Mr. Newman's statement.

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

"No one gives a shit if you are a hot steel player". This is so perfect to me. I grew up listening to pedal steel played in the context of musical arrangements and a singer on a song. I like steel playing as relates to a song and singer far more than listening to a steel guitar instrumental album. To me its the tasteful steel players who added their parts into the arrangements sparingly who I admire more than the technocrat steelers who put out steel albums using 7 knee levers. That bores me to tears. Thats not to say that there are players who can do both effectively. Bob Carlucci brought this point up pn another thread and it just hit home. One of my favorite steel players is Norm Hamlett. He is just the epitome of tasteful steel playing to me. I like to be part of the pie. Not THE pie.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Miguel e Smith · From: Phoenix, AZ

Then there are those of us consider "hot player" as being anyone who provides whatever is called for depending on the situation. I certainly consider folks like Norm as being "hot" for sure (Jeff definately was "hot" from my perspective).
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Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

Well I have posted in countless threads about how unnecessary hot playing is to making good music. I generally agree with the sentiment that tasteful steel playing in the broader context of well crafted arrangement is far preferable every time. Even on a steel guitar instrumental recording, hot licks are not necessary. But I do exagerate (sp) a little. The fact is that there are times and places where hot licks are exactly what is called for. And that, of course, is why Buddy Emmons gets so many more calls for so much more money than I do. He can do it. And I can't. The problem occurs when someone gets so hung up on impressive technique that s/he forgets about making music. As the old song says,"Ya Gotta Have Heart!" If you don't have that, nothing else matters. If you do have it, the hot licks are the proverbial, "Gravy on my Mashed Potatoes."
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Joe Shelby · From: Walnut Creek, California, USA

Many times it's not what you play, it's how you play it.

That said, playing thirty-second notes in a ballad may not come off very well.

Think of Clarence White or Jerry Douglas (I can't think of a good example for steel players; maybe JayDee Maness on some recordings, but regardless, I've never heard even one example that made me think he was overplaying). Doug Jernigan might be another
good example.

I think the heart that goes into the playing is what
decides if something is over the top; and yes, supporting the song is what is the most important thing.

The players mentioned above are all exceptional individualists, and they can do things that are above
and beyond what many of us mortals are capable of.

Bebop opened the doors for a whole string of players
and styles of playing that even today send some people running for the nearest exit.

This thread is about steel players, and what comes up in a lot of minds is speed picking that seems 'note-y' and lifeless. It's up to the individual player to inject feeling and style to bring it to another level.

Joe.

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

In 1978 I attended one of Jeff Newman's classes in Hermitage, Tn. He had several mobiles put together as the classroom.

Jeff Scouted out a local tavern that featured a country band on Friday & Saturday nights. On Friday evening the whole class, about 10 of us. Followed Jeff to the tavern. On the first break Jeff approached the band leader and asked if he could sit in on PSG. The band leader was reluctant, since they had bad experiences with this situation before. Jeff assured the band leader that he would only sit in for one set and then get off, if they didn't like his playing.
Needless to say after one set the band leader was very enthusiastic to hire Jeff. Jeff was just proving his point about not playing too much.

Roger

C. Christofferson · Posted 17 Nov 2007 9:02 pm

The King critiqueing Mozart's symphony: "Too..many notes". Mozart's supressed indignant reply: "And which notes, Sire, would you have me take out !?"

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Jeff Newmann was a guy I'd have liked to know.

He had a unique way of putting things into his own words.

Something that isn't done enough.

Smile

EJL

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

I am a long time Norm fan. He inspired me to take up pedal steel. I first heard him play in 1968, and he has been a favourite ever since. He is totally sympathetic with the singer and the song, and while sometimes his input may appear to be spartan it is always exactly what is required. He is an under rated technician too. His duet instrumentals with Roy Nicholls were top class. Lets face it, Merle wouldn't have someone who wasn't up to the mark playing in his band.

The very best session steel players are the ones who play precisely what the number needs with good tone, and not by impressing the world with their speed. Sonny Garrish - one of the best live band players I have ever seen - has quietly made a very good living out of session work by doing just that. Pete Drake (some love him or hate him) was another.

Antolina · From: Dunkirk NY

I attended my first Jeffran College back in the early 80's. Jeff told us a story about his early years of session work. During his warm up he was running riffs and playing every lick he could think of. When it came time to cut the master, they asked him to sit out. That song went on to become a hit without a steel and it certainly wasn't because of Jeff's lack of ability.

