This performance is part of the NCO Guitar Gala featuring classical guitar virtuoso, Jose Feliciano with special guests, John Jorgenson. Gary will be performing the Concerto for Pedal Steel Guitar, which is a three-part movement written by Michael Levine expressly for the pedal steel.

For those of you who might not be familiar with the name, Michael Levine is a prominent movie and television composer in Los Angeles, and has been a long time fan of the steel guitar. The NCO is a 36-piece string orchestra directed by Paul Gambill who's motto is "music with no boundaries."

Gary has performed with several orchestras in the past along with Pam Tillis, but never in a situation in which the steel guitar was the featured instrument! All three movements were written entirely in standard orchestra nomenclature (not tablature)which almost goes without saying, this is not something just anybody could do without having formal education and training.

Gary studied music theory and harmony at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, and he is indeed, very knowledgeable not only as a professional performer, but in many areas of the music industry.

Although this might sound like a bit more of a biography about Gary Morse than just a simple "event announcement" knowing personally the many achievements that Gary has accomplished in the music industry over the many decades I've known him makes it hard for me to talk about Gary Morse without mentioning the giant steps forward that he has made in the music industry, both, as a musician, and particularly for the steel guitar.

As I'm sure many of you will agree, we need all the exposure we can possibly get for this instrument to keep it alive and prominent, and a concert such as this indeed does just that, and in a very big way! It's not often us steel players get to see the steel guitar being played much beyond the bars and perhaps the private clubs now and then, and I believe achievments such as this truly help to bring the pedal steel guitar into the lime light, and I'm hoping to see a lot more of this in the future.

For more information on this event,here's the website for the Nashville Chamber Orchestra. www.nco.org then click on "concert schedule" and scroll down near the bottom where you'll see a photo of Gary Morse, and more details about this event.

I'm hoping many of you will be able to attend this spectacular event which I believe is truly another giant step for the steel guitar, and I know Gary will sincerely appreciate your support. Gary is one of those guys who always "makes the time" to talk to anyone who wants to talk with him. If you ask him what time it is, not only will he give you the correct time, he'll tell you how to build the watch. :-)

Please help me in congratulating Gary, and in supporting him and the steel guitar.

Unfortunately for me, I will be on the road the 16th, and will miss this tremendous event. I wish I could be there to fill another seat and show my support.

Great post Danny, and congratulations to you Gary Morse.

Sincerely,

I'd be fascinated to hear this ground-breaking work. I'll be working myself at that time, so I'm unable to support this event, but I hope that there'll be another chance to see it performed.

Congratulations to everyone concerned; Gary - break a leg!!! (...and not a 'third'!)

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I've known Gary since his late 70's Los Angeles days, and he's always strived to do unique things with psg. He was playing killer rock on steel with Chris Gaffney and Phantom Herd, and others. He was the first I knew to stand up, sling a lap steel on a guitar strap, and wail on that thing in a very prominent way onstage. He experimented with one of the first early synthesized processors, the Korg X-11, and got some way out sounds going on that (Gary, I still have the tape from your apartment when we experimented with that gizmo, it's a hoot!). And he used a violin bow on the E9 first string.

I'm sure there are other innovations, too, but just wanted the forum to realize what a pioneer he's been for us all. And of course he's one knocked out country picker, that goes without saying!

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Gary is one of my favorite players.
I'll never forget the seminar he did at LT's show several years ago.

Just a quick note to wish you well in this new venture. Sure wish I could be there. I have known that you were a special player since the first job we ever worked together in Fla. It's been fun staying in touch from time to time and seeing how your career continues to grow. I know this will be a huge succcess.

Break a leg, my brother. Hope to see you in Michigan one of these days.

LTB

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps