Y'all just settle down now......

Gary Morse · From: Nashville,TN

I couldn't stop myself from responding to all of the cries of "The Sky Is Falling.....The Sky Is Falling!"
It seems as if though everyone thinks the steel guitar is doomed and it's the end of the line for all of us. Don't count on it...
This trend of concert acts touring without steel,fiddle or dobro is nothing new. They will soon realize the error of their ways and
learn that their shows are flat and boring without the diversity of instrumentation.
The same holds true of radio. I'm old enough to have weathered several "slow periods" for the steel guitar. Anyone my age still recalls the time when radio became so pop oriented in the late 70's that it was hard to tell whether you had actually dialed in a country station or a pop station.
Most of the Kenny Rogers,Barbara Mandrell,
Dolly Parton,Earl Thomas Conley and even later Conway Twitty hits in the late 70's and early 80's had no steel,fiddle,banjo or dobro.
Producers were all obsessed with crossover hits and the big dollars they brought in. Chet Atkins was one of the biggest advocates of pop country and even made reference to it in one of his last interviews. His tone was somewhat apologetic and he said he might have done as much to hurt country music as he did to help it.
I personally am a steel guitar and dobro fanatic. I am addicted to playing and listening to both instruments and rarely can get enough.
Unlike some players who will only do sessions or only tour I prefer to cover all possible playing situations. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I often do session work all day and then head down to the joints on Broadway
to play a bar gig till 2:00am. And belive me,
there is a steel guitar in nearly every club downtown every night of the week.
Starting next week, I will again be touring with Dwight Yoakam for the summer. We will be part of the five act lineup for the Brooks and Dunn "Neon Circus" tour. Just for the record, I know for a FACT that at least 3 out of the 5 acts have steel guitar and fiddle BOTH on stage. I'm speaking of Gary Allan, Dwight Yoakam, and Brooks and Dunn. The other two acts had at least fiddle the last time I saw them and may be carrying steel this year as well.
History has repeated itself over and over in regards to the popularity of the steel guitar. It tends to go in cycles but I have no doubt that it is well on its way back and will be stronger than ever in the near future.
We steel guitarists must remember that we can be part of the problem or part of the solution. If the steel guitar is to have a bright future, we must all have an open mind as to the many situations and ways it can be applied.
Many of the steel players who we now consider to be traditionalists were considered to be on the "cutting edge" during their younger days and were even seen as being too far out for some old school players.
Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer players who are trying to expand the steel guitar's boundaries. There is room for both traditional players and ground breaking players. I feel that we as a community should welcome new ways of using the steel guitar in all types of music while never turning our backs on what we alreay hold dear to our hearts.
Negativity breeds negativity...but I belive the same is true for being postive. In my opinion, this is a time to reflect on how far the steel guitar has come and how far it still has to go in its evolution.
Just at the Outlaws (Willie and Waylon) and later on the "New Traditionlists" (Randy Travis and Alan Jackson for starters) stepped up to the plate to save us from the mundane wasteland that radio had become.......so shall it be again.
History will repeat itself and perhaps sometime 30 years from now there will be a bunch of steel players sitting around talking about the good old days back in the year 2010 when everybody had steel players and the end of the world wasn't in sight..........

Robert Todd · From: Atlanta, Georgia USA

Tell 'em Gary. I think your work on Dwight Yokum CDs is awesome (especially I'm living in a shade of blue), and the Deraillers full country dress, or the Mavericks with Bruce Bouton are playing great stuff. Don't even get me started on the Sacred steelers. Every band I've played with have loved having the diversity and I'm a far better guitarist than steel player.

Johan Jansen · From: Europe

Nice words Gary!!

JJ

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Great essay Gary! I strongly agree.

Hope you're still planning to be in Grand Rapids this weekend.

Here's a plug for your new CD:
Buy it from b0b at http://b0b.com/products/garymorse.html

Great music and you'll be supporting this forum!

-j0ey-

B Bailey Brown · From: San Antonio, TX (USA)

I agree 100% with both Gary and Mr. Cole. I well remember those times in the 70’s that Gary refers to, as I was in the radio business and still a DJ at the time. Producers like Billy Sherrill (I only mention his name because it was the first that came to mind, but there were many others) started moving away from “traditional” country instruments and arrangements, and using big string sections. It was not long before it sounded like the Boston Philharmonic was backing all the Country artists! I am not knocking what these guys did, because they produced a lot of hits and made a lot of money for their respective companies. The Steel and the traditional country fiddle did take a backseat for a while, but they came back.

When they did come back, the playing was different, as were the players. I don’t find that to be a bad thing. I love the old 60’s type of steel, but I also like a lot of what I hear being played currently. Frankly, I did not like ALL of the steel I heard in the 60’s! Some of it was really great, and some of it was highly mediocre…just like a lot of the records that were produced. Same goes for current times. There are some great artists, and some great playing being done nowadays. There are also some artists whose records were never released…they somehow ESCAPED! (Old radio joke)

I don’t always know a lot about music, but over the years I have noticed that it constantly evolves. Whatever was being done 5 years ago is probably not being done as much today because somebody came up with a new “twist” on how to sell a record. Again, I don’t think this is a bad thing. If you don’t like it…don’t buy it or listen to it!

For a various number of reasons, the sound of a cash register “ringing” is what runs the country. The guy who can figure that one out usually gets a job making a couple of hundred grand a year. The guy that has a brilliant idea that falls flat on it’s face…well, 6 months later he is working the all night gig at the local “Stop & Rob” for $6.50 an hour!

