How many steelplayers in 25 years?

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

I have noticed at all the steel shows that I have attended, most people there are over 50 years old. So in 25 years, who will take our places? Is this an indication that there are very few young people playing steel or is it that only the older guys go to the steel shows? Should we be doing something to get young players involved to insure a future for our instrument? Will there even be enough left to have a St. Louis convention?

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

I'm now 50 too but I first went in 1988. After reading the article in our newspaper it really does put it into perspective how hard our instrument is to play. I don't remember who said it but unless you're infected with steel guitar right off, your chances of sitting down and playing something and sticking with it are pretty slim. It's going to take rock players and pop players to bring the instrument out of it's one dimensional mode. We know it's much more than that but the rest of the world doesn't know and may never find out. Country isn't nearly as popular as the rest of the music out there world wide so it's going to take more than the country players to spread the message. That article in todays paper here said more than I've ever heard at one time about our instrument and done it with real style. More articles like that and some instrumental music on the radio could turn it around somewhat.

Gerald Menke · From: Stormville NY, USA

Well, I certainly hope I will be among them. I'm 33, which doesn't make me that young really, but I am as serious a steel addict as one could be. Maybe in 25 years I'll be making a living doing what I really love, playing steel guitar.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

A good point! When I started out, there were so many, many different steel guitar artists.......with so many varied styles and each top vocalist had one of these fine steel players as a key element in his band.
When I first heard "Boot Heel Drag" with Bob Wills.....I couldn't learn it fast enough. This also required me to figure out WHAT tuning it was, and how to play in that tuning. In this way, I was able to expand my steel guitar playing base.
All the other steel players of that time contributed in a major fashion to the kind of playing I have loved and can't ever get enough of. It was our local c/w disc jockey's that took our requests and played the tunes we enjoyed hearing. Also, bringing to us, songs and artists we'd never before heard of.........all of whom had a distinctive steel guitar style/influence.
WIth todays' crowd however.......I'm afraid that a prospective new steel guitar advocate simply has much less choice to spark his/her imagination. Most all records today sound the same, vocalists and steel guitarists as well. This is sad. It's sad for the industry and also for the instrument itself.
If the sound of one of todays' steel players doesn't reach out and grab a listeners' ear, the next one he/she hears likely will not do so either. These newbies have no concept of who BIG E is.....or any of the other great pickers. Many, I'm sure, have no idea of WHERE to find records/tapes/CD's of our GREATEST pickers.
One doesn't ordinarily find them at the local ROCK & ROLL record shoppe, where the long haired, body pierced, rainbow colored hair and leather dressed dysfunctional teen-age is firmly ensconsed behind the counter and in complete control.
I believe the job of recruiting is going to be the primary responsibility of YOU and ME......until our last gasp of breath. The Opry used to be a great source but after watching for an hour what I interpreted to be looks of frustration on the face of talented Tommy White or his empty chair and lonely steel guitar on last Saturday's reallllllly BIG SHOE.....I'm now convinced that the Opry has dried up and is just waiting to be blown away.
Now that we know and understand what the objective is, and what the obstacles are, let's go out and grab the imagination of
some young and impressionable younger
person and lead them toward the steel guitar.
The good ole days of country steel guitar are fading rapidly...... Ah yessss...

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I would add that most of the folks coming to the local dances to hear the local Country bands that may have a Steel Player are also in the " Not very young" catagory. I too have recognized that for the most part the older players clearly out number the younger players, what does all this mean, ? I guess it's yet to be determined. At 53 I hope to pickin' for many more years..and I do intend to go to one of the local music store guitar nights and play for all the young metal heads, maybe there will be one or two that "HEAR" the Steel and will get hooked like we did.

tp

Perry Hansen · From: Bismarck, N.D.

Well said, Ray.

Kenny Dail · From: Kinston, N.C. R.I.P.

Amen...Ray!!!

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kd...and the beat goes on...

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

You can thank the comparative rarity of steel players now for the fact that we have steel conventions, and that they are a success. While expanding steel in new directions would open up opportunities for some of us, how many players would go to a steel convention that featured mostly rock or jazz steel players? Not nearly as many as those that go to the more "traditional" shows now, I assure you!

The simple fact is that 30-45 years ago, you didn't have to go to a convention or steel jam to hear steelers...they were everywhere in country music! Now, to hear a lot of steel, that's about the only venue we have left. Steel has been relegated to a supporting, or "color" role, and the days of a hot steel intro on a new recording are all but gone.

So, you see George, there's an up-side to the situation you describe, and a down-side as well. All I can do is to ask that you support the steelers we have now by going to the shows and jams, buying steel CD's, and by hanging in there with the rest of us here at the Forum!

And besides, with a little luck, most the 50+ year-old steelers that are around now will still be playing a little in another 25 years. So when they play, go see 'em, cut 'em a little slack, and give 'em a big hand.

They deserve it.

Joe Miraglia · From: Jamestown N.Y.

I think the Steel Guitar is a little like the Stock Market. Up and down,up and down. it will go up with different stock holders

Joe

Joe Miraglia · From: Jamestown N.Y.

I would like to add, look how many steel players on this forum played guitar first and and than started learning steel when they were older. Joe

Doug Seymour · From: Jamestown NY USA (deceased)

Here's a thought about all the older guys at all the steel shows! Maybe all the younger
ones are out working w/a band on a gig somewhere!! Think about it!

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

I think my friends Joe and Uncle Doug have some good ideas rooted in many years of history and observation.

