Any Steelers in there 20's or younger?

Steve Howard · From: High Ridge, Missouri, USA

When I come on this site there seems to be such a wealth of knowledge and history being discussed here. Lots of great stories too. It is great to learn all I can from the experienced guys. It has been a big help to me.

But I just get the feeling when I am on here very few (if any) of the forum members are younger guys (I don't think 30-40 is near as old as I thought it was a long time ago, just not as young as I am). I love all kinds of music and country has been my cup of tee the last 3-4 years. I am 26 and my generation seemed to grow up mostly in the hair band age and almost all the guys in my town playing country are converted rock guys. You all talk about these great steel players and most of which I have never even heard (unfortunately) because they were before my time. My only steel guitar hero is Paul Franklin because he is still making the "hip" country recordings in Nashville. And watching him play with "The Players" live blows your mind.

My point is just that it feels like there aren't near as many steelers in my generation as there where in the generations before. Is this just a bad perception or is it true? I mean, if you grew up wanting to be Eddie Van Halen, it is a pretty big jump in taste to move over to steel guitar. I have done it because I love music and the complexities of music (which I think you have to appreciate to play steel). But you have to admit sitting behind the steel guitar half the night doesn't have the same sex appeal as swingin a six string around for the full gig. And that is really what my generation appreciates: Glamour and fame.

Anyway, just curious of your guys opinions on the popularity of steel guitar for younger generations? Maybe it is just because I am in the midwest and if I was in Texas or Tennessee I would see a lot of 20 year olds throwing some cool country licks down on steel. And I just hope for generations to come the Nashville produced albums can keep some steel riffs in there with the growing demand for rock-country and poptry.

Paul King · From: Gainesville, Texas, USA

Jerry and Donna Newberry have a 9 year old grandson who plays. His name is Austin Stewart and does very well being a young lad. I might mention he plays a lot of the steel shows along with his grandfather Jerry. Austin is the youngest I have ever seen actually be able to sit down and play with a band.

Mark Ardito · From: Chicago, IL, USA

Steve,

I'm 28 and I have been playing pedal for about 5 years now. The gigs in Chicago have pretty much dried up, but I still manage to find some bands to keep me busy.

Cheers!
Mark

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Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

Steve, I agree with you completely. I'm 51 and never heard of most of the names on this forum, except for Emmons. During my lessons with Don Curtis, he'll play something and go " just like this lick from-pick almost any country song-" and I look at him with a blank stare, 'cause I never head of it or the song or the artist!JP

Steve Howard · From: High Ridge, Missouri, USA

yeah Jim, I need to go get a lesson with Don soon. My wife is so frugal though that trying to justify $20 for a lesson is like pulling teeth. I just get the "you are a good enough musician that you don't need lessons" or the "That wasn't part of the deal when I let you spend $1800 on a steel guitar". She is too good of an arguer for me. 4 years and I am getting better and better at arguing all the time, but she stays a notch above me

Anyway, I am not afraid of telling him PF is the only steel player I know of and don't qoute any country songs older than ten years or I will be lost. He may laugh, but I am used to being made fun of

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

True Steve.. you won't find many young guys here,but there are some exceptions. I think that is the reason some of us[not all]feel the pedal steel may be in a little trouble. There is not a big enough role in modern Top 40 Nashville hype "country music" for folks to to react to. Let me explain..

Back in the early 50's non pedal steel guitar was VERY prevalent in country music. Prior to that time,Hawaiian music was very popular. LOTS of steel guitar to be heard in the popular music of the era,and the steel was a MAJOR factor in the structure of the music. MANY folks were enraptured by the sound and learned to play steel guitar.

Fast forward to the 60's and early 70's. Country music was LOADED with great PEDAL steel and it was a MAJOR factor in the makeup of the music.Again many folks wanted to learn to make the sounds they heard on those great recrds which is what they did.

A little more forward.. to the country rock era of the late 60's mid 70's. GREAT bands like Poco,New Riders of the Purple Sage,Flying Burrito Brothers,Pure Prarie League,used the steel even more than the guitar.. MAJOR part of the makeup of the music. A few hits like "Teach Your Children" ,"Panama Red" "Fire on the Mountain"and the steel was out front BIG TIME..by the thousands young rockers of the day[me included] went out and bought a Maverick,Red Baron,Sidekick,ZB or Emmons student model etc,and learned what they heard on those great records. LOTS of those guys and gals are still at it..

That is the majority of what you see here. Players influenced by that incredible unmistakable sound. Will it continue like this?.. possibly,but I tend to doubt it. Not enough steel to hear in this culture of "glitz and glamor". Pop idols are king[and queen]at this junture in our musical history.

