What is "Sacred Steel"

Teddy Ray Bullard II · From: Pocatello, Idaho

I see the brief wikipedia blurb..but what I want to know is how it differs from traditional uses of the PSG, what tunings, associated equipment, etc. saw someone else mention that they use slotted tone bars?

I guess the "Sacred" part is a church reference?

Bill McCloskey · Posted 29 Oct 2010 1:57 pm

Teddy,

a quick google search on google or this forum for "sacred Steel" will give you all the answers you need. It is a very specific style of playing.

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

I have NOT a clue, for I am NOT into any religion!

I abhor it!

c.
_________________
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James Sission · From: Sugar Land,Texas USA

There are a lot of videos on youtube of this style of playing. Robert Randolph is often called a sacred steel player. We call it the blues in my house....Here is a video for ya

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r03RC7_QA10

James Sission · From: Sugar Land,Texas USA

This might help you more if your into E9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZLNAxWzNc8&feature=related

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

my favorite sacred steelers, the campbell brothers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEEfRqt95dw

Chuck Campbell is an amazing player.

Bill McCloskey · Posted 29 Oct 2010 3:00 pm

Bill McCloskey · Posted 29 Oct 2010 3:02 pm

Sacred Steel playing has been the most enjoyable steel playing I've listen to over the last 5 years. There are a number of sacred steel players on this forum.

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

sample copedant from our benevolent leader bOb, notice the two E's together there in the middle like your man Lanois does sometimes. http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=182620&highlight=sacred+steel+tuning

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

John Macy · From: Rockport TX/Denver CO

PS...it's way more than just tuning the steel different...

A Brief History of the House of God Steel Guitar Tradition
by Robert L. Stone

(The Program everyone received who attended the Sacred Steel Convention on March 30-31, 2001, contained this wonderful introduction:)

A Brief History of the House of God Steel Guitar Tradition
by Robert L. Stone

The steel guitar is usually identified with country or Hawaiian music. Pedal-steel guitars are routinely found in contemporary white country gospel bands. In most African-American church services, however, the instrument is unheard of. In the House of God, Keith Dominion churches the steel guitar has reigned supreme for decades. The House of God is a Pentecostal church. Those sects are known for music-driven worship services in which the presence of the Holy Spirit is manifested by dancing and involuntary body movements. The House of God cites Psalms 150:4, "...praise him with stringed instruments...," and 149:3, "Let them praise his name in the dance," as scriptural support for the music and Holy dancing. Worship services are driven by music played by an ensemble which is led by a steel guitarist. The steel guitarist works closely with the minister to play a very important role in worship services. In addition to belting out driving "praise" or "shout" music, the steel guitarist provides dramatic emphasis for sermons and testimonies, accompanies singers, plays for offertory processions and aids in healing.

Hawaiian music, with its signature singing steel guitar sound, was a major theme in the popular music of the U.S. from the 1910s until World War II. During that period Hawaiian music schools proliferated throughout the country. Troman Eason (c. 1895-1971) took steel guitar lessons in Philadelphia in the mid-1930s from a Hawaiian whom his surviving brother, Willie (b.1921), remembers as "Jack."

Troman and Willie Eason brought the electric steel guitar to House of God services in the late 1930s. While Troman played in the straight Hawaiian style, Willie, who never had lessons, imitated African American singing with his instrument. His voice-like single string work became the basis of the House of God steel guitar tradition. Willie traveled widely playing the steel guitar and singing, first to tour with Bishop J. R. Lockley's Gospel Feast Party, then later by himself to perform street corner music ministries. He recorded a total of eighteen sides in the 1940s and 50s.

Henry Nelson was born in Ocala, Florida in 1930. His father, Bishop W. L. Nelson (1895-1973), was a prominent figure in the church. Henry's oldest sister, Alyce, became Willie Eason's first wife. Hearing Eason and his "talking guitar" for the first time in about 1940, young Henry was amazed and soon took up the instrument. Nelson developed a style of praise music which consisted of voice-like lines punctuated by a variety of driving, rhythmic "frams," or strums, under which the band played without chord changes. His praise music became the foundation of what is accepted by many as true "House of God music."

