That view of what a musician does to express himself and his art has been proven to be a most narrow minded and musically ignorant/biased mistake over a period of time.

John Coltrane's playing was considered as such by the critics in his day.

Bob Dylan was discounted as trash by the folkies when he performed with an electric guitar.

Drums and electric guitars at the revered Grand Old Opry were viewed as "undesirable".

They threatened Adolph Sax after his invention of the Saxophone.

It is a proven fact that Elvis Presley was a conscript of Satan. (science fiction music here)

The Beatles were written off as just some wierd English guys with old style hair.

And on and on.

RR is just getting started. He has more notoriety and more influence right now than any former steel guitar legend. Kids don't know and don't care who Jerry Byrd and Buddy Emmons and Lloyd Green are. They are basing their opinions of RR on what is happening right now and not what happened 30 years ago musically and stylistically.

No musician degrades the instrument he plays, just by playing a different kind of music on it. You might not like what RR plays but you can't write him off as "garbage".

You can get a better understanding of his technical virtuosity from some of his recorded tracks, but even that does not capture what you see and hear live. It's always tough to capture that live experience on tape and TV, but RR seems to have a special problem with that. So don't be too quick to judge based on these poor late night TV productions. There is way more to this guy, and he is just getting started.

But then I recall 2 or 3 years ago at the Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree that the mixing was so bad that you literally could not hear the steels most of the time. It happens!

To really "appreciate" ( notice I didn't say like it) RR's ability you can hear it on his CD's ..... particularly the "Live at the Wetlands one.

Now personally, I don't particulary care for a full plate of "rock/blues" type steel (just as I don't care for a lot of the overdone cornpone licks you hear on a lot of pedal steel.) But I do respect those players considerable ability and expertise.

So, I do appreciate the considerable talent I have heard on RR's stuff, just as I really like some of Joe Wright's heavy rock stuff like "Powerslide".

But the Leno apearance was definitely not a good one to judge RR's talent with.

the main thing here is a lot more people know what steel guitars are because of RR.

quote:

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"When Alvino Rey or Speedy West did those wild sound effects on their steels, I wonder how many purists had complaints?"

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I do not believe hardly any at all. I am one of those purists. And I loved listening to and enjoyed the playing of both of them.

I never heard anyone of our purist's steel players attack either player. Or, their styles. The closest thing I ever heard was, some felt that Alvino played just chords rather than a flowing melody. Which was indeed true.

But I have yet to hear a single "purist" say they did not care for their playing. The time when Alvino Rey and then Speedy West was elected into the SGHOF, I saw many many cheering purists lauding them with standing ovations.

Also, I do not recall Tom Bradshaw saying we wanted the steel to be ONLY "country". He may have of course. But I would tell him the following.

All I have heard is, "We want the steel to be accepted like other instruments are. The county label was put on US. We never put it on us, that I can recall."

I personally would love the steel to be included in many different genre's of music. But why can't it still sound like the steel guitar we love.

That is my beef. Jerry Byrd played latin music sooo beautifully I could not quit listening to it. And not one note was "country". MANY others have done the same. But one could still tell it was a beautiful, incredibly overtoned musical instrument.

Why does it have to be that in order for our beloved instrument to be accepted, we purists must be masked by playing styles many of us "purists" do not care to listen to? Not talking about the music, talking about the playing styles.

After all we do have a stake in it. We pioneered the sapsucker! Should we have to sucuumb to noise called music in order to become accepted? Including playing the instrument in a manner that does not even sound like a steel guitar?

That is the question.

And that is the purists' number one objection.

YEE HAA!!!

------------------

Disclaimer:
I missed the Leno spot.
'Seen him mostly live.

Alvino, Emmons, Franklin, Tharpe, Chuck Campbell and the rest of those out there in that so called SG Hall of fame,and thousands of others AND Robert Randolph play the steel guitar. It would take a person with a pretty narrow outlook to discount any one of these players just because of what they think a steel guitar is SUPPOSED to sound like. All bring something viable to the table.

quote:

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But why can't it still sound like the steel guitar we love.

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quote:

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Should we have to sucuumb to noise called music in order to become accepted? Including playing the instrument in a manner that does not even sound like a steel guitar?

---

Anyhow, one has to admit that if the steel were restricted to one type of music, say 70 years ago, and THAT style went by the wayside about 65 years ago, many of the 50 to 70-year olds today wouldn't even have to worry about posting a protest or a praise on this forum.

The steel would be in a little novelty corner somewhere, needing a real souped up search engine to find something about it. My opinion.

"There ain't no good guy,
There ain't no bad guy.
There's only you and me and we just disagree."

Yet Jimi is an innovator in the world of electric guitar (my disapproval didn't seem to make any difference ). So far, I feel the same way about Randolph - but it sure is great that there's a steel guitar on the front cover of 'Guitar Player'. I'm going to buy it on my way to work today, and read it between songs in the orchestra pit.....

If my referencing the term "garbage" when I gave my personal opinion of RR's playing is unacceptable to you, then I feel badly.

I feel this, not because I have changed my opinion; rather because it appears that when a devout Christian gives his opinion, there are always those that feel, he is less than honorable to his faith because he may choose to use those words or phrases that others might not care to hear or agree with.

My final comments on this subject and on this thread is: I only wish you had been as quick to condemn those who would call all playes who feel simarly; "narrowminded"; "70 year olders", or any other negatively discriptive euphamisms, as has permeated this forum since its inception.

Let the chips fall where they may, I STILL do not care for RR's playing and I still agree with the first person (it was not me) that referred to it as "garbage".

I also believe with every fiber of my being that IF RR had been born with the color of my skin, he would NOT have been on the cover of that magazine; he would not have been on the Jay Leno show; he would not have been labeled the "greatest steel guitar player" by that highly missinformed author; and he would not have even received honorable mention on this forum.

(Note: I wrote NO letter to that author.)

And I believe with all my heart that the absolute proof of that is that Buddy Emmons was not on the Jay Leno show; nor was he on the cover of that magazine; nor was he labeled by that highly missinformed author "the greatest steel guitar player".

And I stand on that professed absolute. I will state BE HAS been lauded incredibly and often by many on this forum. I only wish that he could have been lauded even higher by this forum; by NOT degrading him for the sake of someone PURELY because of the color of their skin!

Now if you or anyone who ever reads this, wishes to use this to label me a racist, So be it. But you will be dead wrong!

Truth is truth and I will not shy away from it, regardless. John the Baptist didn't. Neither did Jesus Christ. NOR shall I in trying (failing miserably of course) to walk in his holy footsteps.

May Jesus right all wrongs,

I am dedicating my listening pleasure today to alternating Buddy Emmons and Robert Randolph selections.

You've insulted everyone on this forum by insinuating that "IF RR had been born with the color of my skin, he would NOT have been on the cover of that magazine; he would not have been on the Jay Leno show; he would not have been labeled the "greatest steel guitar player" by that highly missinformed author; and he would not have even received honorable mention on this forum. Yes, it must be true we all like him because he's black--like a novelty, I guess--because you say it's true. What world do you reside in? Is a black artist's expression only valid if it's within the realm of your acceptable art? Is his spirituality any less valid than yours?

Your opinion means nothing to me, but someone may actually read it one day and ascertain that it's the right way to think.

[This message was edited by Mike Neer on 07 August 2004 at 11:06 AM.]

quote:

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Your opinion means nothing to me, but someone may actually read it one day and ascertain that it's the right way to think.

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Kudos.

EJL

As an aside, after watching the Nick Berg Beheading Video, I'm not sure I'd choose the John the Baptist gig without some extra reflection..

My nail holes are already a constant source of mid-life arthritis...

[This message was edited by Eric West on 07 August 2004 at 11:47 AM.]

And to say that the ONLY reason RR gets any credit at all is because he is black overlooks the overwhelming facts that he is playing to sold out crowds of tens of thousands who love his music, has been handpicked by none other than Eric Clapton for a world tour, etc., etc., etc. If you think all that is ONLY because he is black, man, think again. Did the journalist overstep the limits in calling him the "steel guitar god" or whatever he called him? Sure he did. Big deal. Blame the journalist, not RR.

By the way, BE is also, by far, my favorite steeler (as well as a personal friend and teacher). But I don't think it detracts one iota from Buddy's playing or his legacy that Robert is having the success he is having. For all you know, E. himself might be quietly cheering Robert on from the sidelines. According to your premise, he'd be cheering for garbage. Where does that leave you in your hero-worship?

I'm a lifelong and devout Christian, but I don't think it's productive when you seek to give your opinion more weight by invoking the Lord's name at the end of your paragraphs.

Also, it's a leap in logic, when you are confronted by someone, to say that you're being persecuted for the faith. There are many devout Christians on this Forum who don't experience that. The problem has more to do with your very human tendency to be outspoken. Everyone is entitled to their opinion; you only get in trouble when you try to equate your opinion with "truth" and "right".

Bones McKinney used to say that it was obvious God didn't care about basketball, for if He had, Wake Forest would've won every game. I think I'm safe in saying that the Lord Jesus doesn't care about the Jay Leno show or pedal steel guitar either! This ain't a theological discussion (or wasn't 'till now).

Rich, where are you getting your info. about Biblical authorship?

Rick

[This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 07 August 2004 at 12:24 PM.]