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Topic: Make the steel guitar the State instrument of Hawaii |
Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2014 6:26 pm |
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In case someone missed in Sw/oP, the Portuguese ukulele is racing towards usurping indigenous instruments as the symbol of Hawaii, and steel should (again) get it's recognition as the one who 'brung 'em to the party'.
Full story, so far... http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=2210303#2210303
All help is appreciated! |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 3 Mar 2014 8:11 pm I thought for sure...............
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| I was confident that the Slack Key guitar would be declared the state's instrument of choice. |
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Wally Pfeifer
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2014 10:08 pm
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Slack key !!! Shame on you, Ray.
Wally |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 3 Mar 2014 10:44 pm well now, I didn't say that was what I wanted...............
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Anymore, on all of the CD's one hears from Hawaii, the lead instrument is the Slack Key and no steel in the group.
I found that discouraging..........and still do. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 9:49 am
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| Maybe the pedal steel should be adopted as the state instrument of Tennessee. |
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Gil Berry
From:
Westminster, CA, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 12:00 pm
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| On my last trip to Oahu a few years ago I was hard pressed to find Hawaiian music. Eventually did, at one of the beach hotels, but there were a lot more places showcasing "Broadway" type music, along with "standup" comedy. I felt Hawaiian businesses didn't want to be thought of as being "rural", and had to copy New York style entertainment. Too bad, because no music is prettier (IMHO) than "Hawaii Calls" type steel guitar. If you purchase Hawaiian music CDs today, you'll find slack-key and "traditional" Hawaiian music (ukelele and drums usually WITHOUT steel guitar backed native-language harmony). The ukelele belongs to Portugal; the non-pedal steel guitar should be Hawaii's instrument. The pedal guitar really belongs to Nashville (or maybe Texas?). |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 2:47 pm
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| Gil Berry wrote: |
| the non-pedal steel guitar should be Hawaii's instrument. |
Steel guitar, yes, but I'll personally destroy any mention of non-pedal anything I find over here. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Gil Berry
From:
Westminster, CA, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 3:41 pm
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| Didn't mean to muss your feathers, Ron. It's just that most of the musicians that made Hawaiian steel guitar music famous played non-pedal, and continue to do so, usually opting for multi-neck Fender, Gibson, Rickenbaker, etc., instruments. BTW, was there ever a prettier melody than "Sand" played in B11th? |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 4:42 pm
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| Gil Berry wrote: |
Didn't mean to muss your feathers, Ron. It's just that most of the musicians that made Hawaiian steel guitar music famous played non-pedal.
BTW, was there ever a prettier melody than "Sand" played in B11th? |
They've been mussed well prior to your post, Gil, but with all due respect those players all played steel guitar, never hearing such non-pedal silliness. There was never such a thing until the last coupla years where suddenly a few are trying to change the entire steel guitar world with NONsense. I really don't get it, or like it.
Meanwhile...
B11/Sand is an endearing classic and probably sounds best with that tuning. But there are many other songs that easily compete with it, the Hawaiian songbook is crammed full of them.
Did you know Sand also has lyrics?
The great Jerry Byrd playing steel guitar and local icon Gary Aiko on bass/vocals http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXEP5DFDMM4 |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 4:46 pm Make the steel guitar the State instrument of Hawaii???
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Okay, one at a time:
| Quote: |
| Make the steel guitar the State instrument of Hawaii |
Ain't gonna happen. The popularity of the (haole?) instrument in the islands has obviously faded in favor of slack-key guitar.
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Maybe the pedal steel should be adopted as the state instrument of Tennessee.
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No, we missed the boat there, too. The Tennessee State quarter featured a guitar, a fiddle...and...a...trumpet? Oh yeah, I guess I forgot about Billy-Bob Hirt, Jimmy-Ray Severinson, and Eddie-Roy Ferguson. 
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| Dare I mention that Hawaii no doubt had a long history of unamplified music prior to the advent of electricity? |
And, a lot of that was acoustic steel guitar! But who knows? Maybe they think that Joseph Kekeku, Tau Moe, and Ylan Kealoha were all from Schenectady?
Oh yeah, I guess it goes without saying we musicians missed out on the Texas state quarter, too. 
(Well, at least Montana has a bison skull on theirs, which probably makes all the Goth Indians pretty proud.)