Jeff was fond of saying that top the steel players got paid more for what they didn't play than for all the hot licks they could come up with. There are some obvious exceptions but the overall rule still stands.

"Less is more"
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Peter Dollard · Posted 18 Nov 2007 5:18 pm **"You Do" Answer to Hot Steeler Question**

When I took Newmans 1976 seminar in Phoenix he posed the hot steeler question by saying "Who cares if You are a hot steel player?". Without over interpreting what he meant I hazard this guess. If you are unsure about your role play a little bit here a little bit there but not enough to get in trouble. The band won't view you as a musical interloper trying to steal their thunder and believe me that counts for a lot. Having said that I can think of two or three places where speed really defines a song for instance; Tommy Overstreets "If Love Were A Bottle Of Wine." I would imagine to land that job you would have be able to execute Weldon Myricks phrase very close to his record. In other words you couldn't just play whatever you wanted. On a final note, Jeff frequently gave speed seminars with tons of hot licks so I think he meant there is a time to use hot licks without being totally consumed by the idea of sticking them in all the time whether they fit or not.Peter

Casey Lowmiller · From: Kansas

Back to Pete Drake. He made a pretty good living playing at the right times & most importantly, laying out at the right times.

Love him or hate him, the man knew what to add to a song & where to add it. He always played just enough & never too much.

He played some pretty tastey licks. Licks that people still try to play & licks that still attract people to the pedal steel guitar.

Casey
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Fish · Posted 18 Nov 2007 7:22 pm

Ron Page · From: Penn Yan, NY USA

What's not for me to like about this thead? I take to heart a lot of Jeff's verbal slapdowns and encouragements. And I'll never get enough of Norm's understated steel playing behind ol' What's-his-name. Very Happy

Whether it's some up-tempo tune like "I Had A Beautiful Time", or a slow mover like "Going Where The Lonely Go", or the in-your-face intro to "Big City", Norm seems to be the essence of backup pedal steel. He also has a knack for giving a hint of C to the E9th-- like he does with "Sin City Blues" and "Get Along Home Cindy".

You have to have the Live At Billy Bob's TX CD's if you love to hear Norm and the band flat out play.
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Jim Eaton · From: Santa Susana, Ca

Fish, I 2nd your choice of Buddy's part on "Til I Gain Control" as a wonderful example of how to "play"
just exactly what the song requires. Reading this thread already had me thinking about this cut and then you brought it up! Classic Buddy - IMHO.
JE:-)>

Brint Hannay · From: Maryland, USA

Fish, I third that! That beautiful, understated solo is one of my favorite Buddy E. moments.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

i like to think of it as 'emotional enhancement'....

Mat Rhodes · From: Lexington, KY, USA

Hot playing has its value when you're just beginning to learn an instrument. When I was 16, Yngwie Malmsteen was considered "the s@*t". Throngs of teenagers wanted to ape his dexterity. That kind of stuff helps with the learning process. Of course, now I can't listen to more than five minutes of it without getting irritated. Must be an age thing.

Tastefulness and expression wasn't something I was born with or taught. I'll forever be a student of those subjects. I think even Maurice Anderson once told me that no matter how old or experienced you are, a true musician never feels like he/she's mastered either the instrument or music.

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Lloyd Green and Buddy Emmons are two examples of Grand Masters that can do both. Pete Drake is an example of a guy was highly accomplished at background playing and recording, and I really admire him. Red Rhodes also. I wish I could be both also, but I am a utility player. I just love those austere steel parts on the traditional country records. I have nothing against hot playing. When I play I take the Pete Drake/Norm Hamlett approach in trying to make both the singer and the arrangement sound better by contributing steel guitar. Lloyd Green with Charlie Pride is a perfect example of a good match between a country singer and a steel guitar player. Just a beautiful example of the country genre.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

The Clarence White example above is perfect IMO. Clarence was probably the most amazing musician I ever heard & met in my life. He could outplay almost anyone speed-wise, but rarly showed it, except in little "flurries" now and then. But all it takes is one watch/listen to the Muleskinner Live recording to seee what he was truly capable of. There are no "ot licks" on that one - instead, the solos are tasteful, interesting, sparse, with not a single note that's not essential. Plus he completelt reinvented himself four times - he started as a bluegrass rhythm player and invented himself as a lead guitarist with a completely distinct and sifferent style from Doc Watson, Jow Maphis and others; Then he reinvented himself as a country Tele player with a style unlike anyone; again as the Chuck Yeager of the Stringbender with the Byrds, still sounding mostly country wih a little rock mixed in; then between 1968 and 1970 had become one of the strongest rock players on the planet.