Steel seems relegated to a very secondary role in most modern music. NOT in the mind of knowledgable musicians and fans that can appreciate the steel for its unique and expressive voice,but they are in the minority. After 30 years of playing in front of many hundreds of thousands of listeners, I can say that right now,fewer people than ever even know what a pedal steel is. Most people that approach me these days to discuus my steel playing are other musicians. Most fans don't know or care what it is I am up to on my steel.

If you see a modern day country performer on TV,usually the steel will be buried in the background,barely audible,and just about invisible... Many folks on this site see Robert Randolph as a modern day messiah of the pedal steel because it is so prominent in his act,but I think that may be a bit overblown.I feel his fans are not as enamoured with the sound of his pedal steel as they are with the entire presentation of the act.. he is a great showman and his band rocks. I may very well be wrong, but I think that his fan base is not going start buying up steels in any great numbers,but hey what do I know??? .. Anyway, maybe I'm wrong but I don't see decent numbers of young musicians playing the steel anymore,but who knows what the future will bring??? bob

Steve Howard · From: High Ridge, Missouri, USA

Yeah, I have the RR album and am impressed by his ability. But I notice when listening that what I find most impressive is how he throws down guitar riffs on steel. Not how "unique" his steel sounds from other instruments. I feel his big ticket is he plays the same stuff a rock or blues guitarist would play on steel instead of guitar and obviously by the slides it has a somewhat "different" sound. But not far enough away from 6 string to get people drueling over the steel guitar. He hardly uses his pedals at all. He probably could if he wanted too, but it just isn't his style. I don't see him being a major influence in new steel players.

There has definately been a huge resurgence in the dobro. I consider dobro a close relative to PSG, so maybe that helps out some in keeping it alive, but as a young guy having a vested interest in how "steel guitar" plays out over the next 20 years, I am definately concerned with its appeal to younger people. I feel good that I am still young and hip and be playing steel in clubs and stuff, but you are right, it will mostly be ignored compared to the flare that a smoking lead guitarist brings (which ours is one of the best in the area). Once my band gets out there more this spring, It will be interesting to report back to y'all if the younger crowds we play for think highly of it. I do have some hope, but we will see.

Ken Thompson · From: Great Falls, Montana, USA

Just to give you a point of reference Steve, I am 52 and the youngest steel player within hundreds of miles. Of course, in Montana, everything is within hundreds of miles.

The next oldest player in our band is 31 (my son), the others are your age. It is very unique to have a steel player in our area. I think that the time needed to just be able to play reasonably well on a steel is stifling to a lot of younger guys. Your generation is the "I want it now" generation. That coupled with the type of music out there now has also inhibited new players taking it up. Thank God for guys like Alan, George and Mark C. (check out his newest CD) that still give us good country music. Our band is very regionally popular and in part due to the steel. We play everything from George Jones to Poison and the steel is prevelant in every song. Partly because we are four piece so I am playing a lot more than I normally would.

I wish I was just now in my 20's and could play. The steel will make a big comeback in a few years. Look how the accordian, dobro, banjo and other instruments are becoming "hip" because the new kids are striving for a "different" sound.

I have learned a lot about the legends of our instrument from this board and we owe them a lot for what they did for country music.

Jack Abraham · From: Oklahoma

I think you guys have some interesting comments here. Bob's remarks on "Teach Your Children" ... hits very close to home for me - exactly why I traded in all of my Vox guitars/amps years ago to buy a Maverick. The breaking point for me was Neil Young's "Harvest" album .... there was just something about the sound of the steel on that record that hooked me for good.

It surprises me to this day that I will still be asked ... "what is that thing?". The last person to do so said that my guitar looked like a "table of strings". I told them that was a good description!

I play with two different groups of people these days. The first is a group of people with whom I have enjoyed music for @ 30 years - we are all 50+ years old. The other people are in their mid 20's. I am very fortunate and have 3 different steels. If I can get over an "emotional" attachment to my old Maverick, I plan on giving it to one of the "young guys". He loves the steel; but, he can't afford to buy one now. His favorite "record" is Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I'm twenty-three and I've been playing steel now for five years. I have cerebral palsy, but it didn't stop me from playing the instrument I love. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10

jim milewski · From: stowe, vermont

I'm with Jack, back then in the early seventies the Harvest album along with Pure Prairie League, the Burritos, Riders, Poco, and the rest, even James Tatlor used steel on His early album, there was a lot of steel on the rock format stations, so I bought a Maverick (I think it's great Jack still has his Maverick). Twins seemed to be the favorite amp, no digital effects yet, man, time flies.
Some people get into steel from listening to Haggard, Jones etc., back then I didn't know who the country singers were, that came after I started playing.

