New old steel players

Bill Llewellyn · From: San Jose, CA

To complement Ted Solesky's "New young steel players" thread, I felt compelled

Will Houston · From: Tempe, Az

At least you have a musical background.I just turned 51. I,ve had a non pedal for about 21\2 yrs, and I've been taking lessons for 1 yr. In April I got a pedal and started the lessons on that.Now I'm really dicouraged.When I first started I thought maybe I could get good enough to get in a band someday. I realize now that chances of that happening are slim and none. I had a PSG about 12 yrs ago but didn't stick with it, I wish I had now. Will

Uwe Haegg · From: Hilleroed, Denmark

IMHO it`s never too late to start learning new things.
I started out playing PSG about 25 years ago
on a double-10 ShoBud but got frustrated with it, partly because I wasn`t learning fast enough and partly because I couldn`t get the guitar to stay in tune. At that time there was no Steel Guitar Forum to help you out

.
I also wanted to do everything right away which just isn`t possible with Steel Guitar.

For that reason I stopped and I haven`t been playing Steel for 20 years, which I now regret.

This February I turned 44 and I started playing again and this time I intended to do it right.
I have ordered myself a brand new Carter U-12 and I am currently "working" my way through a bunch of Joe Wright video tapes, starting from scratch, having a great time.

An old friend I used to play with in a band
called and asked if I were interested
in playing steel in a country rock band.
44 - too old ??? NOT...! The fun is just about to begin

.

Hang in there Will - I bet you`ll get on the
bandstand eventually and you`ll be great.

Earl Yarbro · From: Bowie, Texas, USA

Bill, I'm 73 and have been attempting to master the steel for about 3 years. Haven't got there yet, but Im having a whole lot of fun. The local gatherings have put up with me, and I appreciate it very much because this is a pretty good learning situation playing with this group. I really don't expect to give Lloyd or John or Herby much competition, So Nashville if probably safe, but........... who knows?

Bill, thanks for your topic, have been wondering how many more old coots are working on the steel. Regards,
Earl

ZUM - 8-4
ZB - ll-4

Tony Orth · From: Evansville, Indiana, USA

How about a "New Middle-Aged Steel Player" thread. That would be me at 50. With a year and a half under my belt and a brand new Emmons, I'm having a blast!

The only down side about steel....
Since I've moved from bass to steel, the women have stopped noticing me.
Aw, who cares. I've got an Emmons!
(oh, and a wife).

Tony
Steel Rockin' in Indiana

Reggie Duncan · From: Mississippi

"Since I've moved from bass to steel,
the women have stopped noticing me."

Surely you are kidding?

Carl West · From: La Habra, CA, USA (deceased)

Shoot Guys . . . Add me to the list of ole koots . .At 66 and after 21 years in the business and after retirement from a job at UL Labs, I'm hav'in a great time pick'in and grin'in all over again. However after laying off 29 years, I'm do'in more pick'in than grin'in,and hit'in too many bad licks . . Man I hope the grin'in starts soon !!

Carl West
Emmons D-10

Mark Tomeo · Posted 7 Jun 2002 6:53 am

quote:
"Since I've moved from bass to steel,
the women have stopped noticing me."
Surely you are kidding?

Nooooo. It's no joke. Pedal steel vies with the tuba as the world's least sexy instrument. I'm always depressed when I see photos from steel conventions and jams. They make steel look like the most boring, awkward, uncomfortable pursuit imaginable. One look and you can see why hardly any young players want to take it up. The irony here is that steel sounds so much better than it looks. The only decent looking player is Johan Jansen - he looks like the David Duchovny of steel guitar.

Bill Llewellyn · From: San Jose, CA

Earl, you started at 70? That's great! I love it. Don't worry, I thnk that most who start even at 7 would have a hard time dethroning Hughey and company.

Ken Frazier · From: Phoenix, AZ, USA

Well I don't feel so bad now that I've read this thread. I thought it was just me. I'm 66 years old and decided to go crazy and learn PSG. I am no newcomer to country music having played drums and bass for 37 years. I got out of music in 1987 but still had all of my equipment.I bought a Carter starter in Nov of last year and suddenly discovered that my brain has had a musical lobotomy. My brain knows what to do but my hands and fingers seem to say phooey on you I'm doing something else. Even my little poodle leaves the room. But I'm having fun. Every once in a while I hit a good lick and scare the hell out of myself. Oh well what the hell, makes for good converstion on this forum. All us ole Farts have got to stick together
Keep on pickin
Ken Frazier

Ron Castle · From: West Hurley,NY

I started on a maverick back in 76, played it for a year and it drove me crazy, wouldnt stay in tune. At 51, (5 years ago) my wife convinced me to get a steel again (I gave up playing tenor sax after 35 yrs because of tooth problems). Actually she coecered me by
calling me cheap- so I jumped in and bought a new E9, then traded that on a new u-12, now playing an E96/B69 and waiting on my new Fessy 14str.
Never dreamed of having so much fun & pleasure from a machine!

