Gen Y and Baby Boomer PSG is not a good mix

Stuart Legg · Posted 29 Jun 2012 11:33 pm

Integrating the Gen Y into a Baby Boomer Steel Guitar world is not working well. This is not to say we don’t have some great Gen Y players just not enough.

When the (Baby Boomers) were younger, if they had a music teacher they were expected to practice and work hard at it, and the parents expected it. Now, parents say, have fun, learn and practice a little bit.

Gen Y (Millennials) have been raised where everything has been planed for convenience and made ergonomically friendly leaving them with no clue if they have to look around and see what should be done next but still find it unbearable to be told, taught or take orders from Baby Boomers who were raised in this hard work and practice, practice, practice mentality.

This coupled with the technology gap between generations is seemingly insurmountable.

I feel that the Baby Boomer Teachers are going to have to open up their minds and reach out with new methods and technology to these up and coming generations if they expect to expand the musical possibilities and the popularity of PSG.

Number one on the list is to stop bashing Nashville. Nashville is all most of the Gen Y folks know about country music and PSG.

The bashing doesn’t help in narrowing the gap.

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

Adam Goodale · From: Pflugerville, TX

I disagree Stuart, I was born in 1989 (not sure what generation that is), and all of the steel players that have helped me are at least in there 40's, most however are in their 50's, 60's, or 70's. If Jim Loessberg, Ricky Davis, Rick Price, Dicky Overbey, or any other monster player that has helped me tells me that i'm doing something wrong, I guarantee you I will listen and take advantage of the advice. And the same goes for Austin Stewart, or Austin Tripp, or any of the other younger players that are playing steel and understanding this beast of an instrument.
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Stuart Legg · Posted 30 Jun 2012 8:12 am

Yes but Adam you are "The exception that proves the rule". An exception applying to a specific case establishes that a general rule exists.
My posted exception was that there are great Gen Y PSG players in spite of this but not enough.
We through the Forum know most of the exceptions but we have no way accurately calculating the percentage of Gen Y folks who don't play PSG for the very reasons I've listed.
I am sure the percentage is high based on records of a other job choices, performance, frequent job hopping, feeling regarding taking orders from a perceived out of touch Baby boomer and a general contrast in recreational habits of the Gen Y compared to past generations are all well documented.
Given this you would have to assume the same would apply to the Gen Y regarding the PSG.

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

This same conversation took place between myself and Tom Morrell, who was in a generation before me. He felt that a great many Baby Boomers were spoiled by rock and roll, garage bands, and the "do your own thing" 60's era mentality. His generation took organized lessons, learned notation, and progressed in a more structured environment. In a way, I tended to agree with him and took his opinions to heart.

Yes, the guys like Adam and Austin are the exceptions, and God bless them for being so.
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Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

If you are being taught licks, you are being ripped off.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

I think this is a dangerous assumption to make. Gen Y musicians (the serious ones) are self-motivators. Many of them achieve higher education in music through institutions. These players make their own goals, rather than to be told what to play or do.

I think that, just like in music itself, the rules are always changing. There are many musicians today who are bringing new levels of virtuosity to their instruments. Some of these same musicians will also dip their feet into the steel guitar.

Take a look at bluegrass: today's pickers are absolute monsters and they are inspiring the next generation of players. However, bluegrass music has changed, just like country has changed, jazz has changed, etc. The language is different.

This doesn't necessarily bode well for the traditional styles of playing that we've all become accustomed to, but if you love the instrument, you'll welcome the innovation.

I consider myself a Gen Y musician in a Baby Boomer body. Laughing

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Howard Parker · From: Maryland

I'm thinking that the SGF is not the place to look for a representation of Gen Y players. Don't be looking for them at local jams, Scotty's or Dallas either.

I have no numbers of course. I have tweets, shout outs, meet and greets, emails and PM's. My sense is that Gen Y's and others are out there in larger numbers then you suspect.

Don't worry about teaching them country licks...They are not interested. They have more contemporary fish to fry.

I could be wrong though. It happens.

h

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