For older 'Band' Players - Sleepwalk ??

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

I will be in trouble for this !
When "Slleepwalk" is requested, do you look forward to, and enjoy playing it ? Just for myself, I think it is dragy and a little boring to play. I put it in the category of "Elevator Music".OK Gang, now you can let me have it !
_________________
Sacramento Western Swing Society Hall of Fame, 1992

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

Lock & load.
My favorite part of "Sleepwalk" is the ending.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

As a 'player' I occasionally find it a bore, somewhat the same emotions that pop up when I get a request for Steel Guitar Rag.........

I can remember when such requests used to electrify me and I was all excited!

HOWEVER: When I jog myself back into the role of a
performer in public, I find it rewarding to find that unknown persons are asking ME to play a song that THEY enjoy hearing and after all, that's why they're there in the audience paying my fee for the evening.

I resolve the personal conflict and play it the best I can.......

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

All kidding aside, Ditto - Ray!

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Sorry,I have never understood this way of thinking about these GREAT tunes,When I first joined the forum a member here said he is a semi-pro steel player said he had NEVER heard or PLAYED The steel guitar rag. This would be like some country guitar player saying {I never heard of Wildwood Flower,or A bluegrass banjo picker {I never heard of Foggy Mountain Breakedown]One thing for sure I would not buy a used car OR a used steel from this guy. I have played these tunes hundreds of times,hope I live long enough [really doubt it] to play them hundreds more.When someone comes along and writes a tune that has been recorded more times and outsells Sleepwalk or Steel guitar rag,then you have EARNED the right to diss these two steel guitar staples,they ARE the STEEL GUITAR,Just like[ yakety sax] is to the saxophone, [Last Date] to the piano,[Strangers on the shore] to the clarinet,Jimmy Smiths [Chicken Shack] to the B-3 organ, Bird Parker's [Yard bird Suite] to the alto sax.etc. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
_________________
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Absolutely hate the song, worse than Steel Guitar Rag. A band I play with, the guitar player did Sleepwalk and the constantly hounded me to learn it. I was a successful holdout for about 4 years. Then I caved in and learned it. We play it where I do one verse and chorus, then the guitar player plays one verse and chorus and ends it. Still hate it though.

And, the argument that people request the song because it's a great song is BS. They request it because they are so ignorant that they only know of Sleepwalk and Steel Guitar Rag.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Cal Sharp · From: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN

When you find something boring or annoying, the thing to do is change it. So I use the "Night Life" intro for "Sleepwalk", and I play it on the C neck. It's always fun to confuse the bass player.
_________________
C#
Me: Steel Guitar Madness
Latest ebook: Steel Guitar Insanity
Custom Made Covers for Steel Guitars & Amps at Sharp Covers Nashville

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Joe Goldmark · From: San Francisco, CA 94131

OK, I'll take the bait, and add to what Charles said. I think it's a masterpiece and was deservedly a monster hit, and probably the last steel instrumental to be a hit. Santo's touch and tone are pretty remarkable for a young kid from Brooklyn in 1959. One wonders who influenced him. For those of us of a certain age, it evokes slow dancing and a time when instrumentals could still be heard on the radio.

I also love to play it. It always gets a great crowd reaction and I think it's fun to play. I get to jump on the C6 neck and play low on the rhythm parts, high on the melody, and it's slow enough so i can actually look up and smile!

Furthermore, when I write tunes at home, I always start by trying to write the next Sleepwalk. In other words, something that will catch the ear, be soulful, and hopefully commercial.

However, I hate "Steel Guitar Rag." Just saying...

Joe

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

I like em !
And like to play them
Boot heal drag
Pan handle rag
Last date
Stealin the blues
_________________
MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I guess I don't get it...

As a Steel player..someones asks for probably the most recognizable Steel Guitar song on the planet ...and we are opposed to it ?

That would be like my wife or any other female singer in a Country band being asked to sing "CRAZY" on a gig and they say NO...

If we are playing in a cover band , guess what..Sleepwalk is probably 10x more recognized than Nightlife...

We don't have to love it..we don't even have to like it..but we do need to know it and play it , especially on on request...
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

I still like this song! I use the Night Life ending on the END:

My Attempt At Sleepwalk

Tab and rhythm here:

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Tab/Tab3.html

People love hearing this song and dancing to it. It draws a lot of attention to our instrument!

