Parking the Steel, its time.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Self initiated decision, park the Steel. Its still set up in the music room but for all particle purpose I am retired from STEEL gigs. Will I pull it out now and then for a gig in town or maybe a Steel show ? Sure, maybe , big maybe--- but I would have to really think about it before committing.

Last night I got a call to do an upcoming Christmas theater show on Steel. A downtown Charlotte Theater, seats 2500. The need was for two songs. There were two rehearsals at two different locations before the show, then a stage rehearsal the afternoon before the show, at the theater. 3 rehearsals. The show is probably 2 hours, my participation would be two songs somewhere in that 2 hour period. I thought about it , thanked them for the call and politely told them I wasn't available of which I wasn't on the dates mentioned. 3 rehearsals before the show at 3 different locations, 3 different days, 2 songs over a 2 hour show, dragging the Emmons and an amp out, driving, parking, lugging, load in load out, it all just came front an center. I've done this for 5 decades, not for money but for joy. There is no joy in what I described above ! LOL Very Happy

Now add I am not 25 any more !

And yes, I gave the show producer two names of very fine active players in the area.

Its time to let my local pals know that I'm no longer available on Steel. NO REGRETS !

I'm still gigging on the Tele and I'm playing Dobro, Flattop and Mandolin at local Bluegrass jams here and there. That's more than enough music to fill the bottle.

Merry Christmas !

tp
_________________
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

Larry Dering · From: Missouri, USA

Good for you Tony. I feel the same way. I won't abandon my music but no longer need to play out. We have a little get together at my home every couple weeks. That's enough to satisfy my desire for playing. I still spend an hour or more daily just playing to tracks for my own pleasure.

K Maul · From: Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL

I hear ya! Two measly songs are not enough for all that hassle. A lighter steel and amp are the things that keep me doing pedal steel gigs. EXCEL and Quilter, respectively. It’s about as light as my lap steels and has given me a new lease on life.

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chuck lemasters · From: Jacksonburg, WV

Tony
I wouldn’t have taken that job either, but I wouldn’t put the wheel lock on the Emmons just yet Wink

…and this opinion comes while recuperating from traveling seventy five miles each way with a fairly difficult load in and out for a less than satisfying gig last night….

Ben Lawson · From: Brooksville Florida

Tony,I'm thinking about the same thing, but I don't play guitar anymore. I'm playing today at a neighbors Christmas party, but it's just three houses away. I'm taking the S10 P/P and the 1x12 amp. My neighbor is Roy Hunt, former Paycheck lead player. I usually put everything on a four wheel cart and push it up the street.
Best of luck with your semi-retirement.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I play dobro at jam sessions, but will keep the steel set up at home, so this way I'm playing both instruments, the dobro for jam sessions and church band and the steel for home use.I'm not really parking the steel, just leaving it set up in the basement in my house. After I started playing twenty-three years ago, I told my mom and dad that if I ever stopped playing and didn't play again, it'd make me feel upset. In '02, I didn't play much because of a bruised hip, and in 2017, I didn't play for three weeks because I'd bruised my left hand. I don't ever want to be known as former steel guitarist Brett Day, because I am steel guitarist Brett Day.

Gordy Rex · From: Southport, NC

understood Tony, it’s been about 5 years since I’ve been on a stage…. Smile

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Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

It was one thing to load in, set up, sound-check and do two weeks' worth of five-nighters; it's quite another to load out from home, load in, set up, sound-check,play, break down, load out, and load back in at home.

It was REAL nice to just walk into the bar, take the cover off the MSA,plug the Tele in, tune up and go. I'm sure if we had that kind of work we'd be doing it, but I'm feeling more and more like Tony's got the right idea. Sad

David Zornes · From: Ohio, USA

Friends, I don’t know if this is an inevitable thing for certain steelers, but I woke up one day and said “It’s done..”The desire, and the drive that I had for practice sessions, and to play live, and then the studios is no longer there. I don’t know about you all, but speaking for me, I believe that age and knowing that I have been there and done that played a very large part in my just retiring from the majority of it all. I continue to play my steel at my church, but then that’s not every song. I even downsized my equipment. I still have my Web amp that I have advertised here on the Forum yfor sale, and after that, it’s just one Derby steel and one Fender Steel King and a couple of accessories. It’s kind of a bittersweet thing isn’t it? But I have talked to other steel players, and they have felt the same way.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

When I started playing dobro, one question I got all the time was, "What happened to the steel?" The answer is, I've added to it with the dobro. The purpose of the dobro is to add an instrument that is acoustic for jam sessions to play and for my church's band. I don't do the one over the other thing with steel and dobro because I love both instruments. By 2021, I started missing playing steel, especially while listening to some of my favorite nineties country songs, and thought of it more in 2022, but earlier this year in February, I went to the Emmons Guitar Company and played an Emmons D-10, and realized a polymer bar is exactly what I need for steel and dobro, so I'm ready to get my Jackson Steel back out and play using a polymer bar. I'll feel like the new guy again, even though I've been playing steel for almost twenty-four years. I'll be playing the steel a lot at home in the basement of my house. The only steel I don't have anymore is the red and gold GFI-the reason is because I'd gotten my Gold Tone Paul Beard Signature Series Deluxe dobro, and also, since my main steel is my Jackson Blackjack Custom SD-10 because I only play E9th tuning now and I want to play the songs on steel that I've missed playing and some I haven't tried yet.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

THX all , nice to read all the nice posts and comments.

Now remember I'm not done , I'm not parked , I'm very much still active.

I've played plenty of Theater shows on Steel , a few songs and it was fun but I was also years younger. My back didn't have a vote !

Our trio is still on rotation at a small PUB close to the house, we've been there 4 or 5 years and just got signed again going into 2024 , but I'm on a Tele . The Steel is still a big part of my life, just not the lugging it around part !

