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Topic: Australia's contribution to the rise of the pedal steel |
Jason Walker
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 17 Nov 2013 1:51 am |
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In 1942, Jack Richards - who may be a familiar name to some of you on this forum - first played a steel guitar that had been modified with a lever to change a chord from A major to C#minor. After that chance encounter at an American officers club in Sydney, Australia, what followed was part of the development of an Australian-built pedal steel guitar called the Kord King.
In 1948, the Kord King became commercially available in Australia. More than 100 models were built, as well as around 100 non-pedal models.
The Kord King had eight strings, five pedals and offered 25 chords in the open position
The instrument's potential was not realised at the time of its production, and it would be another 25 years before any of the American models of the instrument were showing up on this continent.
Jack Richards was a true pioneer of Australian steel guitar, one who developed several copedents and a stylist who travelled his own road.
_________________
One Carter D-10 8+5, one Hilton VP, Peavey Bandit, so far, so good. |
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Shane Reilly
From:
Melbourne, Australia
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Posted 17 Nov 2013 4:07 am
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| Wow Jason, very interesting. Good on ya Jack Richards! |
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Benjamin Franz
From:
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Posted 17 Nov 2013 7:35 pm
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| Wow, cool! I wonder if any have survived? |
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Jim Priebe
From:
Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
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Posted 17 Nov 2013 10:01 pm
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Here's a pic of Jack - only one I have - please excuse the quality.
I will put an article on him and the his chordking on
www.steelguitardownunder.com
asap - just check the site from time to time.
_________________
Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com |
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Jason Walker
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 18 Nov 2013 12:38 am
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The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney has one in its collection; I'm not sure how many there are getting around in the general sphere? Would love to see one in action...
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One Carter D-10 8+5, one Hilton VP, Peavey Bandit, so far, so good. |
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Jason Walker
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 18 Nov 2013 12:40 am
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And thank you, Jim! I'm looking forward to digging into your website, starting now. Cheers, mate.
Jason
_________________
One Carter D-10 8+5, one Hilton VP, Peavey Bandit, so far, so good. |
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Jason Walker
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 18 Nov 2013 12:43 am
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Also, Jack's own SD-10 Sho-Bud, which featured a few of his own particular additions, including a six-string lap steel built where the arm rest would normally be, was up for sale earlier this year on the Brisbane Steel Guitar website.
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One Carter D-10 8+5, one Hilton VP, Peavey Bandit, so far, so good. |
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Michel Rose
From:
Australia
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Posted 18 Nov 2013 9:03 pm
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I remember Jack well, It was in Sydney around 1979/80.
I was just starting out and he used to play at the steel guitar meetings in Blacktown . He used Iran Florence on bass and a guitar player (cannot recall the name)
in a trio situation. They mainly played jazz standards. |
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Jim Priebe
From:
Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
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Posted 19 Nov 2013 2:51 am
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Jason (et al)
I have put the Jack Richards story up on the website told in his own words as well as a (pretty opinionated) letter he sent in to the SGA. He would be impressed to see how many on this forum are keeping up the tradition - ha ha ha !
Hey! Michel are you back at base for a bit? email me mate.
http://www.steelguitardownunder.com/Past/Legends/legends.html [url][/url]
_________________
Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 19 Nov 2013 5:39 am
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Thanks for the link to Jack Richards's story.
".. the use of the steel in country music was many years away" ! |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 19 Nov 2013 6:41 am
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The PDFs wouldn't open for me (not sure why .txt is inadequate for, ummm, text).
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Jim Priebe
From:
Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
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Posted 19 Nov 2013 2:07 pm
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Earnest
Jack was NOT a country music fan period! he was essentially a very good jazz muso who loved the Hawaiian stuff too. As you know musos can be pretty one dimensional and that includes steel players. I grew up learning from these types of jazz musos - if I even mentioned Chuck Berry let alone a country artist I was kicked out of the jam.
Lane
I get where you are coming from but I am not about re-typing (I am a three finger picker at a qwerty) that stuff so I scan it into PaperScan which very efficiently saves it in PDF (good quality/low data and good for websites). The history stuff looks more authentic when reproduced as it was IMHO.
You may need a newer or different pdf reader tied to your browser as some of them 'see' errors with certain pdf's (good post for the computer section).
Thanks heaps for your interest guys.
_________________
Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 19 Nov 2013 2:36 pm
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I'll try another. I think there's several for Android now, I'll grab an alternate.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Jason Walker
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 19 Nov 2013 4:12 pm
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Thank you, Jim, for posting that up. Great stuff! Opinionated is the word. And there are certainly plenty of Aussie steelers who can 'jazz' with the best of them. I've seen both Graham Griffith and Michel Rose swing like there's no tomorrow. And I actually agree with Jack about steel players doing recording sessions that require reading. I'm a terribly slow reader (there are kids out there who could ace me in a second) but I do quite a bit of session work and there are virtually no producers in the Pro Tools age who demand a reader. It's all pretty much 'by feel' these days - two, three, sometimes four takes and a comp. I try to produce a usable take in one go after hearing the track a few times, but often I don't hear the song until I get in the studio door.
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One Carter D-10 8+5, one Hilton VP, Peavey Bandit, so far, so good. |
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Jim Priebe
From:
Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
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Posted 19 Nov 2013 4:43 pm
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Lane
I tried viewing on Android and it worked - eventually.
after re-configuring Firefox so it would show drop down menus (20 minutes) then convincing the system that there WAS a page called that (about 12 attempts) I finally got there and the pdf came down no problems. There will be a setting you need to alter somewhere.
So many people knock the Microsoft operating systems but sometimes I really wonder - I have less probs with them than all the others - sorry B0b getting off post here.
Jason
I agree. I read notation but 'bunches of grapes' don't translate well on to pedal steel. Too many variables and position options for sight reading. Mayby it's my tired brain! 
_________________
Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com |
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Matthew Hui Tong
From:
Victoria, Australia
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Posted 10 Feb 2019 11:06 pm
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Bit late to the party, but here’s a kord king I’ve held on to for quite some time now. Looking to sell to anyone interested.
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