Willie Eason also influenced Bishop Lorenzo Harrison, who established the steel guitar style for the Church of the Living God, Jewell Dominion, which shares a common origin with the House of God, Keith Dominion. Unlike the driving one-chord Keith Dominion music, Jewell music has distinct chord changes. Jewell steel guitarists usual played at slower tempos and often use of wah pedals for tone coloration.

In the 1970s the pedal-steel was introduced into the House of God by musicians including Maurice "Ted" Beard, Jr, Calvin Cooke, Chuck Campbell and Acorne Coffee. Determined to incorporate the pedal steel into their musical tradition, they developed unique tunings, pedal set-ups, and playing techniques.

Developments in recent years have included more exchange between Keith and Jewell Dominion musicians, continued exploration of electronic effects and incorporation of ideas from the full variety of contemporary music. With the release of the Sacred Steel CD in 1996 by Arhoolie Records this rich musical tradition, which had been kept a secret from the world at large for nearly 60 years, started a flood of worldwide interest which continues to increase. Steel guitarists including the Campbell Brothers, Aubrey Ghent, Calvin Cooke and Robert Randolph, have begun to present their vibrant music at concerts and festivals throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Africa. The result is invariably standing ovations and encores.

House of God steel guitar music continues to grow and evolve. With a solid core of mature masters and a fourth generation of aspiring, inventive younger musicians, the tradition seems stronger and more vibrant than ever.
_________________
John Macy
Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar

Bill McCloskey · Posted 29 Oct 2010 4:21 pm

Del Ray Grace · From: Toledo, Ohio, USA

Hello Teddy and thanks for asking, before being coined Sacred Steel we were just an African American church community that developed and used to steel guitar as a primary instrument in our church services since the 1930's.

Until Arhoolie Records and Bob Stone stummbled into our world and made us public, most people had never heard of such a thing. Yes we share the same love for the instrument, we just have a different form and object of expression using it. Hope this gives you some understanding into the world of Sacred Steel and again thanks for asking!!

Del Ray Grace
www.sacredstrings.com

Mike Neer · From: NJ

And it is indeed a beautiful thing.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links

Teddy Ray Bullard II · From: Pocatello, Idaho

that's cool...interesting!

Thanks for that information, everyone.

really nice that the PSG has such a wide acceptance.

Teddy Ray Bullard II · From: Pocatello, Idaho

been listening to it on youtube and what not..some of it seems to resemble blues slide work, but on PSG?

really cool, especially ted beard and the campbell brothers. gonna check out your page too Brother Grace. always fun discovering new music.

James Sission · From: Sugar Land,Texas USA

Paul Crawford · From: Orlando, Fl

I understand Bob Stone now has a book on the history of Sacred Steel. And the next time you're on the road, stop by your local Cracker Barrel. One of the complilations they offer is a Sacred Steel CD.

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

Chuck Campbell has a Sacred Steel instructional dvd too. Despite the difference in tuning I learned some very valuable stuff from it.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

c. dixon..ha ha i had to laugh at your rio linda poke...i have spent many a euphoric night there playing what we call 'real' country music...and a very high level of it.i'm not at all adverse to rio linda jokes and actually enjoy them. you will, however, find that the steel 'is' sacred there!

Tamara James · Posted 30 Oct 2010 2:02 pm

[quote="Bill McCloskey"]

Storm Rosson · From: Silver City, NM. USA

Hmmmmm wonder what Bob Marley would call it?.....Rastasteel.. Mr. Green

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Hi,

I apologize for being slow to write, but I rarely venture beyond the Steel Without Pedals section.

The genre of music known today as "Sacred Steel" takes its name from the cassette/booklet album I produced for the Florida Folklife Program in 1995, "Sacred Steel: Traditional African-American Steel Guitar Music in Florida." Arhoolie Records licensed the album and released it (with a slightly different edit) as CD 450 in 1997. I have since produced eight more CDs for Arhoolie, which featured artists from several states. We never imagined the term "sacred steel" would become used so widely; it just happened naturally.

And now for a shameless plug. If you'd like to learn more about this musical tradition, where it comes from, and some of the players who shaped the music, try my book. It's available directly from University of Illinois Press, or through all the usual outlets, including Amazon (the latter at a substantial discount). I also sell signed copies directly for $30 postpaid Priority Mail.

http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/54kta8ay9780252035548.html

There is also a doc video for sale, or you can rent it from Netflix:

http://www.arhoolie.com/sacred-steel/

Best,

Bob

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