Just finished reading Bruce Zumsteg's 'Hot-off-the-Press' autobiography,
“My Life and the Steel Guitar” and it is one heckuva great read.
Bruce begins with some background info on his childhood, early family life
and upbringing, just enough to 'set the scene' for the 'Rest of the Story'.
He talks about his days of playing rhythm guitar and singing in a band
during his teenage years, and explains how he was 'captured' by the
sound of the Steel Guitar and how he built his first Pedal Steel Guitar
with the minimum of materials and of tools.
Chapter by chapter (thirty, in all) he unfolds the story of how he transitioned
himself from being a design engineer in the corporate manufacturing world to
a dedicated, full-time Steel Guitar designer and builder: How he designed, built,
marketed and improved upon what became one of the most famous of Pedal
Steel Guitars, the Zumsteel.
Bruce interjects many humorous stories along the way, along with interesting
sidelines on many famous steel guitarists.
He gives in-depth explanations about his innovations to the Steel Guitar and
what his line-of-thinking is to many aspects related to the design of the steel.
The book includes lots of pictures from his personal collection
that relate to the various events depicted in his story.
If you thought Bruce is a great builder . . . if you thought
Bruce is a great player . . . ‘You ain't read nuthin’ yet’ !
~Russ
If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
thanks Bruce for being a Friend. God Bless, Jerry & Dee Foster