Jim Hankins · From: Yuba City, California, USA

Hi Steve, I identify alot with what you posted. At 48 yrs old, I played guitar since about the age of five, and eventually focused on hard rock lead guitar, until maybe about five years ago. Prior to that , country, hawaiian, etc would have been close to the last thing I would listen to. Then for some unexplained reason, I just started noticing the beautiful sound of the steel. Now I wonder why other people dont see it, and I remind myself that just a few years ago, me, a guitar player , didnt see it. Some kind of level of maturity, atleast I had to reach musically, I guess, Jim

David Spires · From: Millersport, OH

Wow... I remember when I could answer "yes" to that question...

That is depressing!

33, and not getting any younger.

:-)
David Spires

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Steel Guitarist for Jo Dee Messina: Carter D-10 8&7 / MSA Classic D-10 8&5; Line 6 Pod XT; Jagwire Artist Series Strings; Walker Professional Players' Chair; Peterson VS-II Tuner; Goodrich Matchbro & LDR Pedal; and BJS Bars

Bart Maloney · From: Houston, Texas

22 here and loving every minute of it.

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"Keep on Keepin' on"
www.bartmaloney.iwarp.com

Ben Slaughter · From: Madera, California

Steve, you're not alone. I'm 26 (a Missouri native, by the way), and yes, I am the youngest steeler I've ever met in person. A couple of the local steelers give me a hard time because they used to be the "young" guys at 40+ (Yes Pat, I'm being kind, and I know you’re out there lurking).

I grew up on James Taylor, Huey Lewis, and Paul Simon, mostly because of what my folks listened to. I never got into hair metal, but was more aware of it during my "pre-teen" years than I was aware of country.

My revelation into country music was Diamond Rio's first album in '89 then Garth's first album a week later. I was 11 years old. The first time I became cognizant of the PSG was the solo in Garth's "Much Too Young."

I had no idea who Buck Owens was until I heard his duet with Dwight on "Streets of BF." I had no idea who Merle Haggard was until that group of artists did a cover of "Workin' Man Blues" in the early 90's. I had no idea who Buddy Emmons and Llyod Green were until I joined this Forum.

How could I have known, if I wasn't force fed older country when I was young?

So, I started a country band when I was 19, and played lead guitar for the next 4+ years, all the while becoming more intrigued by the PSG, especially when trying to cop Franklin's licks on the Tele. The band split up when I was 23 and I figured hey "I want to keep playing country music, but there's a zillion guitar players out there, and there's this PSG in the Musician’s Friend catalog for $600, how hard could it be?" So I bought it, and started fiddling around.

Fast forward to today. Have I played lots of gigs on PSG? Yup. Do I have a lot of learning and catching up to do? Yup. Do I know how to play "Night Life" and "Bud's Bounce?" Nope. Will ever take the time to sit down and learn those old songs? Probably not. Do I think the PSG is dying? Nope.

Good, bad, right, or wrong, the sound of the PSG is linked to country music, just the way the sound of the Dobro is linked to Bluegrass or the bagpipes are linked to Scottish music. If RR takes PSG to a new audience, wonderful, more power to him. But, at this point in time the overall popularity of the PSG is undoubtedly linked to country music. As country music strays from its roots, the less popular it becomes as evidenced over the past few years.

My personal "pendulum" theory of the popularity of country music: Country swings back a fourth, closer to, and away from the "traditional" sound of which PSG is a major part. On one end, think of Hank Sr., on the other end, think of Shania Twain. Somewhere in the middle, it strikes a balance, and it is at THAT balance point where country music is most popular to the general listening audience. Not too "twangy" to offend the pop-leaning listener and not too "poppy" to offend the traditional-leaning listener. The last time it reached that balance, oh, 1993 or so, the height of Garth, AJ, Strait, Mark Chesnut, etc. I think that since that time it moved to the "pop" side, and as it moved, record sales fell. I think we've already hit the "pop" extreme (probably 2-3 years ago, remember Kid Rock?), and are swinging back toward "traditional" (despite Big & Rich). Country record sales were UP in 2004 and the most played song in '04? "Whisky Lullaby," a pretty traditional sound there.

So, as country swings back toward "traditional" sounds, PSG and its players will enjoy resurgence. I think we're already seeing it. Yes, there are other factors, record label consolidation, ClearChannel radio dominance, smoke-free bars, etc. But, this is about the music.

So, Steve, if you buy my theory, you and I are positioned just right to catch the next upsurge in the popularity of country and PSG (as long as our chops are up to snuff).

Sorry for the dissertation that no one will read, but I had to get that off my chest.

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Ben
Zum D10, Carter U12
Twin, NV400, PODxt, G&L Guitars, etc, etc.

Steve Howard · From: High Ridge, Missouri, USA

Well, I'm really glad to see some other youngens out there. Guess we will be ready for it if country swings back around this way. And as far as your theory, I have the same opinion as do many about how it seems to go from one side to the other.