Greg

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

Well EXCUSE me.
Is it a great song - YES
Is it a classic - YES
Is it instantly recognizable - YES
Do we play it whenever asked - YES
Do I need to practice it anymore after 5 thousand times - NO
A band I was recently in, and I left, wanted to continuely "practice" it, "to get it right" - NO
It is a rudimentary masterpiece - YES
As Mr, Montee very eloquently put it,

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Wonder how many that dislike the two most recognized steel guitar songs in the history of the instrument like to play achy breakey three times a night like we had to do a few years back. Of coarse every has a right to like or dislike whatever they choose. I have a song that was and still is one of the biggest hits of all time that I detest and HATE to play it.[FOR THE GOOD TIMES]To each his own.YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
_________________
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

It sure wasn't "dragy and a little boring" when Santo played it. Cool

He was a master of single note, single string, soulful playing. Most players can't duplicate his tone, vibrato, and feeling. So modern versions often come out, well, dragy and a liitle boring! Personally, I love Santos original recording. It's full of life and soul. For those who say it's too plain, simple, and boring... try copying it exactly. It's nearly impossible to do.
_________________
My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel

Buck Reid · From: Nashville,TN

Like so many classics... there is great wisdom in it's simplicity for a real musician.
_________________
www.BuckReid.com

John Russell · From: Austin, Texas

For those of us of a "certain age", Sleepwalk brings back sweet memories of adolescence. Plus, it's a masterpiece. It's a challenge to play with the emotion and nuance of the original. Go to YouTube and listen to different versions. There are some great guitar versions. Local guitar hero, Redd Volkaert rips it to pieces yet comes back the melody very nicely. I never get tired of playing it--kinda like Someday Soon.

As to Steel Guitar Rag, it's another great classic, instantly recognizable. If you don't like these, don't bore people with a forced version. Personally, I question your love of this instrument if you don't like these two songs.

Steve Lipsey · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Check out Dan Tyack's version....quite amazing, he takes it places it never thought to go before...
_________________
https://www.lostsailorspdx.com
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham Resos, 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

What Doug said!

Russ Blake · From: Oregon, USA

Warning- gross generalization coming:

Billy, it seems to me that most players of your generation, certainly the ones I have known, have a very sophisticated ear. Possibly from growing up hearing more sophisticated pop music than most of what my generation was exposed to. If this is true, maybe it helps explain why a tune like Sleepwalk doesn't do it for you. As I said, I'm generalizing here and don't mean to offend anyone. I know there are exceptions, and I also know that you directed your question to "older band players". At 44 I may not qualify, but here goes...

I don't mind playing Sleepwalk, and I wholeheartedly agree with Doug about Santo's phrasing. However, I much prefer Teardrop (another Santo & Johnny classic with a strong similarity to Sleepwalk). So, when people request Sleepwalk I usually say, "If you like Sleepwalk, you'll love this..." Everybody wins.

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Russ,at 44 you are a poussin compared to a lot of us old roosters,You are right I grew up listening to the big bands,bebop jazz AND the Grand Ole Opry [when it was the real deal]not the Hollywood Burlesque show it is today. And loved it all.May seem weird but my two all time musical heros are Charlie [Bird] Parker and Hank Snow.How far apart could that be ? YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC,
_________________
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

Russ, I think you may be right. Musicians who started playing in the late 40s and early 50s played the swing and pop of the day, with lots of interesting chord changes and rhythms. Sleep Walk (1959) is basically a repetitive 1, 6m, 4m, 5 pattern.. a chord pattern that was heard over and over in many pop/rock songs of the late 50s and early 60s (1,6m,4,5). What made it special was Santo's expressive playing on the steel guitar.
_________________
My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Tony Prior said:

Howard Steinberg · From: St. Petersburg, Florida , USA

I was about 11 years old when "Sleepwalk," hit the airways. It possibly was the tune that resulted in my getting involved with steel some 17 years later.

I do a jazz gig at a local club 2-4 times per month. I've had the gig since 1997 and have done it primarily as a guitar trio. Having acquired a lightweight single neck I set out to learn a lot of Jazz standards on E9. I've been doing the gig, on steel, since May of this year. It is amazing to me how positively a sophisticated jazz audience reacts to Sleepwalk. I enjoy playing the tune but like others cringe when asked to play steel guitar rag.

The follow up to S&J's Sleepwalk is a tune called Teardrop. You can find it on youtube. It's kind of Sleepwalk inside out with a couple of different chord changes. You can run the two together which I find to be fun.

As I understand it, Santo has retired from the bidness and Johnny who played guitar on the record now tours playing non-pedal steel. There are a lot of Santo and Johnny recordings which were popular in Italy. What I've heard is very middle of the road stuff which is enjoyable and nicely executed.

I'm good with Sleepwalk.
_________________
Justice Pro Lite (4-5), Justice D-10 (8-5)x2 , Quilter Steelaire, Hilton Pedal, BJ's bar.

Walter Stettner · From: Vienna, Austria

Ask banjo players about Foggy Mountain Breakdown, fiddlers about OBS and you will get the same reaction...As I see it, the big problem is that these tunes are always requested by audiences while they are sort of an old joke for the players. Crowds always tend to request songs they know well just because they want to hear the melody again. They will, most likely, find the simple but striking melody of Sleepwalk much more appealing than an extended version of Night Life with lots of fancy improvisations...

Kind Regards, Walter
_________________
www.lloydgreentribute.com

Forum Index > Steel Players	Goto page 1, 2, 3 Next	Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic