Ideas for Getting More Younger Folks Out to Steel Shows

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Here's a thread to brainstorm your ideas for getting younger folks both involved in and exposed to steel guitar through steel shows. I'll kick off with a few ideas of my own:

1) Half-price ticket to anyone who brings along someone between the ages of 16 and 21 with them. The younger guest gets in free.

2) YouTube competition for young steel players, age 16-25. Submit a video of one song, maximum 5 minutes, with you playing alone or with accompaniment (live or pre-recorded, BIAB, etc.) (Must not be edited in any way and video must be closeup so both hands and player's face are visible at all times.) Winner receives $250 and a chance to perform on the main stage at ISGC during prime time (e.g., Saturday night). Winner will send ahead charts so the band will be Ready and Waiting for them, no matter what style of music they're playing!

Okay. Your turn...

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

Have steel players on the program that younger people would come to hear.

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

Read some of the other threads...I think a lot of the younger people wouldn't know who ANY steel players are.

How about a steel show that's not (as mentioned in another thread) formed around everyone playing the same 8 or so songs over and over, except for a few adventurous souls who toss in a rock tune to be "cool" and blow the hook.

Just going by the Youtube vids I've seen...

When the steel "community" (or "establishment", or "powers that be", or whatever you want to call the ones who seem to control the shows and keep things country oriented, with a little jazz thrown in) doesn't just start to *accept* varied styles, but *encourages* new use of the instrument (and quits whining about stuff that's not "real steel music" or heads for the exits with ears plugged if someone launches into a blues tune) you might draw younger players.

But right now, instead of drawing them...except for the ones that are country fans...you're doing your best to keep them away.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
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

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Let's keep this thread constructive, please. We've all heard all the rants before. Just give your constructive suggestions, please.

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

The glib answer would be Robert Randolph Smile

.
We all know that's not going to happen.

There are two types of players that would be good to feature:

Steel players that play in bands that young people would make it a point to come and listen to. Look at SXSW in Austin. There are tens of thousands of young people listening to bands featuring steel players. So one idea would be to give a popular or cult/popular band featuring steel a significant slot at a steel show. Not a 30 minute set but a concert opportunity (60-90 minutes). I'm not completely up on who the biggest draws would be but bands like the Campbell Brothers, Wilco, Derek Trucks, etc. would draw hundreds if not thousands. Having guest steel players playing with the featured act would be a great way to expose pedal steel players to the younger fans.

The second is to give slots to players who play music that the younger listeners would relate to easier, even if they wouldn't explicitly come to a show to hear them. There are many players who aren't featured in mainstream shows who fit in this category. You probably know the list better than I do.

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

I know that Derek Trucks isn't a 'steel player' per se, but he sure plays the slide guitar with a sweetness and smoothness that rivals any steel player. And he loves the steel guitar.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

To make what Jim Sliff said constructive, I'd say you have to play music that they like and/or play in a style that they like. I don't know what that is. But I think it'd be a simple matter to listen to a station that gets them to listen and go from there. Joe Perry draws a younger audience with his 8 string Chandler Studio 8. It can be done. You just have to broaden your repertoire. You have to have the intention of passing the instrument to the next generation for good or ill. That's a very tough position to take.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Without a local "DRAW" group it probably is not going to happen. Robert Randolph is not the answer either as although I like what he does he too is totally the opposite direction, playing Music that perhaps others don't listen to.

The picture is BIG......real big.

Jim S. is actually saying what many believe is accurate but there is more to it in my view.

My very hip daughter ( maybe 18 at the time and also a musician) came to a show with me a few years back and all she did was roll her eyes. She could not get past the way many of US looked and were dressed let alone the Music ! Plaid Pants, striped shirts , knee socks, thats what she came home with. She actually asked me why I go ! I replied by asking her what was wrong with my Knee Socks .. Smile

The issue is not just the MUSIC but the merging of generations. Many of us were drawn in to the Steel from a culture of Music that has disappeared, that being the booming Country Rock era of the late 60's going into the 70's, then we had Urban Cowboy where it was socially accepted to wear Cowboy Hats ,Boots and speak in a Texas kinda language..You all....and, the gals looked pretty good in those tight jeans and kool shirts and stuff, that didn't hurt !

Thats not where we are anymore. All of that was PRE RAP and PRE Britney Spears and Electronic Music. Music has moved on and not just from the Steel Guitar world, the local coffee house joints where it was acoustic artists has also fell by the wayside and has now turned into "OPEN MIC" night where every corporate exec who got a Guitar for Christmas comes out and sings an Eagles tune or an Alan Jackson tune.

For me ,Steel shows, when I go, are not really about the Music, they are more about the social end, seeing friends that I have not seen in a long time.

Regarding Jim S. comments, there is another side as well, once we start adding the rockers to the shows, the seasoned "Way To Survive" players will no longer come, and they are the Heart Blood of the shows.They are the ones who are willing and able to spend $5000 on a new Instrument or $2500 for a used one . They are the ones who travel 4 hours to see someone play "Way To Survive".

Now ,there is a way to build a following/exposure but it takes effort and work. Drag your Steel out to the local BAR where they have OPEN MIC night and sit in with anyone that will let you, and trust me, they will ALL let you. Once you become a regular at these places then you can openly INVITE them all to the next Steel Show, perhaps even give them FREE admission.

Be a Pied Piper, but bring people, not Rats ! Smile

Start by going to THEM instead of trying to get them to come to you.

I suspect that most area's have some sort of an OPEN MIC night. Many of the performers are singing Country based tunes or Country Rock /Folky kinda tunes. If you go there, and do a reasonable job playing behind them you WILL get there attention.

But now we are back to playing in Smoke filled bars with alcohol and other elements of life that some of us are trying to avoid Sad

Lem Smith · From: Long Beach, MS

Maybe one of you guys who are really into music other than country, could start a steel guitar show that featured only those playing rock and other types of music that might appeal to younger people. No real reason not to, because we already have shows that are primarily country, and also there are Gospel steel shows and Sacred steel shows that predominantly feature those types of music.

I think something like that would work better than trying to get a bunch of younger folks into a steel show that even had a hint of older country music going on.

Walter Stettner · From: Vienna, Austria

Some good thoughts from Tony, as usual Smile

but my view is more pessimistic. I see a general trend away from events that are based on watching and listening to live music. Yes, of course, musicians wil always be attracted by those shows and will attend if the show fits their general musical taste. But the average young music consumer of today is more interested in the overall event, the concert, the glamour factor, the special effects and/or simply being with others from the same "cool" group. Ask young ones (the teens) why they are going to a rock concert and similar - not because the guitar player plays some incredible licks, it is more because he's wearing hip clothes or the female star is such a cool girl....

Steel Guitar Shows are somewhat unique, I can't think of any other instrument that has similar events (have you ever heard of a piano convention or a guitar convention, focussing on the instrument as such? I know that there are some conventions, but these are more competitions with winners and prizes, like fiddle contests etc.).

The ISGC has made efforts in the past years to expand the musical range with the Hawaiian Room and the Jazz Room, still I haven't seen totally different and new people attending. Attendance seems to be higher when the big stars like Buddy Emmons and Paul Franklin are playing, but the crowd still consists of the same group of hardcore fans.

Sorry for my pessimistic view! Sad

_________________
www.lloydgreentribute.com

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Walter , I don't think thats pessimistic at all. The only place where I raise any question is that those that ATTEND Steel guitar shows are already fans , they don't need to be convinced to go. We are already ready, willing and able.

New fans and NEW awareness is the issue that I am speaking to.

People come to shows because they are AWARE and the attraction has already taken place. I doubt new folks will come to a show to actually learn about this instrument with no advance appreciation Sad

Roual Ranes · From: Atlanta, Texas, USA

About seven years ago, I started getting my grandkids aquainted with our kind of music. It is contaigous. I now have two grandsons and a step-grandaughter that have Hank Williams (original) and Johnny Bush and others CD in their "care for" gear. They have actually caused other teens to buy that kind of music. I have also been involved with teaching some of the teens to Two-Step......you have no idea how many of them cannot dance. Start at the base of the problem and you can be effective. If the younger set dont hear it .........they cannot like it.

Steve Hitsman · From: Waterloo, IL

Perhaps the focus should be players as opposed to fans. There are very few amateur young players coming to the shows because there aren't many. If everyone here found one kid to give free lessons to, you could bring 'em to the shows.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I do not disagree with Steve but I still would ask, how many kids are buying Steel Guitars before they are attracted to them ? I personally don't know any Sad

I think Roual hit the nail on the head;

"Start at the base of the problem and you can be effective. If the younger set don't hear it they cannot like it."

well said...

remember what the preacher said who's ministry it is to preach to DRUNKS...

"In order to preach to Drunks I gotta go to where they are because it is very unlikely they are coming to me"...

Steve Feldman · From: Central MA USA

Fred Justice · From: Mesa, Arizona

SARA JORY

_________________
Email: azpedalman@gmail.com
Phone: 480-235-8797

Walter Stettner · From: Vienna, Austria

Steve,

I agree that a wider variety of styles could probably interest more and new people, but I also see another problem with that: If you invite bands that use steel as a part of their presentation, you'll lose the main focus of these shows as "Steel Guitar Shows". It will be a music show that also features some steel guitar.

Many of the people attending now want to see the steel center stage, as the featured highlight, not as part of a band. I think if shows would go towards that direction, the regular attendees would more and more stay away.

Kind Regards, Walter
_________________
www.lloydgreentribute.com

Steve Feldman · From: Central MA USA

Walter - I don't see it as a black and white situation. Of course, you don't need to saturate the show with bands whose primary focus is not steel; but on the other hand, if you do not try to bring in more of this 'new blood' (and a new interest in PSG among new people) - at least to some extent - my guess is that the vitality of steel shows will ultimately decline. Seems like what we all want is a way to grow and sustain in the future while embracing the past.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I think that changing the name from "Convention" to "Festival", and listing it on "JamBase" would be one avenue to pick up some younger folks (you could still call it a Convention... just call it a Festival when marketing to the younger audience).

Barry Blackwood · Posted 30 Mar 2008 7:42 am

Gentlemen, if I may digress for a moment, Steve Feldman, I like your avatar ..... Smile

Ben Godard · From: Jamesville NC

I think that the younger genration is attracted to things that they see as "cool" or rebel like. Something that really stands out. For example if they weere at a steel show, they would be more atrracted to a guy playing a guitar that is painted like a rebel flag or maybe some goth looking guitar of some sort, and they would be more atrracted to music with effects like flanger, distortion, etc. but it would definatley have to be something with a puch that stands out.
Most of the young generation of today see country music as old fashioned, boring, clean-cut, and just plain unhip. I think another reason behind the lack of interest in the steel guitar is because it is very difficult to play to the average person and requires much dedicated time to learn. This young music of today is more noise than music. Yeah its got a good beat but that's about it. Not much talent required.

In my opinion the best way to get people to more attracted to the steel guitar is to play it in the other genres of music and really make it stand out. IF they see the steel playing in some of their own music and make it shine doing so, then there's your answer.

I think it would definatley require some out of the box thinking in the way it would need to be played.

At any rate, I believe this may be the best way to get young musicians to become attracted to the steel guitar. And then I think once they start learning the steel guitar, they will eventually develop an appreciation for the instruments roots and it's focus in country music and I think that some will start to see what this instrument is "really" made to sound like.

I know we all love the beutiful sound of the pedal steel and its roots and its great place in our country music over the past years, but sadly for it to evolve, it will have to reach the younger people on a different level.

Some of you may take this at a disgrace to the steel guitar. After all, young musicians should change and learn the value of "real" music and not listen to the trash that's out there today.
Well, I use to think the same thing but the fact is that's just not gonna happen. We're gonna have to meet them half way.

Just my thoughts

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

I think Sara Jory's show would interest a lot of younger people but she wouldn't draw them in the first place, at least not in the States, where she is largely unknown outside of steel guitar circles. Derek Trucks would be a much bigger draw. Maybe there ought to be a separate 'Steel and Slide Guitar' Festival?

Steve Hitsman · From: Waterloo, IL

Jimbeaux,

Did you mean 'more folks that are younger' or 'folks that are more younger'? Inquiring minds want to know.

Walter Stettner · From: Vienna, Austria

Steve,

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I fully agree with you. My response was not my personal opinion, it was just from the view of those more conservative attendees who are not interested in exploring new territory. I have noticed the mixed reaction of the crowd sveral times when players like Joe Goldmark, Sarah Jory, John Heinrich, Wally Murphy and several others played their sets at the ISGC...

Kind Regards, Walter
_________________
www.lloydgreentribute.com

Forum Index > Steel Players	Goto page 1, 2, 3 ... 9, 10, 11 Next	Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic