Modest but Great Steel Player

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

I had to post this as I was wanting to since I returned home from St.Louis and then my time has been preoccupied with personal issues.
Did I spell that right? well any how..a fellow walked up to at the ISGC and we spoke a bit and I had seen a few not many posts from this fellow,he complimemted me on my induction and then handed me a cd that I took home. I had no cd player in my car.

This is a great CD and a great steel player does it justice. I beleive he is playing a stringmaster and yet at times his technique leads me to beleive he may be using pedals.

The cover of the cd pictures the group with this steel player posing with a triple neck Stringmaster and since we are on the subject of Stringmasters, I thought I would make you all aware of this great steel player,,the word great applies to this fellow.

He is known to be a quiet type and seldom if ever posts but we know him as the best friend
Joaquin Murphey had and saw to it that Joaquin was cared for during his last years.

The Group calls themselves "Riders Of The Purple Sage" If you enjoy traditional western music harmony this will thrill you to hear the harmony of the voices on this CD
It features classic's such as Cool Water, Tumbling Tumbleweeds, Ghost Riders In The Sky
and all those great true beautiful songs of Bob Nolan and others..I have seen and appreciated your comments regarding my hcoa and my playing, but I want to acknowledge a GREAT steel but modest steel player who knocked my socks off with his tasty playing.

This is not a flash in the pan, bang em up kind of cd Its just Great and I want to say to that steel player, friend, you are much to modest for the playing ability and great effort those of you have exhibited on your CD

Mike Johnstone...a GREAT Steel player and a great group that he so fits in like a glove.

Great job Mike and thanks for the cd.

This is a keeper. Modest but great. The sound of Mike's triple neck Stringmaster cuts through and sounds just wonderful.Its these quiet guys like Mike that does his talking with his hands.

Check it out. Man what a CD WOW...my kind of steel playing and great vocals and tunes from yesterday.

Thanks Mike.

edited to add. the vocal harmony and backup steel licks knocked me out and took me back in time when music was music, this is a keeper. I dont know if these are avilable for sale but if so maybe Mike will see this and respond.I appreciate all the favorable comments regarding the hcoa
but I would like to see those who are worthy of praise and recognition receive their due.

Enough about me..there are others who deserve the praise and yet sit back and say nothing of their talents. I had to do this for a GREAT HUMAN being and a GREAT steel player..MIKE JOHNSTONE.

Thanks again. edited to check my spelling.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 14 January 2005 at 09:23 PM.]

Bob Hickish · From: Port Ludlow, Washington, USA, R.I.P.

Jody
Maybe You will get Mike to offer this CD
through your

"Jody Carver's
Fender Stringmaster Club"

I'm sure all of us that are StringMaster users would
enjoy hearing the other Pickers and
what can be accomplished on old Fender .

Bob

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

What can I say. I don't know about "modest" - it's more like the old saying: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt". I can be outspoken about a lot of things but I hate to crow about my own playing - especially around here in the company of the real greats. Speaking of which,it was nice to finally meet you and your lovely wife last summer in St Loo and spend a little time chatting. The CD you mentioned was an unmastered advance copy of our new CD.It will be available soon. Thanks for the vote of confidance on my non-pedal playing. I'm one of those guys who started out on pedals and got hooked on Stringmasters 20 years later. And now that I've been with the Riders a few years,it seems like the only correct instrument to play for that oldtime West coast cowboy stuff.I'm still struggling but it'll come together eventually if I stay with it.I did play pedals on "Ghost Riders" and maybe one other tune because I had more to say than I could express without them. I still am not fully weaned off pedals in the Riders and still bring both instruments altho it is mostly the Stringmaster onstage and on that CD. My problem is keeping up with Cody Bryant who is a world class bluegrass and country jazz multi-instrumentalist along the lines of Jimmy Bryant/Sam Bush/Earl Scruggs.Perhaps when I get more into the E13 neck which is relatively new to me that will totally free me from pedals. I play most of the Stringmaster stuff on the CD using the Joaquin Murphey C6/A9 hybrid except I put the high B as the first string instead of the 8th string like Murph did. I also play a regular dobro 6 string G tuning with two extra high strings on the bottom(E and C)on the middle neck which which makes it a G11 I guess - and that's good for blues and the more "spagetti western" type stuff and the extra strings make it easier to get minors and IV chords among other things. But Thanks again Jody and I hope you're doing OK these days. Just know that everyone in the steel guitar community holds you in the highest regard and wishes you well. -MJ-
www.ridersofthepurplesage.com

Loni Specter · From: West Hills, CA, USA

Hey Mike,
When do I get to hear a copy of that "Riders" cd?

BTW I consider Mike to be a true friend and you can always depend on him for an honest, no nonsense opinion on any topic. He's been a great source of information and support in my efforts to market my steel products. Many of the improvements to them were suggested by Mike. (I'm not sure about mounting stear skulls on the headstock

)
His dedication to all things steel is inspireing.
Mike and his 1"x 4" steel bar take no prisoners!
Thanks !
( was this kinda like a roast?)

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