B. Bailey Brown

Joe Miraglia · From: Jamestown N.Y.

Gary--right on! As for me, steel guitar is bigger than ever. After ten years, I am in a working band. Thank God I didn't take up the accordian! Joe

B Bailey Brown · From: San Antonio, TX (USA)

Well Joe, you could have taken up the Accordion. But then you would have had to move to Texas and play in a Tejano band. Hmmmm…some of those guys make a lot more than Steel players and work a lot more frequently! And another point, they don’t have to carry all that heavy stuff into, and out of each gig.

Wait a minute! Let me rethink this situation. Anybody know where I can buy a cheap Accordion??!!

B. Bailey Brown

John Cadeau · From: Surrey,B.C. Canada

Steel is alive and well, case in point. My daughter was out washing her car today. (she refused to do mine), but she had an Elton John cd playing, and low and behold, a song came on with some beautiful steel on it. It's all about broadening our horizons. I see no limit to the steel guitar. I've played in Rock bands, blues bands, and jazz bands. In fact on April 17 I've been invited by the music teacher at the high school where I work to sit in with a jazz combo for their annual Jazz Night. Steel Rules.

Steve Feldman · From: Central MA USA

Interesting comments and points well taken. Ironically, however, I was hoping to see you playing with Dwight the other night on Leno, Gary, but they seemed to have replaced the steel player with 3 'hand clappers'! That was some nice hand clapping, though....

[This message was edited by Steve Feldman on 01 April 2002 at 03:40 PM.]

Gary Morse · From: Nashville,TN

Good point Steve! LOL.......
Actually, Dwight has always had a fair amount of songs that had no steel guitar. Recently that has changed significantly. However, the song he performed on Jay Leno last week was recorded without steel.
If it's any consolation, I was playing that night with a new artist on Epic Records who I think has a great future and just happens to be a big fan of the steel guitar. His name is Brad Martin
and he has a lot of steel on his debut cd (due
in May sometime). The regular steel player for Brad is a fine player named Brook Langton whom I was filling in for. I can see why he enjoys the gig. Lots of fun for the steel player!

Steve Feldman · From: Central MA USA

Gary - I was just teasing, anyway. I WAS actually looking forward to your playing on Leno, though - I've been digging your playing a lot here lately. But I just got real tickled watching those 3 folks clapping along. Didn't utter a peep....just kept clapping and smiling, clapping and smiling. Cracked me up!

Jim Eller · From: Kodak, TN (Michigan transplant)

Gary's right, I just got back from Nashville last night and did not have any trouble finding a PSG in honky tonks along Broadway.

It sure was nice. But, I really have a hard time staying up 24 hours at a time (except when a steel is playing)

Joe Miraglia · From: Jamestown N.Y.

Bill C. You know my Carter will be set up in warren. You may have to drive down to Warren Pa, at the Eagles to see and hear a steel that loves it's owner. But first I'll be over to see and hear your steel,Watch-You Call It. Joe

Jim Park · From: Carson City, Nv

I saw Brad Martin on sat night with LoneStar and both acts had steel........ brad had his considerably higher in the mix. I couldn't hear the name of either player but the fellow with Brad is an excellent player!!!

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

Chris Walke · From: St Charles, IL

Yes, yes! Steel is not going anywhere.

It's popping up quite often in Alt Country, on singer/songwriter albums (that tend to not fit any category easily, Alejandro Escovedo, and the recently bashed Ryan Adams, for example), and in some pop music.

The traditionalists tend to poo-poo the playing of the young steel players as being less refined, or downright sloppy. But, if steel guitar is to thrive, these are some of the outlets. So, maybe the master players should be getting into this kind of music, and showing the younger players just how to pull out THE TONE and how to achieve accurate intonation, how to play sublimely.

If ya don't like how these younger players are playing, step into their house and give them some inspiration. Maybe they need something to strive for, maybe they need some heroes to raise the bar. Be their mentors, not the crabby old guys that bash them.

[This message was edited by Chris Walke on 02 April 2002 at 07:53 AM.]

Bill Llewellyn · From: San Jose, CA

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Gary, coming from you this thread really means alot. I just got back from Nashville and there were plenty of steel players on Broadway.

Johan Jansen · From: Europe

I played the tune in a TVcommercial for a big snack-company in holland. It's a big hit now on all channels on TV in Holland these days. He man, I hear myself about 8 times an hour whole day long (and pays good too

)

Mark Zinns · From: Oakland CA

I get pretty tired of hearing perfectly played, but uninspried steel on some of the country songs out. To me it becomes just fill like a synth playing string fills (kind of Musak-ish) The "sloppy" steel played in alt country and rock can be a lot of fun to listen to. Remember, most of the music listening public does not know when a musician is playing an incredible solo or not. We as purists of our instrument must remember that "Teach Your Children", "All I Wanna Do","Lay, Lady, Lay", "Tears In Heaven" among many others were huge hits and very recognizable in large part because of the steel. Country music is a great part of our heritage, but there are other types of music out there and we should embrace them and strive to make steel a larger force in those areas. Just my opinion.

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Chuck Norris · From: Mesquite, TX, USA

Steel player`s looking to the future, your instrument`s possibilities,not even tapped!!!!
Look to your creative soul`s, there`s changes in the wind. Get YOUR PIECE OF IT!
Chuck Norris NFM

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