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Todd Clinesmith
From:
Lone Rock Free State Oregon
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 5:53 pm Re: Make the steel guitar the State instrument of Hawaii???
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| Quote: |
| Dare I mention that Hawaii no doubt had a long history of unamplified music prior to the advent of electricity? |
And, a lot of that was acoustic steel guitar! But who knows? Maybe they think that Joseph Kekeku, Tau Moe, and Ylan Kealoha were all from Schenectady?
Yes, but that was just 120 years ago... give or take. ( I do not have the exact date of Jeoseph K.'s "invention" on hand). Then just 40 or so years later we have electric instruments, this is not very long in the scale of Hawaiian history. I would imagine for heritage reasons the musical instruments prior to the West's colonization would seem to fit better than the Steel Guitar or Ukulele . I am no expert on any of this...
Tho I did vote for "other" and marked steel guitar. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 6:01 pm Re: Make the steel guitar the State instrument of Hawaii???
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| Donny Hinson wrote: |
| Ain't gonna happen. The popularity of the (haole?) instrument in the islands has obviously faded in favor of slack-key guitar. |
You are a decade behind the times on this, Donny, the uke has greatly bypassed everything here, thanx to Jake. Despite what a local judge oddly said to me yesterday that the steel wasn't invented in Hawaii... but the conch shell should get the honor. In fact the steel guitar was invented in Hawaii (Laie, Oahu), by a Hawaiian, no haole intervention for many decades.
And thanx to those who have been helping the cause we're currently kicking uke butt in the TV poll and have enlisted many Hawaii legislators to vote down Bill 2573 to make the uke the State instrument. Next is to get the steel back where it once was in the 80s as the State instrument and now has vanished from many State record books.
Care to help?
While the conch, ipu, nose flute, et al are viable contenders, it's the steel guitar that helped put Hawaii on the map when it really mattered, has been called the Sound Of Hawaii for 100 years, and deserves it's respect despite becoming overshadowed currently because of neglect. |
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Jim Hollingsworth
From:
Way out West
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 8:18 pm Hmmmmm.......
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As one of the VERY FEW pedal steel players in the island chain I can say that almost all the locals would vote for slack key or uke long before steel guitar. I wish I had a dollar for every time I get asked "what is that instrument you're playing?"
I see a few non pedal guitars at luaus but aside from the my gigs at bars & rodeos is about all the exposure steel gets here in Kauai.
Sad huh?
Jim |
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Gil Berry
From:
Westminster, CA, USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 8:58 pm
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Don't let that bother you, Jim. I have been asked what kind of piano that is you're playing WITHIN 10 miles of Nashville!
What's so sad is that Island entertainment managers don't realize the impact the steel guitar had on mainlanders during the forties thru the eightys. Visions of swaying palms, balmny temperatures, hula girls and all of that with a background of beautiful Hawaiian steel guitar playing. I grew up on that listening to "Hawaii Calls". My dad, who had been stationed in Hawaii between Japanese-held island assaults in WW2 made it a point to never miss the weekly broadcast. Sad to discover, as I mentioned earlier, that it's difficult to find steel guitar music in Hawaii, pedal or otherwise. Hawaiian steel guitar is a national treasure. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 4 Mar 2014 9:08 pm
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"Kicking uke butt..."
Right there is an action I have a hard time visualizing!
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2014 1:51 pm
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| Herb Steiner wrote: |
| Right there is an action I have a hard time visualizing! |
It might be happening as we speak, tho uke supporters are flailing dramatically to overcome the lead for 'other' that has been amassed so far, but that includes pahu/drum, nose flute, etc., so we're not safe yet.
Beyond the TV poll and more importantly, the steel has been getting State wide political support to vote down the Bill and may rule the day if we keep up the pressure. Plenty of people still care about the Hawaiian steel guitar here. Former Sen. Dan Akaka's son, Alan, a fine local steeler himself, is said to have written an essay in support of steel, so that'll make an impression on our legislators. Then it's writing a Bill in steel's support and passing it. |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 5 Mar 2014 3:03 pm
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It's a great looking flag we have here in California, love the image of the California Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos californicus). Declared the state animal in 1953.
Except there's that part about the Grizzly being extinct in the state since 1922.
There are those federal government petitions where if enough signatures are gathered they at least have to address the matter, no matter how crazy the subject. Anyone here sign the petition for the construction of a Death Star? 
