Survey: age of most steel players

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Turned 67 on the 21st.........started at age 7. Started pedals in 1956!...at age 20.

ESnow · From: Berryville AR USA

48 now, got my first steel when I was 29. ESnow

Tim Harr · From: Dunlap, Illinois

I am 34

Began guitar in 1977 at 9

Began gigging in clubs in 1982 at 14

Began playing a B Bender Telecaster in 1988 (before it was the "thing")

Began steel in 1990 - non pedal Fender D-8 at 22

Began Pedal Steel in 1991 at 23

Giving it all up when I am dead!

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Tim Harr - Carter D-10 8 & 9 - Troy Cook Jr Band ~ Stardust Nashville Recording Artist

Guest · Posted 23 Jun 2003 4:40 am

Thought I'd better put an Aussie reply on this topic to let you know there is two
other Aussie players,other than myself I know of, that are my age playing Steel in Bands across Australia.I first started picking steel at 12,Really started putting a
lot of time in at 25 & I'm now 30.I Hope there is more 30 and under steel players in the US than we have here ? other wise we are in trouble.I went to Scotty's Convention for the first time last year with a group of Aussies.Had a great time.Then went onto Nashville & noticed every band i went and seen had a steel player.It was Heaven for an Aussie player believe me!!!.It is sadly not the case in Australia. It is very hard to find a country band with a steel player,certainly in the South of OZ.

Fred Shannon · From: Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.

70 years young, and loving every minute of it. Started on this monster in 1948 and with the exception of a short 5 year recess, have played every 'tonk' in West Texas, along with many years in Armed Forces Service Clubs, and 8 or 9 USO tours--(best audiences in the world). I relate strongly to Roy Ayres, Al Marcus, and Jody Carver. Still at it 3 and 4 nights a week with 2 different bands. Never migrated to E9, still use E-6/E-13 (even had MSA set the new Millennium up with it.)Hope to spend the next 70 years doing the same thing.

As my friend Ricky Davis says: YEEHAW!!! You come out in this part of the world, give us a call and we'll burn some Texas Beef on the Bar B Q, and serve you a cool one---your choice Texas Iced Tea or Coors light....

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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

53
Sounds like I'm near the average, but I always strive to be above average.

like all the kids in Lake Wobegon

Played my first gig on guitar at 12
Played my first gig on steel at 25
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 23 June 2003 at 10:02 AM.]

Tony LaCroix · From: Austin, Texas, USA

Started playin the geetar when I was 10 cuz I sucked at baseball. Started the steel little over a month ago. I'm 26.

Charlie Vaughn · From: West Union, South Carolina

I am 65, here is my story. I started piano at 10 years old and started playing piano in a rock band in the late 50's. I was about 18 then. Somewhere about that time, I heard the sound of a pedal steel on a Bud Issac recording. I knew I wanted to play steel guitar. There were no instrucional materials available back then as there are today and I didn't even know where I could get a steel guitar but I knew I wanted to play pedal steel. I was lucky enough to find one that I could borrow. At the age of 19, I started learning to play play pedal steel. At 23 I was finally able to own one, thanks to Shot Jackson. At 25 I started playing professionally and did so until 1990. Worked the road for many years and I made a decent living at it. Came back to my hometown in 1990 and got a day job doing electronics and played locally on weekends. I celebrated my 65th birthday this year, retired from my day job and still playing almost every weekend.

[This message was edited by Charlie Vaughn on 23 June 2003 at 06:45 AM.]

Dave Van Allen · From: Doylestown, PA , US , Earth

49::17

Drew Howard · From: 48854

42+1/4

Gerald Menke · From: Stormville NY, USA

I'm 33. Have enjoyed learning to play the steel guitar more than anything else I've tried to do. Only wish I'd started earlier!! Look at all these greenhorns from Brooklyn...

Len Ryder · From: Penticton B.C.

Took lessons on a six string Hawaiian acoustic at 12 yrs old, electric six sting at
14, double neck at app. 17, aquired first pedal guitar in the early 60's where I had to try and learn by the seat of my pants as no instruction material was available. Still have my D-10 Finger-Tip aquired in '66.
I'll be 70 on July 17th of this year. DAMN ---- Where did the time go ???????

Len Ryder
Princeton
British Columbia

Bob I. Williams · From: Sun City West, Arizona, USA

I'm 64 started on 6 string around 12,got my first steel pedal steel at 26, did the road thing for 15 years,came back to Phoenix,got into real estate,did 5 tours (Europe and middle east)in the 90's It's been a good ride now it's living on a bad s.s.check and playiny week-ends. BOB

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

44 - Started on regular guitar at 13, soon followed by bottleneck slide.
Didn't get into lap steel until 4 years ago, now it's lap steel, dobro and weissenborn all the time, hardly ever pick up a regular guitar unless I get paid to do it...

Jesse Harris · From: Ventura, California, USA

Im 29
started at 25

Jason Stillwell · From: Caddo, OK, USA

I'm 28; started on 6-string at about age 6 or 7, steel at age 19. Wanted to start learning steel even before starting on guitar. What am I saying? I think I wanted to learn to play steel guitar before learning to walk!

Rich Weiss · From: Woodland Hills, CA, USA

I'm 52. Started playing pedal steel at 19. got my first lap steel two months ago.

Grant Johnson · From: Nashville TN

I'm 38. I have played six string since I was 12. I 've played lap style dobro and lap steel since my mid 20's. I owned a student pedal steel for a few years and sold it as it took too much time away from the Telecaster. But the pedal steel has always been in the back of my mind....
Just a beginner, but it is a blast being a beginner again!

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www.bigsmokey.com

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

If no one has been to my web site and done the math on my Bio Page, I'm 70; started when 6. (70 3/12) HJ

Kenneth Kotsay · From: Davie/Ft Lauderdale, Florida

54 Year old, started 1965 Hawaiian Guitar lessons in Flushing, NY.

Started playing pedal steel in 1975 (Sho Bud D-10).

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

I started in 1948 at age 11, and I'm now 66. That amounts to 55 yrs. I began playing my 1st. real PSG, with an early (#3 to #6) Sho-Bud in 11/57.

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“Big John” wknsg®
Franklin, D–10 w/9 & 8
Peavey, Classic 50 – 212
Enhancer, E–LG
Ibanez, AD–9 http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/BigJohnBechtels

Chris Heinrich · From: Pensacola, FL

Started at 21, I'm 24 now. I couldn't be happier. It's taken me all over the states and Europe, AND the chicks dig it.

Bob Hayes · From: Church Hill,Tenn,USA

Started playing harmonica when I was 11, Guitar at 15, Bass at 32,and steel 34. Iguess it's not long enough...Im 63.
GV

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Matt Brydges · From: Renfrew, Ontario, Canada

I'm 22 now and fooled around on steel a little before, but only seriously this past year.

Matt

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