Your most pressure filled moment

Pete Young · From: Quebec, Canada

I know mine was when I was only playing for about six months. We were invited to a jamboree with about ten or twelve bands. When we went on to do our set, six or seven of the good steelers, set chairs up in front of my steel and just sat there. I think I lost twenty five pounds of sweat that night. I know it was very hard to play The fingers would just not work. We laughed about that for years, They were all good friends so it was just a joke

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

Any time that I have to play a solo concert of my own music. I'm prone to anxiety attacks anyway and those times are really intense.

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

My first steel show I ever played at would have to be a pressure filled moment. I was put between Cowboy Eddie Long and Jeff Newman and John Hughey was sitting on the front row! All I had was an old wore out LDG and a NV-400 amp with a little reverb. Luckily that afternoon, they were a lot of Little Roy Wiggins and Don Helms fans there. I had a time trying to keep up with Jeff & Eddie on the U-12's. When I would play the "ting-a-ling" stuff, the crowd would respond. Boy, that was the longest hour I ever spent! But since the first show, it's been a piece of cake with the others. Lot of fun.

Jody Cameron · From: Angleton, TX,, USA

I guess for me it would be doing the "Music City Tonight" show back in the '90s. I did the show 3 times, and every time when the cameraman would come close to me to catch a solo, the red light on front of the camera would come on...so you knew you were getting close air time when that light was on! Makes me break out into a cold sweat even now just remembering it, Ha!

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Two times stand out in my memory. First was in spring of 1968, my first public performance on pedal steel. Network TV, the Steve Allen Show, when I was with Ronstadt. Camera zooms in for a close-up on my solos. My hands were shaking like I had Parkinson's Disease.

Next was when I played the ISGC, first time 10:30 Saturday night! Before my set, at a party Tommy White asked me if I was nervous. I said a little, yeah. He said "no reason to be, you'll do fine... and I'll be in the front row LISTENING TO EVERY FREAKIN' NOTE YOU PLAY!!!!"

Then, as I was loading my steel onto a cart to make it to the stage area, Kurt Kowalski asked if he could help me. I said, sure. He grabbed the front of the cart and walked down the hallway past all the vendors, yelling "dead man walking, dead man walking!"

Yep, those were the two biggies.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 24 August 2006 at 06:48 PM.]

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

I played nylon string guitar one night for Luciano Pavoratti. 20,000 seats sold. My part of the concert was just him, accordion and me doing four Italian love songs. Went just fine.

Played electric guitar in an orchestra one evening and the featured artist was Chet Atkins. He plays a tune and points to me to stand up and take a solo. Went just fine. He was very nice to me.

Had some pressure gigs that did not go all that great, but no disasters. Got through them.

Pressure jobs are good for you no matter if they go good or not.

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Opening for Charlie Daniels, in 1983.

Opening for Waylon, in 1984.

Both times, we played Ricky Skaggs' "Highway 40 Blues". I had a hard enough time playing that song at home, much less in front of a couple of thousand people.

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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande

Mullen U-12, Excel 8-string Frypan, Evans FET-500, Fender Steel King

Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

Around 1985 I had only been playing steel about 3 years and I got a call to play a cutting horse party in South Fort Worth with a band I had worked with once before.

I get to the job and walked into a large tent where the main act was doing a sound check. From the back side of the stage I noticed this grey headed guy playing a blue steel.He was playing licks I had heard many times on old Ray Price tunes and I thought,hey this guy sounds pretty good.

He puts his picks down and turns and it was Jimmy Day looking at me with this big smile and he says, Hi I'm....my chin hit my belt buckle as I interrupted him saying I know who your are.

He laughed and said, and you are? I think I said I don't remember or something like that.

The ex-lax scene from dumb and dumber was born from that night.

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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

I don't get nervous as long as I'm with a full band. Situations like Bill's, where it's just me and a singer or me and one other instrument and singer, is what makes me nervous.

The most nervous I've ever been that I remember, was when our bandleader/female vocalist asked me to accompany her on a live radio show, we did several shows but the one that scared the **** outta me was playing Liza Minelli's arrangement of New York, New York, just me on nylon-string guitar and her singing, and I had to do it all in the original key(s) and exactly as the Liza arrangement... it had 3 modulations, I don't even remember the order now but pretty sure the keys were C#, B, and C... I was afraid if either of us made one mistake it's all over, and with that arrangement it's pretty hard to get back on track..... it went perfectly, and since then I've never been nervous again.

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 24 August 2006 at 08:14 PM.]

Howard Tate · From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.

Mine was probably on my Les Paul. Roy Nickols and Norm Hamlet produced a session I played on,and afterward every one wanted to hear them play, so Roy said we'll do Stealin Corn. Howard play the lead, Norm do the second part and I'll do the third. I was positive I would screw it up, but I got a reprieve when something came up and we didn't play it. I jammed with Roy a lot at home, but this seemed different, maybe because Norm was there, I don't know. I don't think he was very impressed with my playing on the session.

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Howard

Chick Donner · From: North Ridgeville, OH USA

First time on the Opry at the Ryman.

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Several months was playing at the birthday show in Mont Ala for Hank Sr.The band was playing all Hank cover songs,about halve way through the band leader leaned over and said[Don Helms is sitting over there]I replyed [why the hell could'nt you wait till the set was over to tell me that?]That's the kind of stuff that will make you sweat.

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

P.S.the up side I got to meet him back stage and talk awhile.

Dale Dorsey · From: Granger, Indiana, USA

I had to answer this one. I was 18 and auditioned for Al Brumley and had just found out it was Tom's brother when I arrived. During the audition, my foot was shaking so bad on the volume pedal that Al asked me if I was using a wah-wah pedal.....and wasn't kidding. We have all laughed for many years over that one.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

I suppose mine would be back in the 60"s wen iwas playing at the Golden Nugget in Vegas And Curly Chalker was sittig right in front of me.There were 40 overhead spot lights.I counted them.It was hot and i let my bar slip out of my hand and it rolled across the stage.The fellow i was working for stopped the band and told me to do that again as it was the best lick he had ever heard me play.I think Curly came unglued.
But the leader covered it up so good the audience thought it was part of the act.
Aw,those were the good ol days.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

It was June of 2004, and I was getting ready to play at the Georgia Peach Jam at the Hollonville Opry House in Hollonville, Georgia for my first performance at a steel show. I was a little nervous backstage because when I was practicing I wondered how the audience would react to a guy with cerebral palsy, playing his first steel show. I got onstage and my nervousness faded and afterwards I decided I love to play steel shows and I've been playing shows ever since. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10-aka "Redgold Beauty"

[This message was edited by Brett Day on 29 August 2006 at 08:14 PM.]

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I also remember playing for the NTSGA Superjam in October of 2004 and wondering how John Hughey felt about me playing "Look At Us". I walked over to John to tell him I was playing that song and on the way, I wondered what John would say. He said "I wanna hear you play it", then after Russ Hicks and I finished our set, I walked over to John and he said, "You nailed it, man". Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10-aka "Redgold Beauty"

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

The very first time ever played the Steel Guitar with a band in public. It was approx. 1954/55. My right-foot on my Bigsby Volume-Pedal became an automatic, but; unwanted tremelo! It soon wore off and never happened again that I can recall! However, my first time on the Opry, with Billy Walker at the Ryman in ’71 was probably a close second!

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“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
Current Equipment

Ted Solesky · From: Mineral Wells, Texas, USA

It doesn't matter how long you're playin. If an unusual gig comes up, it can get to you. In the yr 2000, our band came in as finalist for the TrueValue Hardware contest. I felt ok while sitting there on the New Opry stage, but, Lorrie Morgan was the host and they were taping her talking skit and they had to do it over and over and while sitting there, waiting, the nervousness came over me. I then realized that that was it! We'll be on nationwide TV and we have to do good to win. I got thru it ok but there were times my mind went blank when it came to the ride.

