Who Do You (try to) Sound Like?

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

I know we talk a lot about our favourite players, but when you sit down to your steel in the living room, or go out on a gig, who do you think you sound like, or aspire to sound like?

I know that John Hughey, Buddy Emmons and Lloyd Green are where I've mined most of my licks, so I think I try to emulate these guys a lot. You? I know Buddy and Lloyd are huge to a good majority of us, but there are so many others. I'm wondering if there might be a not-so-obvious player that a lot of us have in common as a player we like to emulate.
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Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

I'm a nonpedal player. And I like to say that I don't try to sound like anybody. And on a conscious level that's true. But I often catch myself aiming for Don Helms, Sol Ho'opi'i, Mike Audridge, Jerry Byrd (the most difficult), Leon McAulliffe or Joaquin Murphey.
FYI, I don't intend to imply here that I necessarily consider Byrd better than the others (though many other people do). But his feel is the most difficult for me to approach.
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Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

Thinking about my steel heroes while I'm on stage playing is inspiring to me. I applaud anyone trying to invent their own sound on steel. When I play, it's pretty much a full-on homage to the greats and what they did for classic country and western swing. I don't and will never pretend to mine new ground on this instrument.

This thread has already brought up a good question: do we strike out on our own and try to create an original sound, or do we like to re-create sounds we already know?
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Twayn Williams · From: Portland, OR

I ain't good enough to try and sound like anyone other than myself! Mr. Green

I do like Greg Leisz' playing an awful lot, though.
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Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Richard gave the ultimately 'correct' answer.

Having been fortunate to long ago discover 2 of the very best steelers ever, in Jerry Byrd and Bobby Ingano, and then actually get to know them both rather well, I've gotten most of my inspiration and schoolin' from them. But I try to do my own thing, and since I'll never attain even the lowest levels they have, there's no sense trying.
Thanx to them, and a few others, I've fared way better on this electric table thingy then I figured I would, once I started trying, and I can go to my immanent grave even happier than I figured.

Ron ! · Posted 25 Aug 2008 7:08 pm

I have problems every day sounding like myself.It seems that every other day I sound different.It's hard already to keep up with that....let alone me wanting to sound like LG for example.

I think that everyone should tape them selfs and listen to that more often.There is only one important thing that separates every steel player from the rest.

Their own unique sound.

Don't try to be a copycat...focus on your own unique sound.Thats what Lloyd, Buddy, John etc etc have done.

Ron

Austin Tripp · From: Nashville TN

I "try" to sound like Bill Ferguson, but I believe I have found MY own sound, and I am sticking to it. It is kind of a mix of Bill Ferguson and Buddy Emmons. Very Happy

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Tamara James · Posted 25 Aug 2008 7:58 pm

The cat with his tail under the rocker. I think I pretty much nailed it. Rolling Eyes

Jody Sanders · From: Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.

Me,also too. Jody.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

in the early days, I attempted to learn every song Jerry Byrd recorded.......NOTE for NOTE.

In the absence of accurate tableture.........this was the ONLY WAY I could learn how a certain phrase was played; why this way instead of that way. The more I delved into these aspects.....the more I learned about Jerrys' style but more importantly,
the C6th tuning with C# on the bottom 6th string.

As years have rolled by, my never-ending desire now, is to be able at will, to make every note and phrase a full-bodied sound with a big fat tone just like JERRY BYRD. While I'm not copying Jerry, enough of his training has rubbed off on me and I'm sure because I too play the C6th tuning, a lot of his 'sounds' are identifiable in my playing.

I just want to be able to play the most wonderful sounds that my equipment is capable of producing.
I can think of no greater accomplishment than to be able to produce sounds similar to JERRY BYRD. I long ago gave up attempting to figure out why he did this or that. With my Ricks and Volu-Tone amp, I'm getting closer to capturing that sound.......in 2008.

Steve Norman · From: Seattle Washington, USA

Tom Brumely+Paul Franlin+Al Perkins on the John Prine duets album. I try to sound exactly like them, but there is something wrong with my amp I think.
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Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.

Joe Smith · From: Charlotte, NC, USA

Well, I try to just sound like me, but I have been known to steal a few licks from Bobbe Seymour. Mr. Green

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<i>My playing sounds more like it did before than it does now</i>

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I try to sound like Brett Day and Redgold Beauty. I've got so many steel heroes, but me and "Redgold Beauty" have our own sound.

Brett

Joseph Barcus · From: Volga West Virginia

I try to copy the tele licks like merle haggards stuff, or in open A try to get a buck trent kind of thing going on.
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Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

I usually sound like some amateur trying to pose as a steel player.

If I can learn just one Jimmy Day lick before I die I'll be happy...

Robbie Bossert · From: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.

Initially, I tried to copy everything Bobby Black ever played with Commander Cody. I realized pretty quickly that it was never going to happen! As I progressed and started playing with the local weekend warriors, I tried to copy whoever was playing steel on whatever songs they wanted to learn that week. That was usually: Paul Franklin, John Hughey, Buddy Emmons, and all the usual suspects. One of my all time faves is Norm Hamlet.

I love all of the non pedal swing players. The guy I've tried to emulate the most over the past 10 years is Ricky Davis. He seems to encapsulate the best of all the aforementioned legends and his tone is fantastic. Plus, he's a helluva' nice guy to boot.

I guess my playing is a potpourri of "Stuff"....... Winking

Robbie Bossert
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Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

My influences over the past 37 years have been several. I tend to pick up little things from everybody and mix it with whatever comes out when I play. I don't plan what to play, it just comes out ever how I feel at the particular time. If I do intentionally play Hughey, Green, Emmons, etc. licks, it's simply out of respect for that particular player. The field of steel guitar players is just to big to narrow it down to a few. PSG is unlimited.

Andy Jones · From: Mississippi

I am proud to say that there is no one that sounds like me.Thank the Lord!Seriously,I'm trying to develop my own sound and style.I have a lot of influences,but I want to be myself.

Carroll Hale · From: EastTexas, USA

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

As like many others, I'm ME, I don't try to sound like anyone else. I use all their licks but it's still ME.

In my early years, I did try to sound like Little Roy Wiggins, and when I was picking lead guitar I tried to play like Chet (even had a Chet Atkins Gretsch). But, I soon found out that was not the way to go.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Well, I don't sound even remotely like any pf them, but the three players who influenced and inspired me the most are Reece, Curly, and Jimmy Day.
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Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

It's funny how sometimes you hear a well-known steel player emulating another player. I've heard some recent Nashville recordings where the steel player is obviously emulating Hughey with bar shivers in the 22nd fret, etc. Also, I've talked to several prominent road players who are constantly trying to capture Lloyd, Mooney or others in their playing.

Listening to John Hughey (my favourite), I can hear A LOT of Buddy Emmons' early 60's - style playing.
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