Funny thing, yesterday afternoon before our gig last night , my trio buds came to the house and we jammed a bit, I was on Steel. We laughed and almost said " Bring that baby out tonight" but then I was reminded that we have about 12 SQ feet of space to set up in and literally no place to set up the Steel or break it down. To make matters even worse, when we got to the PUB, there was a Christmas tree standing in my 4 sq feet of space ! LOL

Playing Steel thru the years ( near 45 I guess ) has been way more pleasure than I deserve ! Some bands were great some not so great, like many here I've played with great players and some not so great, and I'm sure they thought the same of me. Small clubs , big clubs, theaters, outdoor stages, sessions, jams, etc... I even taught for a bit and produced a handful of TAB packages. Hell of a journey. I've made great friends of which I am still in contact with many of them. Who woulda thought that at age 25 when my Steel journey began it would have been so much fun , rewarding and lasted so long , what a blessing.

But its time to relax this part of my journey. I'm not practicing Steel like I was so it's kinda unfair to accept gigs when I'm not really prepared. Thats the reality of it all. I really don't want to go out and play when I'm not really GIG ready.

Best to all

tp
_________________
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

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

I agree with Kevin Maul... today's lightweight gear has been a game changer and has allowed me to keep gigging in my 70s. I'm playing a Mullen G2, single body S-10 and a Quilter amp. Gone are the days of 80 lb. amps and 70 lb. pedal steels... for me anyway.
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Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

My new Excel Robostar guitar is less than 21 pounds and if you don't need an amp and can stick a modeler in your steel seat, you can travel as light as a guitar picker who trucks around an average size pedal board.

I love recording and enjoy playing at home but have also lost any desire to play out. After turning down a few local gigs word got around fast and they no longer call. Most of my time is spent playing acoustic guitar and banjo which I can do while watching TV.

Larry Ball · From: Airdrie, Alberta, Canada

“Dave Hopping”. Said it all for me. Loading and setting up.. This is where I have decided to draw the line… I just parted ways with a band I have been playing with for the last 5 yrs.. They are still my friends but they also understand. I enjoy playing live with other musicians but Dave’s words I think speaks volumes for us that are crossing over those aging bridges. I enjoy recording, looking for new material and have many videos to play along with. It will take something very special to make me want to pack all that equipment out again.

My Two Cents
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Michael Greer · From: Ontario, Canada

Tony

As your pedal steel performance days wind down it seemed like a good time to publicly thank you for the significant contribution you made to my enjoyment of pedal steel.

It must be 8 or 9 years ago you sold me a Sho Bud Pro 1 that has been the perfect guitar for me.

At the same time I purchased several of the excellent TAB packages you and your wife produced.
That material really got me started and remains some of my favorite tunes to play.

Merry Christmas to you and your family and all the best next year.

Mike Greer

Michael Greer · From: Ontario, Canada

Mike Neer · From: NJ

I do hope that you paid it forwardby giving the name of another player who might like to have the gig.
Having steel involved is still awesome, even if only for two songs. Gotta plant the seed, generate some curious glances.
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Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I told myself many times since I started playing steel that if I ever decided to stop playing steel, I'd be disappointed if I ever stopped playing. I love taking little breaks every now and then, but I don't ever want to be known as former steel guitarist/dobro player Brett Day. I kinda had to "park" the steel for maybe two or three weeks in 2017 because of a bruised left hand, but when I started playing again, I remembered how awesome it is to play such a beautiful instrument as the pedal steel guitar. When I start playing again, I will mainly play at my house instead of hauling my steel from place to place.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Dale Rottacker · From: Walla Walla Washington, USA

And you just set up that nice new studio Shocked

... I don't have to play out to enjoy playing, in fact the few times I do play out just diminishes the enjoyment I otherwise have just playing in my cozy studio.

Should you still leave your studio set up, I suspect it will find you a frequent visitor and maybe even do some studio work. HOWEVER you decide to approach your "retirement" enjoy it.
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Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Dale LOL, Very Happy

my studio has been set up for a very long time, this year it was just cleaned up ! I can't remember a time in recent years when one Steel or another was just sittin' around waiting on me, or maybe someone else, to pick a few notes ! When I was active I always had two Steels, one set up in the music room and the other in the case ready to head out to a gig.

The studio and Pro Tools will stay just where it is forever, it will outlive me I imagine !

Yep, young Eli will be a frequent visitor, by the way he is already a darn good guitar player and singer .

Best

tp
_________________
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

Kevin Fix · From: Michigan, USA

Totally understand what you are saying!!! I did my last live show 2 weeks ago... 2023 was my bucket list. Wanted to play one last year with some top notch pickers and all around very talented group. It was a great year, but I enjoy my music room more. I have my own YouTube channel doing Steel videos. Mostly cover songs, but lots of fun. 40,000 views now. 40 years is enough. No more traveling, loading and hauling gear. Did some work across the pond for a new Nashville recording artist 8 years ago. I'm tired out..

Chris Brooks · From: Providence, Rhode Island

Tony, I met you (I believe) early in my stay here in Rhode Island.

I hope you keep playing in one form or another. One way is what your photo shows, getting the younger generation[s] to take up our instrument--or some other instrument!

Having just turned 80, I am pretty active still. Going to a single neck Carter and a Nashville 112 has helped. [Can't imagine why I wrestled an MSA D12 and a Session 500 for years!]

Yes, setting up, tearing down, etc. is a hassle. But I tell myself that this is what I do to earn the right to play the most frustrating, awkward, ethereal, obstinate, expressive musical instrument ever devised by mortal man.

Here I am lucky to play with folks that have fun, play good music, and don't take themselves too seriously.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

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