There are of course still some folks playing steel guitar beautifully in Hawaii, but making it the state musical instrument in 2014 - is this a realistic endeavor?
As a steel player, I'm all for the idea, I think it's great - but I have to wonder how many native Hawaiians under the age of about 40 could name even one famous Hawaiian steel player of the past if you showed them an 8" x 10" photo of that musician.
Would it be an even lower percentage than if one showed photos to younger African-American people asking them to identify Robert Johnson, or heaven forbid, Louis Armstrong?
_________________
Mark |
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Butch Pytko
From:
Orlando, Florida, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2014 5:26 pm
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Here's a reminder of the Hawaiian Pedal Steel Guitar. Jules Ah See playing his Fender 1000 pedal steel, with Hawaii Calls singers and Webley Edwards watching.....
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2014 5:31 pm
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| Mark Eaton wrote: |
Is this a realistic endeavor?
How many native Hawaiians under the age of about 40 could name even one famous Hawaiian steel player? |
The 80's proved such a movement was viable, but that's when hundreds of Hawaii's best steelers/musicians/supporters had the drive and political pull to get'r done, and we're only in the current predicament because that tradition largely passed away with most of the people. But still, this is easily doable. There's certainly enuf support showing it's force already to know it's just a fraction of the respect for steel still residing in all communities of Hawaii, and in fact the world. The ultimate point is to take it away from a popularity aspect and maintain the culture/tradition/education priorities, and your point about kids not knowing about steel is exactly my point of pushing the issue, they should know their own cool history. Besides, steel didn't get it's once most highly regarded stature by being the flavor of the month, it was King for 50 years.
Bottom line, I'd be happier knowing I helped do it rather than just watch it go by.
Love the pic, Butch, those were the days! |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 5 Mar 2014 5:42 pm How 'bout a letter writing campagin?
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With more than 13,000 SGF Members........I'm confident that such a campaign could prove to be highly beneficial to our cause.
In high places, it's an accepted fact, that for each letter they receive there are at least twenty more people who feel the same way but simply did not take the time to write such a letter.
I have considerable experience in this type of program and would be happy to be the first one to write such a letter.
How about names/address for us to direct our letters. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 5 Mar 2014 6:03 pm
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We don't do the cause any good at all by referring to the Steel Guitar. To most of the public a steel guitar is a guitar with steel strings, as opposed to one with nylon strings, and indeed that is the terminology used all over the world in MIDI. Look for the MIDI sound named "steel guitar" and that is what you get, a regular acoustic steel-strung guitar.
Folks, it's an HAWAIIAN GUITAR. Everyone knows what an Hawaiian Guitar is. If you want to increase the popularity of the instrument in Hawaii, refer to it as the HAWAIIAN GUITAR.
When I tell people that I play the Hawaiian Guitar they know exactly what I'm talking about, and their minds are immediately filled with dreamy music and the sounds of waves. When I tell people that I play the Steel Guitar they look at me completely blank.
Last edited by Alan Brookes on 5 Mar 2014 6:08 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2014 6:06 pm
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It's simply further persuading the legislators to deny the current Bill with emails and/or calls http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/members/legislators.aspx?chamber=H
It's actually a pretty hot topic amongst the various Hawaii politico's right now, it's a rapidly growing controversy as we speak. That's why the trivial TV poll even matters, the more voice the better.
Alan, it's being termed the Hawaiian Steel Guitar by everybody over here of political importance. |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 5 Mar 2014 6:12 pm
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| Alan Brookes wrote: |
We don't do the cause any good at all by referring to the Steel Guitar. To most of the public a steel guitar is a guitar with steel strings, as opposed to one with nylon strings, and indeed that is the terminology used all over the world in MIDI. Look for the MIDI sound named "steel guitar" and that is what you get, a regular acoustic steel-strung guitar.
Folks, it's an HAWAIIAN GUITAR. Everyone knows what an Hawaiian Guitar is. If you want to increase the popularity of the instrument in Hawaii, refer to it as the HAWAIIAN GUITAR. |
Alan, I'm not going to search the archives for the threads and provide links, but at different times this subject has been beaten up pretty good, not to the level of being on the verge of being beaten to death like some other topics around here, but referring to it as simply a Hawaiian guitar opens up a whole other can of worms.
_________________
Mark |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2014 6:17 pm
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| And 'Hawaiian guitar' as a term was largely passé after WW2. |
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