Thom Ferman · From: Las Vegas, NV, USA

Bill you're definitely not alone here. I just turned 47 and have taken up PSG after 39 years of playing guitar and bass. I've been playing PSG all of a couple of months, mostly working with Newman's videos and trying to find my way around some favorite PSG oldies, visiting Ricky's tab site and listening to as much PSG as possible. Yeah, it's really intimidating, frustrating and hard work, but I haven't been this motivated musically since I was a kid trying to figure out the latest Aerosmith song. I'm actually getting up a half hour early every day to practice, and usually burn the midnight oil as well. Sure I'd like to get good enough to play out and sound good, but I gotta admit I'm enjoying the ride and love the learning process. I guess, just take it one step at a time, stay goal oriented but most of all, enjoy the moment of discovery. Best o' luck to all us PSG pickin' wannabe ol' farts! And God bless -b0b- for this wonderful forum!

------------------
Thom
----------
Carter D10
Rickenbacker Electro, C6
Nashville 1000

Leonard G. Robertson · From: Ozark, Mo. USA

Bill, I am 60and started PSG about 3yrs. ago also. I've always sang, played rhythm, and some lead guitar. Took up dobro later on, then got the bug for PSG. I now take the steel to local amateur jams couple of times a week. Occassionaly I sub for my dobro, so as not to wear out my welcome. I get too much "zing" and need to improve my blocking. My friends have been very tolerant while I learn. I love the challenge.

Allen · From: Littleton, CO USA

Bill,
Add me to the list of "Old but New". Other then having a love of music(especially country), a good ear, and great desire to learn the steel, music theory and have fun, I waited until retirement at age 61. Now been learning all of the above for two years.
What a blast this is, especially meeting all of the wonderful PSG folks.
Allen

------------------
Allen Harry
Mullen D-10, 8 & 6
Nashville 1000

Eric Jaeger · From: Oakland, California, USA

I must fall into the "new-but-old" category, since I'm 50. I took up PSG a two years ago on a Maverick and upgraded this year to a Sho-Bud Professional. I've played guitar/bass for over thirty years, but the PSG is making me learn more about music faster than at any other time. Progressions that were on "full-auto" on guitar have required me to think on PSG -- a good thing.

I played out a fair bit through the 70's and then faded out of music for the decade of the 80's. I restarted about ten years ago, and wandered into dobro/lap/PSG out of a desire for something more ... out there. Not only am I learning more, I'm enjoying it more than I have in years.

But I still think the PSG was invented by the debbil hisself, just to keep us aggravated.

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

I am 70.

Wow, just writing that awful number makes me shutter. I just have one question.

Where in the world did the time go? I epitomize the oft' quoted saying,

"Ve grrrow tu soon oldt, un too late schmart!"

Man on man, hallelujah, "ye gods and little fishies". Wow! Oh well. Que Sera, Sera!

From the early 40's I have wanted to be a good steel player. I still do. I wish I could play as good as the worst player out there could. I can't. It is NOT in me.

When my Savior passed out talents, I got my share, BUT playing music was NOT one of them. None the less, I still would like to.

So for 60 yrs I have tried to play this thing we call a steel guitar. I started on an old Sears Silvertone with a raised nut. Migrated to an ole "Electromuse" flat ugly 6 string electric "hawaryun git--tar'".

Then traded it in on a 6 string National New Yorker in the late 40's with a tone to die for (oh how I wish I had that now). Then traded that in on a Fender triple neck "custom" with a tone NOT to die for. But everybody had one, so I had to have one too on in the early 50's. Heck, I was gonna play 'jes lack ole johnny Siebert backin ole Carl Smith!

"Yeah right!!"

Then in the late 50's I traded it in on a Fender 400 with 6 pedals. My pride and joy. I could now get that Bud Isaacs sound. I was extremely happy. Oh how I did love that sound. Yesiree bobtail. I could mayshhhhh them pedals all night long and "jes listen at dat sound."

