How about an Austin City Limits dedicated to the PSG?

[ajm]

I got this flash of brilliance after reading the thread on Joe Wright (although I'm sure it's been thought of before).

ACL has had "specials" dedicated to songwriters and other similar topics. How about one for the PSG?

Everyone has their favorites that they'd like to see. But I think that we'd all agree that with a little outside input it would be virtually impossible to come up with a bad line-up.

Since the show is an hour, how about 15 minutes for each player? Just off the cuff, I would pick:

1) Joe Wright- for his skill, versatility and entertainment factor. I haven't heard Robert Randolph, but I think out of all of the people that I've heard at several conventions Joe may be the one that could make the PSG accessable to the masses in a successful way.

2) Herby Wallace- because of the jazz/swing/bigband factor in his music.

3) Paul Franklin- because of the variety in his choice of music also.

4) My mind is a blank; anyone would be good. Lloyd, Emmons, Mooney, Newman, Brumley, etc.......is there a bad choice here?

I think that this would be a show worth doing for ACL. I think that this would be a show that we all would watch. I think that this would be a show that could open the door of exposure for our instrument, even if it's only a crack.

It will take a while before our instrument really is mainstream. It is going to take a few more songs like "Teach Your Children", "Misty", "Nice to be With You" and "Tears in Heaven" before we get there, but it's got to start somewhere.

ACL and the artists could also save on production costs. How? Just film the selected artists at the ISGC instead of going down to Austin.

[Donny Hinson]

I like the idea, ajm (though not all your player choices). They could do at least one show like this...but probably wouldn't, due to the very limited appeal of PSG in the first place.

Also, ACL's production is really first-rate, the best music show on TV, IMHO. They just couldn't maintain those standards in St. Louis, and with the bigger crowd. The classy camera work, simple lighting, and the "intimacy factor", all contribute to the beauty of this show. Also, if they would try to do it at the ISGC, the licensing and rights would probably be a nightmare. This is probably why even TNN has never telecast part of the ISGC show.

[Herb Steiner]

I've done about half a dozen ACL's, several TNN shows produced at KUT studios, and know Terry Lickona and (original producer) Bill Arhos well. When I first read ajm's post, I thought the idea was so farfetched as to not really warrant a serious reply.

Donny nailed it on the head, though, with most of his statements. There are also many, many financial considerations that were not even mentioned or addressed. Also logistical problems, scheduling problems, etc., etc., etc. It would be FAR easier to get 3 or 4 steel players together at KUT and film an hour segment, then edit it down to 1/2 hour. Then the segment would have to be split with a segment featuring Willie with Ray Price, Bruce Hornsby, or something like that which would draw viewership. A steel guitar show by itself would be a guaranteed flop-a-rino and might even be pre-empted by many local PBS stations who wouldn't know what the hell to do with such a segment. Remember, a great portion of ACL, if not the majority, is no longer country music, or what most Forumites wouldn't consider country music at all.

The ACL team is a well-oiled machine on their home turf. But filming at Scottie's would be so expensive and problematic as to not in the least way be feasible. It takes LOTS of personnel to produce one of those shows, trust me.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[Dave Robbins]

A "few more songs like "Teach Your Children?????" Oh no, not again!!!! Do we have to beat that dead horse on this topic too? GeeZ!!!!

Dave<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Robbins on 09 September 2001 at 12:02 AM.]</p></FONT>

[Rich Paton]

MTV had a mid-80's "Legends of Rock Guitar" show with about a dozen heavies shredding their stuff. It went off better than I had expected (the inevitable train wreck jam).
Last to play was Johnny Winters, who left the rest with their jaws hanging! He was burning.
I like the idea. To pull it off might take a backing band of high profile, well known players to establish audience interest. Then bring 'em on, one by one. The virtuosity exhibited by these steelers, in a spirited performance, should be able to nearly astonish the unfamiliar viewer. Heck, I just heard Jerry Byrd's "Adventures in Paradise" on the radio last year, and even as a hard-core steelhound It blew me away!
Junior Brown & Doug Jernigan, add to list.
Song selection, arraingements, & imaginative integration of the steelers' parts into tunes would go a long way in making a musically stimulating performance. Maybe use a conductor? Why not?

[Chip Fossa]

I think such a steel show would really have to have a lot of close-ups of hands/bars,feet
and knees. People [audience] viewing the steel from afar probably become indifferent
because they can't actually see what's going on.

The way to drive this instrument home is to come in with great close-ups - fast licks -slant moves - bar toeing etc. Really show off
the steel.

I think the average hapless listener would walk away from the show with a greater appreciation of the steel, if only they could get a birdseye view of all the complex maneuvers. After all, if it's gonna be a show to showcase the steel, then I think you got to show how it really is played. IMHO.
Chip

[Rich Weiss]

An hour show dedicated to steel guitar might actually be too much for the lay person to absorb, (at least at one sitting) It seems more feasible to have the show dedicated to various instruments - or instrumentals. Perhaps feature a twenty minute segment on pedal steel, then a segment showcasing the dobro, or fiddle, then the final segment on some other instrument. That might appeal to more viewers and be more commercially viable.

[John Gretzinger]

Hey Herb - Didn't you and Alvin have a segment on ACL or was I in a druken stupor from a night at the Armadillo? You know some of the folks there as well as a lot of the local groups that might appeal to the ACL management. What would be a good mix that would showcase the steel players?

I think the idea has merit, but does need to be pitched in a way that will continue to pull in the main stream ACL viewers.

jdg

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