Who are we playing for?

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

What do people (the public, producers, bandmates, etc.) want to hear from a pedal steel? Do they even know? Do they care? Do we care?

When pedal steel was a staple in the country music diet, those questions didn’t need to be asked. Now, out of an almost desperate necessity, it seems players are focused on broadening the instrument’s horizons and trying to not just find acceptance in other genres, but to create a demand for it.

I am curious about what everyone thinks about how it’s going. There seems to be no shortage of excellent players stretching all kinds of steel guitar boundaries. This has been going on a long time now - almost right from the start, when Buddy Emmons decided to take some time off from his day job as a sideman for country music’s biggest stars and record an album’s worth of the jazz music he loved and taught himself how to play. I wonder if there is a consensus on how successful the all-around endeavor has been.

Dennis Detweiler · From: Solon, Iowa, US

There are few still alive in my area. Contemporary country doesn't seem to need a steel. I seldom even hear a steel intro anymore. There are a handful of young steel players in my area, but not in country field. So, here, it's few start-ups, but branching outside of country. The recent inflationary price of a good used steel is out of reach of most that are interested. Not many years ago, the cost of a good used S-10 was around $800 - $1000. It's more than doubled the last few years. A financial deterence.
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Great topic. Interesting question. My observations have been that no one really cares except die hard country fans, steel guitar players and rabid aficianados.

I know a lot of people who don't play steel but tell me they want to hear it in country songs. It's just what they feel defines country music. They don't know or care about the mechanics and workings, they just know they like the sound.

For most of the general public, the pedal steel, as used in so-called "Roots" music, the basic, simple playing such as Jerry Garcia et al scratches their itch.

For me, I started playing because I love the sound of the steel guitar. I prefer to use it with other like minded musicians, but I also play just for me. That's what drives me to play better, to experiment and update sound with gear and gadgets.

I've noticed when doing gigs for the general public, when requested by the band to do instrumentals, the folks are just not really interested unless it's SleepWalk or SGR etc. So, for the most part, when the band wants to include a steel guitar instrumental at a party, gig, whatever with a mixed audience, I generally decline because I don't think the populace majority is that interested.

Of course that might be that my playing is just not that interesting. Embarassed

JMO.

Since I don't really play on a professional level, those that do probably have a different take on satisfying producers, artists etc.

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

I'm willing to bet if Taylor Swift got behind a steel guitar and even faked a few notes it would suddenly be popular again. At 75 I don't do much live playing at venues so it's all about what I want today. My son is active in the bar scene and his group comes over and we jam. They do pop and Outlaw country so it's all new to me. But I enjoy the feeble attempt to play something that may fit.

scott murray · From: Asheville, NC

the steel guitar is still such an oddity to most people, I think it's really up to the players to decide how it be presented. as long as it's played tastefully and in tune, most people will have a positive reaction regardless of which neck is being played or in what genre.

with producers, I think less is usually more but it depends on the project. that's nothing new, I know Billy Sherrill always said he preferred a Pete Drake to a Buddy Emmons.

I don't think there's any desperate necessity to broaden the steel's horizon or find acceptance in other genres, as you said that's always been there. the list of players who have been pushing the envelope for decades is long indeed.

I do most of my playing at home, for fun and for myself. I play around with all kinds of non-country material that people may or may not have any interest in hearing. one thing the pandemic taught was that a musician is not defined by playing gigs, only by playing.

if I am on a gig playing country standards I will usually try to play like the records... if not note-for-note at least in the same style, more or less. but I'm doing that for myself as much as my audience or bandmates because that's how I think it should be played.

I don't think we'll ever see steel guitar reach the maximum exposure it did in the mid 70s, but it does seem more visible/audible now than it has in decades. the instrument has been experiencing a renaissance for the past several years and while most of the new players I come across are interested in the steel's roots, it will inevitably find its way into other genres.

having said that, some of the most innovative and genre-bending steel albums from Emmons and Chalker to Rugg and Franklin to Daly and Toy have rarely made a dent anywhere other than the steel guitar community but that's probably true of any "specialty" instrument Winking

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Bill McCloskey · Posted 29 Aug 2024 12:45 pm

I've been thinking of this very subject recently.

My move to D13 has allowed me to rethink what I want to do on this instrument. It is just far enough removed from E9 and C6 cliches to make it something truly new. I never came up through country music, and was never really interested in learning the country repertoire, and as I was noodling yesterday I thought, man...how did this great instrument get so pigeon holed? It is capable of so much more, and so many other musical expressions. I learn these licks and phrases to help me learn the neck but I'm much more interested to see where this music journey will take me, far away from the standard country or western swing or hawaiian fare.

My next project will be to bring to life old Alkire sheet music, written in 30's, like I was doing when I was playing eharp. And to recreate some of the old Alkire jazz recordings. And I want to start to compose again. The D13 has available so many options and effects, added to kemper with infinite number of amp/effect/cabinet effects at my finger tips.

At 70, i have zero interest in performing. I enjoy playing for the sake of the song. Perhaps getting something recorded for posterity. That equals a happy life and a happy retirement. When all else fails or disappoints, playing is a sacred thing that restores my soul. Gives me something to do with my hands when I don't want to think. Gives me someplace other to put my mind when I'm feeling low.

I'll leave the future of the instrument to others. I'll enjoy the moments behind the steel as if they were my last.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

The singer and the guitar player in our band are interested in what I do. No-one else I can think of. Certainly not audiences. It's a good job I find it fascinating or I'd give it up.
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Bobby Martin · From: Virginia, USA

I'm playing for anyone who is listenig at events and bars here in the northern Shenandoah Valley. At 72 I'm still fired up to play my best copies of the famous country/country rock standards. Our fan base is relatively the same age as us "old timers" but they appreciate the live band vibe. Wish there were more youngsters taking the instrument up,but if they aren't then it's up to us to keep these sounds legitimate and performed respectfully. Sure was a different scene back in the '70's......
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Terry Winter · From: Saskatchewan, Canada

The three groups I play with like the steel and so do the people we regularly play for. As far as the rest.....most don't know what a steel is. Couple of weeks ago we played at Cypress Park at the Ampetheatre and a gentleman and his two young daughters approached me after full of questions about my D10. Why two necks, what are the tunings , what do the floor pedals and knee levers do and on and on. Kind of nice for the attention. haha. The one girl played piano the other violin, could tell they were really into music.

Mike Preuss · From: Mount Vernon, Washington, USA

I play for the muse. A handful of bandmates and audience members enjoy my playing, and for that I thank them. I enjoy sharing the sounds that give me goosebumps.

Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

I play occasionally with a country praise band. Most of what we've done has been at "cowboy churches" and the folks attending are generally salt-of-the-earth country people. You'd expect them to be steel-familiar, but just about every time a steel-heavy song will get a round of surprised applause, and I've often been asked about how a steel works.

I've even been ever-so-gently hit upon by the little old church-ladies. Winking

I think my point is that if people hear it played pretty they'll get interested.

Brooks Montgomery · From: Idaho, USA

I think steel guitar is like cilantro.
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A banjo, like a pet monkey, seems like a good idea at first.

Pat Chong · From: New Mexico, USA

You’re right, but any instrument can be like cilantro: it can be overpowering if one overdoes it. Music can also be compared to a conversation, where each takes their turn at what they sing or play.

As far as people not appreciating the steel’s sound, that usually happens when things are played well, the way they expect….but if one plays off or out of tune………..

…Pat

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Douglas Schuch · From: Valencia, Philippines

I'm way out here in the hinterlands for country music, as I live in Dumaguete, Philippines. Since I first passed through this area and spent some time 14 years ago, it has become a very popular retirement location for Americans and Europeans: reportedly, 10% of the population are expats, and there are a number of resto-bars that cater to the expat crowd. Typically, the bands that play these venues are classic rock bands, and that's the music most seem to prefer. My band, however, is playing country/rock, mixed in with some blues, Western Swing, Rockabilly, and even some bluegrass tunes, but played more country style. And surprisingly, the band has been very well received. And the pedal steel in particular has garnered a lot of attention, despite the fact that I am a perpetual novice player. The Americans usually know what it is, but the Brits, Aussies, and Euros typically do not, but are intrigued by it.

We don't gig a bunch - maybe we will get there, but being mostly old guys ourselves, we are content to do maybe 1 gig a month, and move around to different venues to try to reach new fans. Our growing following will typically turn up wherever we play.

I'm a little surprised at how many really know our music - at least, the older stuff we do. There is typically a couple people in the audience who know every song we play! But even the ones in the audience who've never heard of NRPS, Flying Burrito Bros, or Peter Rowan have been reacting very favorably.

I'd like to start getting more Filipinos coming to hear us play - currently it's mostly the wives/GF's of the expats that make up the local portion of our audience. We've mostly played either as part of a multi-band mini-festival with modest ticket prices, or with a door charge as we are still becoming know to the bar owners - they typically have a Filipino cover band doing pop stuff on the weekends, and are concerned about getting a big enough crowd to pay us on a week night - but so far we've always had a solid turnout, even with a small door charge. And any door charge can be a hindrance to most Filipinos, who have limited disposable income. We are pretty confident that, as our reputation grows more venues will be seeking us out to play their bar (and pay us to do so - going pay here is about $9/each a night. But then, that's also the going day wage here, so hard to expect more). We, of course, are doing it for fun, and typically spend the "pay" or "door charge" to get a burger and some beer and go home with no more money than we started with. But I'm loving it!
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Bringing steel guitar to the bukid of Negros Oriental!

Sam Inglis · From: United Kingdom

A good question.

If I love something I always find myself wanting to learn how to do it. As a teenager that was programming computers, then I moved on to music. I always loved the sound of the pedal steel but held off buying one because they are rare in the UK, very expensive, and because it's a notoriously difficult instrument to learn.

When I finally did buy one it took me a long time to get past the bottom of the learning curve. I realised that this was only going to happen if I put myself out there and joined a band. If I stuck with playing for myself I was never going to get better. I did that, and although I'm still a very basic player, it's been a lot of fun. The band appreciate it and I usually get at least one person coming up to me after a gig to talk about it.

So, my initial motivation was a selfish one, but it's playing for other people that has made me follow through on it.

Dennis Detweiler · From: Solon, Iowa, US

Simply put, instrumentals don't sell well to the "general" public unless they recognize the tune (Steel Guitar Rag, Wipeout, Sleepwalk, Last Date). Those educated in music will appreciate beyond that. Sometimes it's fun to re-arrange an instrumental, like (Blue Jade played in 3/4). Outside of instrumentals, my job as a sideman is to help make the vocalists sound their best. If the crowd dwindles, it's time to make changes before the club owner says, "you're done." Embarassed

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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8.

chuck lemasters · From: Jacksonburg, WV

Last night at a resort gig, a lady came up to me and asked, “Is that a steel guitar?” I answered yes… she replied, “I just love the sound of that thing!”. That’s good enough for me.

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

San Antonio is the one of the last areas to feature fiddle and steel guitar regularly in local clubs .
Dancing clubs used to be a mainstay for local entertainment.
Now most people are staring at their phones, on the computer or watching cable TV.
Venues are struggling, Bands are struggling.
Pedal steel is normally the 5th or 6th member in a small band and is expendable in a bands budget.
Most audiences now days don't know the difference between a screaming lead guitar or a "What The Hell Is That Thing??"
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Little Walter PF-89.
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Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Last weekend I sat in with a Bakersfield style country band at a 55+ community. We played one set of Hag, Willie, Waylon, etc. Most of the audience was 75+ years old, many using walkers and wheelchairs, and this was in the Philadelphia suburbs, not exactly renowned for its affinity for country music. Nevertheless, I have never had so many people come up to me after a show and tell me how much they loved hearing me play. Probably even more than after one of my sets at a steel show. I was quite taken aback.
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Maybe Fred's question goes deeper. Who are we really playing for? I suppose it depends somewhat on one's situation.