My personal observation:
I went to Scotty's for the first time about 25 years ago and, subsequently, went back for 12 or 14 years in a row. I noticed every year that the average age was about 50; I was about 25 and it seemed like a really old crowd. I got to see Billy Bowman and Leon McAuliffe and all of the pioneers -- I consider myself fortunate. I have been to other shows, like the Hall of Fame show we have each year in Grand Rapids. Same thing. Average age is about 50. You will see the occasional 30-something, quite a few 40-somethings, and a lot of 50 and up.

My conclusion, similar to that of Joe and Doug, is that the steel guitar, in its traditional context, does not interest 20-somethings -- GenX or GenY -- or whatever. Most folks who appreciate steel have listened to a lot of different music and usually appreciate the three traditional genres of steel: country, western, and Hawaiian. They are happy to listen to a lot of instrumental music and schmaltzy old standards, perhaps with a tear in their eye remembering 'back when'.

Kids need more excitement. Perhaps Robert Randolph or the other younger players can bring some of the personality of the steel to younger audiences. For it to be accepted it has to sing songs that the audience can identify with. 'Touch My Heart' and 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' are great songs, but very few young folks would choose to listen to them. I believe that traditional steel guitar has a future, but not a large following. There is some room for it in new country production, but not as much as in the heyday of Ray Price. There is also a growing awareness of the instrument among pop and world music audiences. For the instrument to thrive and grow, this must be allowed to continue and those who bellyache about how much better the 'good old daze' were don't help much (and probably don't really remember those times very accurately -- there was musical garbage back then too).

I believe there will be at least as many steel players 25 years from now as there are currently. They will be playing a much wider variety of music and I can only hope that they will be accepted by many people of different races, classes, and backgrounds. It is a marvelously emotional instrument that itself knows no bounds. We must avoid denying it the opportunity to grow beyond our own stereotype.

JUST MY OPINION

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro

[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 05 August 2002 at 01:34 PM.]

Billy Poteet · From: Texas, USA

This is Just my observation. I am 59 years old. I started playing when I was 10 years of age and had a buring desire to learn how to play that insturment. Our Instrument is
a Machine, and at times when I Play I feel like I am part of it, and other times I play I feel like it is working me to death. I have known guitar players that were great pickers, Young and full of talent that I thought would make great steel players, that were totally overwhelmed when they tried to sat down and play steel. Most of the younger generation(NOT ALL) want things now, and you and I know that this particular instrument takes years of work to really understand. It is a constant learning process
and a process that is just too time consuming for most people. I feel that you have to be born for this instrument. It has to be a fire in your soul and a committment for life, and when you have good days playing it there is nothing like it on the face of this earth. Think About this for a minute, You cant feel the instrument like a guitar, You have to do everything by sight and ear. If you are a little off one way or the other, You will be sharp or flat. You have to have a great ear just to get started. You also have to have the ability of an athlete to hit the pedals, knee levers, work the volume control and everything at the same time. Plus I sing and play. when I Played for a living I did about
50 percent of the vocals and played steel at the same time. What I am trying to say is, for A lot of the younger generation(NOT All) this is just too much of a committment to make. Its a shame but its true.

JUST MY OBSERVATION OVER THE YEARS.

BP

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

i like what you're puttin' down Bill P.
Steelers are a dwindling species.
Compared to Guitbox, Steel is not Viril.
i mean, it's a whole lot neater to roam + jump around a stage w: a Strat between your legs or behind your back than to be sittin' down Steelin'.
A small percentage of new players will go towards Steelin' but it won't bring back the HeyDay of Steelin.
Like the Delta Blues players, Gone but not forgotten.
Nevertheless,we can do all we can and help those in Need and Spread 'round that Sound!!
(Guitar + Steel are like Beans+Cornbread,
they go hand in hand)
Steel kallin' 4 fresh troops ?

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 30 July 2002 at 12:17 PM.]

Ann Fabian · From: Mesquite, Texas, USA

Well, from the perspective of Carter Steel Guitars and the Carter-Starter crew at the Carter-Starter factory, here's how it looks to our Company:

Here are more photos on the Carter Steel Guitars' Carter-Starter factory tour ... http://carterstarter.com/productpix/csfactory.html

Lots and lots of these beginner model, Carter-Starters, are going to younger (25 years and less) players, which we have learned from contact with many of them. The future of pedal steel guitar looks bright indeed to us

Ann Fabian

Carter Steel Guitars
www.CarterStarter.com
www.SteelGuitar.com
www.SteelGuitarInfo.com
www.OnLineSteelers.com

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

I think Larry Bell pretty much summed it up.However I don't think steel shows are a true indicator of the interest of the young players.Most of the shows are run by folks in their 50's and older.Most of the crowd is over 50.Many,but not all young players want to play things that rock a little to much or are too jazzy for the typical steel show patron.I know several young players that feel this way.After all.Who wants to drive 2 to 4 hrs one way? And play for people who don't dig what you play.It has gotton to the point at some of the local shows.That if you don't play traditional steel songs.A lot of the crowd gets upset.From what I hear it's that way at St Louis.Remember the year Franklin played all the jazz and a lot of folks got upset.I myself like to hear a mixture.Buddy Emmons does a good job of playing something for everyone.Of course Paul can to.He just choose to play more jazz that year.

I know a lot of non pro players can't mix it up.But I think it would be cool to hear a traditional player,and then maybe a jazz player,rock player etc etc.I know most of you will not agree.But that's Ok.I need to add.That on the smaller shows the back up players can and many times do restrict the players choice of tunes.So they opt for the old tried and true.It's best to bring your own band.But that can be a real pain and costly to.

I guess the bottom line.As a general rule.20 year olds ain't going to like the same thing as 50 years olds.But is that not the case with most instruments and types of music?? bb

[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 30 July 2002 at 10:50 PM.]

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