"Wheweeee mama, day gonna make me a star. I'm gonna git on the gran old opra" and play mah steel git=tar" Dreamer that I was. Cuz Ah never heeeeerd a two yung whippersnappers name a buddy edmunds and ole jimmy daytime.

Cuz if'n ah had, I would took a chain sawer to my "aks" and put a stop ta my dreamin dat Chit Akins was a gonna make me a star on Dubya ES EM.

But life is one big dream. So I 'jes wouldn't listen to em. And I took and went and traded that aloonyman cad Finder fo a bran noo Emmons' Dubal neck wid 9 pedals and git this will ya; it had two (dats right 2!) nee levers. Cuz that is what ole Bud light brew had done and done!

Now if my first dream was pretty. It did not hold a kandul stik ta this purty beeeeutymus Dubal neck. Nosiree bobwiser. It be the mostess and bestest of em all. So I begana dreemin while a pushin ana pullin.

Just flat knowed Chit was gonna ring that tely foney any minut. Sho wish ole buddy what's his name woulda told us that NO body gonna do it but him and ole jimmy crack korn.

So I played that P/P sapsucker for a long time.

HOLD ON CARL. WOAH BOY. STOP! STOP IT RIGHT HERE!!

"'jest a minute son. What did you just say? Did I hear you say you played a Emmons P/P?"

"Son, let me tell you something. You may sit behind one of them git-tars, but play it you cain't. And don't let me every hear you say you can."

"I sorry"

"OK buster brown. And don't you fergit it either!!"

"okay".

(under my breath) "well ya didn't have to be su dadgum brutally honest, ya dadburn no it all!!"

"And that goes for the horse ya rode in on too!!"

Then I heeeard that Emmons was a makun a Lee Grant git-tar. Wheweee bobtail fly. Now that is what I wont. Cuz if'n I git one of dem, I know I kin play. Cuz, it be da latess and gratess.

So, takin money from the wife and kids (Carl they are not kids any longer!!) I sent ole Ron Lashlee a check and got me a bran noo Lee "Grant me the power dear Lord" to play lack buddy Edmunds.

And thin, I saw that smilin, speed picker on the stage a tha convinshun. And U know what he done and done? He done and bought a See error! Ya durn tootin he did. Jes lack he had good cents. And that sapsucker wasa playin a white un. Dont it beet all!!

Yesireeee Bobwiper he wasa doin it. Whiter than a fair skinned lady that ain't never been out in the SUN!!

So I figgerd. "If Bud Light kin git that kinda sound outa that Seeerry that is whiter than Snow white, I figger if'n ah gits one 2, I figer AH could play lack him. And thiun, Ole chit would har me and make me a star on the grande old whatever.

So I went over to the Seeering booth and met ole Don and said git me ona dem lack heesa pikun. But minya, it gotta be white!

Ole Don said, "Carl, I can let you have this green one at a show discount". I said, "no siree bob white. IF Buddy Eddmoons is a gittin that sound outa dat white as snow one, I can git hard by chit and play on the grand forks railroad! oops I meant grand OLD oprah Winfree! Oh heck, whatever!"

So I got me a white un with 9 and 9. Cept onlyiest one problem. I couldn't play it NO better than any of the otherns. Couldn't believe I spent all that money, and a white one to bute and yet got the same old sound I always got.

Gotta be something wrong with this git-tar. Why if Ole Chit Akins was ta hear it, No way he would let me play on that stage. why he wudden e'em let me into the state let along the stage!

And that brings us up to the age a 70. Done sold my P/P. My seeerrah. Still got me Lee Marvin (Grant's tumb, sorry

) git-tar. And 1 more. But that is a guitar of a diferent color, shape AND sound.

Course there is only one problem. I can't play it either. But what can I say? Jes cause I cain't play is NO sign I caint enjoye the ride. Thanks be to my precious Lord. And I have loved every second of it. Praise Jesus' holy name,

carl

Jim Whitaker · From: Ohio, USA

48 here. Played Bass & guitar for a living for 23 years & retired 4 years ago. Always loved the steel so I decided to take it up last September. Of course I work a 45 hour a week job so I don't have a ton of time to spend on it but I have a great wife so I practice as much as possible. Joe Wright videos here also & I love it. I hope to someday be able to stand hearing myself play & just maybe cut some tracks in my mini studio in the basement. Thanks for the thread the help & all the great people I have run across on this GREAT GREAT Forum. I'll keep steelin as long as I'm breathin.
ps. Thanks again b0b!!!
ps ps any easy easy tab that someone has laying around would have a good home here with Jim.. :-)