Perry Hansen · From: Bismarck, N.D.

The Eary 70s. at the M&J Steak House in West Fargo ND. ET was in town at the Civic Center. Around 10:00 in walked Bud Charlton. Played my Fender 2000 as if he was born with it. The pressure was after he left I had to play again.. Sometine later that same year Kitty Wells was in town and who should show up but the great Jimmy Crafford(sp). Again I had to play after they left. That 2000 never acted the same.

Chris Schlotzhauer · From: Colleyville, Tx. USA

Definitely the Grand Ol Opry. I've played it 4 times now. You have just enough time to walk out with your steel, plug into the Webb rack and the song counts off. No time to adjust my knobs, my seat or anything. The anxiety level by this time is unbearable. My hands are shaking, sweat pouring off my head, I have zero tone, oh, and Tommy White is sitting 10 feet from me. I go outside and play the Plaza show, and I'm just fine. It's a good thing they don't serve liquor inside the Opry or I would have to slam down a few before going on that stage.

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

I have had many, the one that stands out in my mind was my Induction into the Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame, as I looked into the eyes of my wife who was sitting in th first row with a big smile on her face, she was so proud and I was overly emotional The date.I was inducted was September 4th and my wife passed on Novemeber 14th The other was The Godfrey Show on February 7th 1955, when my mom was my talent scout. My thanks to all of those who made this possible. Herb Steiner, Bob Maickel, Fred Layman,the late Jeff Newman
Tom Bradshaw De Witt Scott, Bobby Caldwell and to the great and late Winnie Winston.

David Wren · From: Placerville, California, USA

Anytime I have to play "Here Comes the Bride" in a wedding ceremony.... screw up "Bud's Bounce" and 90% of the folks won't even notice.... not so this... and it, of course, will be in their Wedding Video, to hear over, and over, and over...

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Dave Wren
'96 Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; NV 112; Fender Twin Custom 15 ('65 reissue); Session 500s; Hilton Pedal; Black Box
www.ameechapman.com

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

It was back around 1956, playing my rickety Rickenbacker in a band known as the Western Stars on radio in Halifax, NS. Just as the announcer was introducing us, I reached down over the guitar on my lap to clear the cord tangle on my foot. We were dressed for the part, and as I bent over, unknown to me the metal tip on one of bolo tie strings went between the guitar strings and turned cross-wise. When I went to come back, up my bolo tie was caught in the strings and I couldn’t lift up enough to see what the heck was caught. It seemed like an eternity for me to get my fingers (with picks on) under the guitar strings and flip it around. I just made it in time to give the last line intro to Are You Mine without any dead air as the announcer finished his words. Geo

Gene H. Brown · From: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada

Well, I guess it was about 1970/71 I was playing steel on a little tour through the Northwest with Dave Dudley doing auditorium shows and Gene Breeden was playing lead guitar with us. We were at the auditorium in Salem, Oregon and there was about 7 or 8,000 people there I guess. Anyway about a month or so before we went on tour I wrote and recorded a song called "If the world ran out of Diesel", which Gene Breeden produced and it was being played all over the Northwest and Red Simpson covered it later on Capitol Records, but that night at the Salem auditorium, I guess Dave Dudley and Gene Breeden had cooked this up without me knowing and we were playing along on the show and all of the sudden in between songs, Dave said "Ladies and Gentleman, tonight we have with us a very special guest and we're going to ask him to do his new release for us", well, I'm looking around to see who it was and he announced my name and I almost fainted, I was shaking like uncontrollably and Gene and Dave were doubled over laughing their xxxxx's off, I'll never forget that one as long as I live, talk about scared!!!
Gene

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If You Keep Pickin That Thing, It'll Never Heal!

[This message was edited by Gene H. Brown on 01 September 2006 at 05:59 PM.]

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