Through ALL of that he kept the same "airiness" about his playing - it didn't matter whether he was playing a Roy Noble or Martin "D-28" or his sunburst bender Tele, he would still play with an incredible amount of open space.

THAT'S where hot playing has some impact - lay out, or play subtle, simple chords or counterpoint lines - then set it on "stun". hit the afterburners, and go for it....but only for a short time. That's what non-players notice.

As another example - in this case of someone I HOPE will get there - Johnny Hiland is a dear man, and an incredible player. Right now, he plays almost everything "full speed ahead". He's young, and I hope he finds all the music that's in the "holes" he's filling up with uneccessary sound.

This is one thing where playing with a band is SO critical to learning "musical" (not instrument) skills. If you have any talent and perception at all, you eventually learn to leave "space". Even playing 6-string, there were times I'd play a "rest" for 16 bars - If there was nothing I could really add, why play - just to hear myself play? Steel players seem to be victims of overplaying more than many other musicians because so few players seem to learn to either simply strum chords or "comp" with grips - it's lick after lick after lick, then turn it up for the solo and play more licks.

Even a single note has significance, depending on how it's played. In a 4-beat measure, each "beat" is not a static, single-place thing, and discovering this is one of the truly magical things about musicianship - attack and volume are part of it to be sure, but each note hits in one of three places: one the front edge of the beat (mandolin "chop" chord players - the really good ones - become masters at this and drive the band without rushing them); right on the center of the beat (good drummers hit a fraction ahead of the center of the beat, as the heads/cymbal take a fraction of a second to react and you hear them dead on the beat); or on the back third of it, which is where you find many sax players and jazz singers.

It's a hard thing to teach and one that is difficult to learn, but it's where the whole "feel" and life of a somg come from. And once you learn how a beat breaks up and develop the skills to manipulate and "dance" with it, you almost always will start leaving more space. It's one thing many players do at somepoint without realizing it - others suddenly have a revelation and it's like a kid in a candy store (I had a student who completely went crazy/happy when he finally "got" it, proceeded to tell his college theory instructor that he had learned the secret to timing and feel...and was told he was nuts and being mislead - there was only one beat, period. Thankfully, he didn't backpedal and became a really fine guitar player) - and sadly, some never get it at all.

It may seem like a digression, but it's not - mixing "hot licks" with sparse "feel" playing that capitalizes on the beat divisions are the things you hear that are usually the most impressive. One great "modern" steel example (even though it's a decade or two old, it's still "new" sounding) is Paul Franklin's solo(s) (there a bunch of recorded variations, but all based on the same framework of licks) on Dire Straits' "Walk of Life". Paul blends flurries of hot stuff with very, very sparse sections where he almost toys with the beat. I have heard one...and only one... version that sounded more "mechanical" - everything was played perfectly, but the feel is different, and although it's technically flawless it, for Paul, would probably be considered an "off" night. But he, like Clarence, Albert Lee, adn especially Django Reinhardt, "found" it.
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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

Antolina · From: Dunkirk NY

I've been to a few of Paul Franklins seminars. He used to say the same thing Jeff would. I recall being very new and confessing to Paul that I didn't feel ready to play out as I only knew basic chords. His response was "That will make you a a great steel player. Just play the simple stuff and the audience will love it". I followed his advice and have never ceased to be amazed at the compliments I get for playing what they call a "sweet sound". Later I told Paul that I was about to do my first gig and did he have an advice for me. His response was simply "just have fun".

Bobbe Seymour told me pretty much the same thing. He's fond of telling newbies, "it doesn't matter what you play, just play what you know and be good at it".

Over the years, I've altered my perspective on music. It's not for impressing other musicians or the guys in the band. It's for the couple out on the floor. Think about it.
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Sho~Bud 6139 3+3
Marrs 3+4

RC Antolina

Casey Lowmiller · From: Kansas

I agree 100% with Mr. Hatton...the combination of Lloyd Green & Charlie Pride was a great match. Some of the best sounding music I know of!!!

Casey
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Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Thats my other all time favorite combo.

Brad Malone · From: Pennsylvania, USA

I remember reading Jeff's statement that the only international hit on the Steel was SLEEPWALK...something to ponder.

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