------------------
JIM
"Carter SD10" "73" MSA S10, "74" LTD & NASHVILLE 400, Profex II "55" Esquire, "63 Epiphone, "63" Precision,
"71" Jazz

Steven Welborn · From: Ojai,CA USA

great thread. Im 51, played guitar/sang, clubs, bars since I was a kid. Walked away from music in my early 30's. Didnt play much for 10 yrs. Started playing guitar in church bout 11 yrs. ago. Realized music was what I was about after all and started learning steel seriously almost 10 yrs ago. Ive been in one band as a steeler(not country), been playin it in church for about 5 yrs. Doing some small local recording projects at present.some good results...some flubs. I hope to fix em. I still feel like a new player though as I've never gone through the boot camp of a steady giggn' traditional country band. Feeling lately though like Im ready to jump in that fire and survive(if they were a patient and kind bunch) if such a vehical surfaced. Struggling to be a competant steeler late in life is no small challenge but it does come with perseverence. Sure wish I had the energy and pain free back I had in my twenties though. Good to learn this is a pretty sizeable club.

[This message was edited by Steven Welborn on 07 June 2002 at 08:43 PM.]

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Carl-What a great story! Lots of humor there and lots of truth.

Maybe you should write a book like Jody Carver doing.

I am sure there would be a lot of interest. Thanks for all your fine postings...al

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

It's rather amazing how similar each of these posts are. Carl...a most entertaining and truthful presentation of "reality" steel playing.....I enjoyed it very much.
I'm 66 this month...been playing since age 7. For years I chased the "BIG NAMES" and wanted to discover EVERYTHING they did and how they did it. After all of these many years and many rewarding playing experiences, I'm still not as good as I was when just 17-19 years of age.
But one lesson I have learned from the hundreds of steel guitar enthusiasts I've met down thro' the years.........It IS NOT the instrument that makes one a great steel player.........but the person and that burning desire(or lack thereof)within, that determines just how great one might become.
I've learned alot! I know a lot....but will never get to enjoy the kinds of musical successes that those familiar recording artists have... the one's we've all admired for decades. I KNEW that one day, I'd be good enough to appear on the Opry....but alas, it never happened.
The steel guitar IS NOT an easy instrument to learn or master! There will be a genius arise now and then but for the most part, it is a lifetime commitment and/or struggle for the majority of us. That is what has made this challenge so enjoyable for ME!
Discouraged after 3 months? After 3 years? Calm down and do yourself a favor. It is like no other instrument....and not everyone can master it!
A lot of real personal enjoyment can be had however, just by studying, digging, listening, practicing, and rising to the next higher level of achievement. But don't beat it to death or allow it to overwhelm you.
Age is not really a factor as I see it, but rather a willingness to make it a lifetime commitment including all of the time and frustrations that are certain to arise.
No matter your level of success....enjoy it and don't keep comparing yourself with all of the true geniuses! I won't live long enough to achieve the level of success that I have strived a lifetime to reach....however I have enjoyed many, many hours of pleasureable music and friendships.
Don't give in and seek the easy way out.
If it's worth having....it's worth the effort to go for it. Good luck to each of you!

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

What Thom Ferman said, except---

Emmons D-10

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

"Pedal steel vies with the tuba as the world's least sexy instrument"

Really?........*LOL*

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · From: Southaven, MS, USA

It took many years to develop my five-finger-no fingerpick technique. Probably the most difficult area was developing exercises suitable to put the ring and small finger into action---but---it has been well worth the effort! A couple of years before he died, Joaquin Murphey was experimenting with my technique; he said that it was a bit frustrating at first, but he thought that he could work with it. Too bad he passed. Being able to play full five part harmony in both open and closed position is still a thrill, and even more so when I voice my steel with vibes, clarinet, flute, or a 12-man string ensemble. If you have'nt heard, check out my SAMPLE at www.steelguitarbyhughjeffreys.com---Best to all----Hugh

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · From: Southaven, MS, USA

P.S. - My website ends: .com --- not BEST. HJ

Rob Hamilton · From: Acton, MA, USA

Hey, I think there's a club forming here. I started playing a Maverick at age 49 two years ago. Mine was an older one with the raised maple neck and the little rollers on the keyhead, so it stayed in tune pretty well. But I wanted another knee lever to do the E->Eb thing, so traded it for a Pro-I. (I like old wooden things). I've played guitar and bass for 35 years, and often tried bending the notes to get that "steel" sound. Now it's the real deal, and it's a gas.

--Rob Hamilton
Sho-Bud Pro-I

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