Regarding some of the non-traditional country, it is funny because I totally do not like how far away artists like Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney have strayed from what they were when they first started out. Obviously I Loath Rascal Flatts even though they serve a purpose and do very well. But somehow totally appreciate Big & Rich's originality. To me, it is just fun music whether or not it is country, rock, rap, whatever... whatever it is they are doing, I kind of like it. Now if Big Kenny could just sing on key live they might go somewhere.

Dan Sawyer · From: Studio City, California, USA

Steve, first of all, i want to encourage you and all the other young steelers out there to keep the faith. Even if steel guitar becomes marginalized in country (already happened?) something else will come along. The sound of psg and straight steel will always be appreciated for it's unique voice. Remember, banjos and harmonicas were once required for country, aka hillbilly, music. (1930s). Today there are still great players of these instruments and people like Bela Fleck to take them in new directions.

Another thing i've noticed. For some reason country music fans, do not honor or learn their music's history. This is too bad. Many fans today, don't know who the originators and trailblazers were. It's not like this in jazz. The jazz radio stations still will play artists like Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. Many of today's jazz artists still perform the so-called "standard" tunes. You don't often see many of today's country stars reaching back to perform the old country classics. I don't know why this is, but as for steel guitar, it would be appreciated more if people knew the history of country music in the U.S.

Theresa Galbraith · From: Goodlettsville,Tn. USA

Good insight Ben!

[This message was edited by Theresa Galbraith on 12 January 2005 at 03:38 PM.]

Terry Edwards · From: Florida... livin' on spongecake...

I've been in my 20's two and a half times. Does that count?

Terry

Chuck Cusimano · From: Weatherford, Texas, USA

In reading this thread, I'm breating a sigh of relief. The "Youngsters" of today, (and Yesterday, a few years ago) need to be appreciative of the older players. I think someone called them "Trail Blazers". How true!
The younger "KIDS" nowadays, have a huge advantage over us old fa**s, in that, when I grew up we didn't even have a record player, just a radio, and most of the time the signal was awful.
The new generation has some sofisticated home recording equipment that they can slow down licks and learn them. I must have listened to Lonnie Mack playing "MEMPHIS" on the guitar at my buddies house fifty times trying to figure out what he was doing. I didn't know a string could be bent! My black diamonds couldn't be!

The younger guys commin' on now are our only hope that COUNTRY MUSIC can survive, and I think it's great that there is a lot of interest in preserving our COUNTRY MUSIC.

By the time the Traditional Country makes it's BIG comeback, it will be the guys that are young now that will be making it happen.
My hat is off to the new country kids on the block. Take the time to find out who some of the first ones were. Your time will be well spent, and your playing will reap the benefit.

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

I believe Randal Currie is 25.

Sorry David, Your name also came to my mind when I saw the question.

[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 12 January 2005 at 04:13 PM.]

David Yannuzzi · From: Pomona , New York, USA

I'm 25 and have been playing a couple of years. People are usually pretty interested when they see the PSG. Some times i play country gigs, rock gigs I even got ask to put some steel on a rap recording and some modern jazz. The PSG has so much to offer and if you are open and for the challenge you can take it anywhere.-Dave

[This message was edited by David Yannuzzi on 12 January 2005 at 04:53 PM.]

Ben Slaughter · From: Madera, California

I believe Randal is more like 27, but who's counting? And Randal's a shining example of My Generation keeping the tradition alive (in a fabulous manner I might add). I think Brad Paisley's around 30 or 31 now, and his fiddle player, Justin I think, is younger than I am.

By the way, the best fiddle player I know is 22.

There's a whole generation of us who grew up on that 1990's country. It will come back around. There just flat out ain't as may of us GenXers as there are in the Baby Boom or WWII generations.

Ben Slaughter · From: Madera, California

You know, one more thought. I've learned more about the PSG on this Forum than any book could teach. It is from the experience and knowledge here, that the instrument will live on. We "youngens" have nothing to do but learn from the "trail blazers" active on this Forum.

With that in mind, I'd like to express how much I bemoan the fact that Mr. Carl Dixon no longer participates in this forum. Regardless of personal beliefs, Carl is a wealth of information. I have learned more about the PSG from reading Carl's posts than any other single person. He answered questions that I didn't even know I had with his thoughtful and brilliant insights. We will be poorer players and stewards of this instrument for not having Carl, and others like him, around.

Joe Yednasty · From: CA

Hey Steve, I'm 20 years old. I got started playing about a year ago. I have lived in Connecticut my whole life and have been at college in the New York City area and it hasn't held me back from listening to the kinds of country that I want to listen to (or even play). I can really understand how you want to go to Nashville, I've never been there and I feel like it is a place that would fit me perfectly. But anyway, just lettin' you know about a 20 year old forum member.

Good Luck Steelin

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"Eskimo" Joe Yednasty

Emmons P/P S-10
Peavey Session 500

Ralph Mooney Fan

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