barry...
eggs ain't poultry and Mona Lisa was a man....

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 17 Oct 2007 9:07 pm

We were one of several acts at a Festival and were on first. After I put my steel guitar together and set it up, one of the sound crew said,:what in the hell is that:. I knew we were in for it. Jody.