A professional player and/or studio musician has to satisfy the producers and artists and probaby has to take a back seat to what they would like to play sometimes. That's their job.

Weekend warriors and hobbyists may have different goals. If you're playing in a band with 4 or 5 other people, I guess you'd have to arrange things to interact and get along with them.

For the general audience, they probably don't know anything about your instrument and your level of ability. All the know is if you play badly or have a pleasing sound.

Hobbyists have no one to satisfy but themselves and possibly their mate and close circle of friends to jam with.

Those of us in the geezer group may not even keep up with the music being made by a younger generation and different styles of music and the pedal steel guitar's role there. There's a lot of that out there I'm finding even though I'm not looking for it.

It seems to me, that the steel has less impotance overall than it did have in it's heyday of country music. Yes, things change but change is not always for the better IMO.

I don't expect it to gain much more, if any, popularity in the massive world of music than it has now.

Tucker Jackson · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

I have a lot of hope -- but maybe my situation is not typical.

Part of it is geography. For some unknown reason this is a hardcore steel town. Larry Behm regularly throws jams that bring out hoards of players. Probably more players here per capita than anywhere outside Nasvhille or Austin. There's so much appreciation for steel.

The other part is the style you play. I'm in 5 bands that all play original Americana-adjacent music, but have also played in more adventurous projects in the past. Busy. Got a recording session tomorrow, and was on the NPR-affilitate radio station two days ago (the 4th time there over the years, with different bands). Wish I could brag that it was all me, but I'm not special (that's the point)... it's that there are plenty of original artists and their audiences that are INTO the sound of the steel guitar. You just have to seek them out and offer your services.

It's probably the first exposure for a lot of folks and they're usually amazed by that sound. Even younger people who grew up on country radio haven't really heard much steel -- at least not turned up loud in the mix! But once they finally hear it, it's love. This bodes well.
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Dennis Detweiler · From: Solon, Iowa, US

Jim, I relate. One Tuesday per month, we play the Elks club. They are there to dance to Country. All geezers and I'm 75. All retirees and most in their 70's and 80's. Some 90's. I call them the sweaters and wheelchairs crowd. Very Happy

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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8.

Greg Vincent · From: Folsom, CA USA

When playing for myself, I enjoy messing around with jazzy/swingy phrases, but on recordings, I have found that the client is rarely interested in that stuff. They just want two or three classic country-sounding phrases, and that’s it. (Or, if it’s a more “avant-garde” project… whale noises.) 🐳
😆😆😆

Long story short: I mostly play for myself now. 😉

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

Not too long after I started listening to country music as a kid in the eighties, I was watching a Ricky Skaggs video called "Don't Get Above Your Raisin' while spending the afternoon with my aunt Denise. As we watched the video, I noticed an instrument that looked like a table with strings on it, and asked Denise what it was, and she told me it's the steel guitar. A few years later, at the age of eight, I was at a show called the Carolina Opry and saw a steel guitar onstage for the first time, and even now, I still think the steel guitar is amazing! I play steel because of my love for country music, and as a steel player with cerebral palsy in my left hand, as much as I love to sing, I felt like I can't be just a guy who holds a microphone, so I wanted an instrument to play too, which was a crazy process, due to cerebral palsy, meaning I was figuring out what instrument would work best. The way I look at steel guitarists is, a lot of steel guitar players are sidemen, and when I played steel guitar shows for thirteen years, although I loved how the steel was featured, I always wanted to play behind another singer, so I played steel behind two wonderful friends of mine in two different years-Laney Hicks in 2006 and Dawn Jackson in 2017. I now play at home and record my playing to see how a song will sound with my playing on my cellphone, play it back and listen, and if I like how it sounds, the song stays, but if not the song gets recorded again at a later time.

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