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Topic: "Grease" - a tiny steel moment!!! |
Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 9 Apr 2013 8:31 am |
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Here I am in Vero Beach, FL rehearsing the pit-band job on "Grease" - it's a nice chunk of well-paid work and very welcome, but I had expected it to be exclusively an electric guitar gig.
However....
They've substituted two songs from the film version and one is 'Hopelessly Devoted....' (Olivia NJ) and it so happened that my Zum Encore was still in my trunk from last Saturday's gig - so now there's one song being played on pedal steel and it's good fun! The steel part is very simple and could actually be played without pedals (mostly) but I'm not only playing the obvious figures but also all the chords so the pedals and knees get a work-out.
It's a nice bonus on an already enjoyable job. We'll be at the Riverside Theatre through May 4th.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 9 Apr 2013 8:45 am
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Thanks, Doug - I've worked at the theatre here before and this is a welcome call-back. I did 'Always, Patsy Cline' here in '06 so they have me listed as a steel player. Using one on this show, though, was unexpected.
http://www.examiner.com/article/grease-comes-to-the-riverside-theatre-vero-beach
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 9 Apr 2013 9:08 am Re: "Grease" - a tiny steel moment!!!
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| Roger Rettig wrote: |
| 'Hopelessly Devoted....' (Olivia NJ....The steel part is very simple and could actually be played without pedals (mostly) |
On the recording you hear John Farrar playing those parts on slide guitar. John is one of those rare gifted musicians who just always sounds great, and he could do a very credible impression of a pedal steel on his Les Paul with a slide and 2 palm pedals. Roger, I bet you ran into him back in the day, as he played many years with Cliff Richard before he became Olivia's producer & band leader. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 9 Apr 2013 10:08 am
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I wondered if it was JF - a great player indeed! Cliff's had some terrific bands but John was his best ever guitar-player in my view. Our paths did indeed cross once or twice....
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
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Posted 10 Apr 2013 3:34 am
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Farrar is indeed a good player, as too was the late Martin Jenner who played in Cliff's band a few years back. Martin dabbled on pedal steel, and was a nice all round guy.
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Show Pro D10 - amber (8+6), MSA D10 Legend XL Signature - redburst (9+6), Sho-Bud Pro 111 Custom (8+6), Emmons black Push-Pull D10 (8+5), Zum D10 (8x8), Hudson pedal resonator. Telonics TCA-500, Webb 614-E, |
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Tony Smart
From:
Harlow. Essex. England
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Posted 10 Apr 2013 1:47 pm
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I met John Farrar years ago. I played with a band supporting The Shadows at a Cambridge May Ball.
They were all very friendly and I had a long chat with John about steel. He was a great guitar player and very interested in the steel.
It was funny really, The Shadows were playing all their new, modern stuff for the cream of academia, but all the students wanted and kept shouting for was Apache and F.B.I. etc. - They had to give in.
John was a real nice bloke. |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 10 Apr 2013 6:59 pm
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I thought Andy Timmons was Olivia's bandleader/guitarist? Or is this another nugget the olden days we are so used to... keep 'em coming! Timmons does a hairy-chested he-man guitar trio thing a la Steve Vai, Joe Satriani. He's very good at playing melodies, though, so he's not quite as renowned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaVVZYOvMFY |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 11 Apr 2013 2:58 pm
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Opening night tonight!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Doug Jones
From:
Oregon & Florida
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Posted 12 Apr 2013 2:32 pm
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I saw, heard and met Roger Thursday night at the Riverside Theater. Although just one song, the steel playing was well up in the mix and most tasteful for the song on which it was played. The guitar parts, both rhythm and lead were good, too.
Nice to meet you Rodge and best wishes in the future.
Doug |
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 13 Apr 2013 3:00 pm north dakota gig
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| Roger, this is "Off Topic" but will you be playing in North Dakota this summer, and if so, will any pedal steel guitar playing be on the cards? Thanks, stevet |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 15 Apr 2013 1:27 pm
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Doug: it was very nice to meet you and I'm glad things sounded tolerable. Many thanks for the CD - much enjoyed.
Steve: Yes - I'll be back in Medora, ND in late-May and the show will open in early-June, running until the Saturday after Labor Day. It would be a pleasure to finally meet you if it's at all possible you could get there.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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