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 Anyone play steel and sing... at the same time!? (Page 2)
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| Author | Topic: Anyone play steel and sing... at the same time!? |
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RickRichtmyer Member From: Beautiful Adamstown, MD |
posted 03 October 2001 10:52 AM
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When he played in the DC area with a group called The Rosslyn Mountain Boys, Tommy Hannum was one of the two lead singers. He sings almost as well as he plays steel and that's saying something! ------------------ |
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Rick Schmidt Member From: Carlsbad, CA. USA |
posted 03 October 2001 11:08 AM
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Ha! You got me on that one bOb! Although Roland Kirk used to sing through his sax mouthpiece while he was playing....actually while he was playing 3 horns at once. Sounded gawd awful, but he was singing all the same.  |
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Dave Van Allen Member From: Doylestown, PA , US , Earth |
posted 03 October 2001 01:14 PM
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I did it for a while with my originals band the D-V-8's back in the 80's. It's one of the hardest things I ever tried to do, but wow, what a feeling of accomplishment when you pull it off!! I've gotten really lazy since then. every once in a while i try one of those tunes by myself in the practise room... by myself is the operative phrase... |
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Pat Burns Member From: Branchville, N.J. USA |
posted 03 October 2001 01:35 PM
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I've seen John Swain do it, he has a great voice, too....and Al Brisco, both make it look effortless.... |
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Dave Burton Member From: Richland,Wa. USA |
posted 03 October 2001 01:48 PM
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I do it all the time,back up too.Not so easy to do sometimes. |
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Tommy Mark Member From: Port Perry Ont, Can. |
posted 03 October 2001 05:20 PM
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Rusty Walker does it all the time with our band. One of the best voices I`ve ever heard. Tom |
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Ben Lawson Member From: Somerset, N.J. |
posted 04 October 2001 04:59 AM
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The greatest boost I ever got about singing and playing came from Herby Wallace. We were at Larry Selfs' steel show in Debary Fl. about ten years ago. I sang and played Night Life. Herby said he thought I did a decent job of it and I was honored that he would even mention it. I'm not trying to blow my own horn but trying to tell everyone that when you play at these shows the "big guys" do listen and express appreciation for what us little guys do. Well maybe just a little horn blowing. |
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Henning Antonsen Member From: Langmyrv. 9, 2335 Stange, Norway |
posted 04 October 2001 05:41 AM
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I play steel & sing harmony in our band, if that counts... ------------------ |
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Bill Nauman Member From: Cresco,Pa,USA |
posted 05 October 2001 06:39 AM
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Well,I was hoping I wouldnt have to type this today but here goes. Since 1973,I have doubled on Keyboards and Steel but Vocal has always been what got and kept the house jobs. I used a secretary's swivel chair back then and have now built a large pack-a-seat and risers to align keyboards to my left at the proper height. Some stages dont have enough room for me to set up this way..so if not..I cant switch comfortably. It requires dropping the pick sometimes depending how intense the keyboard solo is, but the tough part is putting them back on with one hand..try it!you will see what i mean...I mark the insides of the two picks (red or blue) I use Peavey Keyboards,DPM3se and Dpm4 plus a Yamaha piano module via midi. The Emmons goes to a Nashville 400,lines out to the Peavey 8 channel powered mixer,115h international series speakers ..with high and mid range horn ..black widow 15s. This makes a powerful setup that most bands need,covering fiddle sounds,sax,steel piano,strings and horns... What is fun is singing a line and starting another instrument voice at the same time... All the best from the west..Bill in Vegas |
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Johan Jansen Member From: Europe |
posted 05 October 2001 06:53 AM
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I can't get this done. To me it's like drinking a glass of beer with a sigarette in my mouth  Besides that, my band forbids me to sing JJ ------------------ |
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Larry Bell Member From: Englewood, Florida |
posted 05 October 2001 08:20 AM
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quote: Mine too, but I do it anyway. I find it harder to sing harmony than lead for some reason. ------------------ |
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Bob Blair Member From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
posted 05 October 2001 08:43 AM
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I've always done some singing while playing steel. You have to be a bit judicious about what you try to accomplish on your instrument when you are in the middle of a vocal line or you will lose your concentration - one danger is that you will lose track of your microphone proximity and your voice will fade away. I have thought about trying one of those headset doohickeys that a lot of singers are using. |
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Bobby Lee Sysop From: Cloverdale, North California, USA |
posted 05 October 2001 09:49 AM
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Like DVA, I've been lazy about it in recent years. Most of the bandleaders I work with now don't even know that I sing. I don't bring a mike to a gig unless specifically asked to. Just lazy. My song list is getting pretty old, too. ------------------ |
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Billy Woo Member From: Los Angeles, CA, USA |
posted 05 October 2001 01:25 PM
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I play and switch off from Elec guitar to Steel and sing lead. One of the hardest songs to pull off for me is "Just Call me Lonesome" by Radney Foster, singing lead is tough on this one. Now, a question to all the above. What is the best way to set up an A/B box system to switch from guitar to steel and keep my Tubefex going at the same time? at the moment I am plugging my guitar direct to amp and psg to tubefex to 2nd input of amplifier? |
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Jim Bob Sedgwick Member From: Clinton, Missouri USA |
posted 05 October 2001 03:02 PM
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Count me in: I will have to say both the singing and the playing suffer somewhat, tho. |
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C Allen Member From: BEREA, KENTUCKY, USA |
posted 05 October 2001 03:41 PM
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Yup, all the time. I front from the steel, and do 1/3 of the bands vocal work |
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Tim Rowley Member From: Pinconning, MI, USA |
posted 05 October 2001 06:40 PM
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To Billy Woo: It depends on a couple of factors, but assuming you want to be able to run both the steel and the standard guitar through the Tube-fex, here's my recommendation: Run the steel to the "A" input and the guitar to the "B" input of the A/B box, the output of the A/B box to the input of the Tube-fex, the output of the Tube-fex to the volume pedal, and the output of the Tube-fex to the amp. Use the best cables you can get (i.e. George L) and keep them just as short as possible because of the Hi-Z situation. It gets more complicated if you have to separately pre-amp the guitar or if there is a problem with tone. Send me an E-mail so we can discuss this in more detail. For my setup I use a home-built A/B box with a heavy duty double-throw center-off switch and broom clips to attach it to the leg of my steel guitar. It works great, is well shielded, and does not cause any hum. In the past I have also tried using mixers but in doing so some tone is sacrificed due to capacitance, signal strength is compromised, and headroom problems can occur. You are right to stick with the A/B box IMHO as long as it's placed correctly in the chain Tim R.. |
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Vern Kendrick Member From: Earth |
posted 05 October 2001 07:16 PM
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Hell,..I cant even play steel at the same time |
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Van Ertel Member From: Baltimore, MD USA |
posted 05 October 2001 08:11 PM
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned Billy Phelps. His set in St Louis was a real treat. |
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George Keoki Lake Member From: Edmonton, AB., Canada |
posted 05 October 2001 09:32 PM
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Coming from a non-pedal area...Singing and playing steel is very common in Hawai'i. Amongst those who do it and do it well are Alan Akaka, Casey Olsen, Harold Hakuole, Greg Sardinha to name but a few. Even Jerry has been known to play and sing! Most manage to play fills at the end of phrases while singing either solo or three part harmony. I cannot recall any of them actually playing hot riffs while singing. |
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Robert Thomas Member From: Mehama, Oregon, USA |
posted 07 October 2001 03:21 AM
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I have found that if you use a mike that clamps to your head and has a small mike in front of your mouth, that you can maintain eye contact and move your head up, down and around and not have to fight a stationary mike helps tremendously. I play by myself, so I play the melody while I sing. I feel anyone can do this if I can. Just practice a lot. I have a HWP Mullens d-10, 8+4, Korg KR55 rythum machine, Roland Space echo, Mutron bi-phase and Run this all through a Peavey XR350, with 2 separate speaker cabinets. Each cabinet has 2 jensen 12 inch,16 ohm speakers and 1, 8 ohm horn driver. I also use a Bigsby vol/tone pedal. Have fun, that is what it is all about. |
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John Kavanagh Member From: Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada |
posted 07 October 2001 12:14 PM
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I played in a jazz/blues trio where I played bass, harmonica, and sang, all more or less at the same time. It was sort of like white water rafting... |
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Bob Stone Member From: Gainesville, FL, USA |
posted 08 October 2001 08:50 AM
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There are several contemporary "Sacred Steel" musicians who sing as they play. Calvin Cooke, Aubrey Ghent and Robert Randolph are among the first that come to mind. Not only do they sing, they really move around. Robert might get up and stomp and dance and quickly return to play the steel several times during the course of a number. I have seen Aubrey Ghent do James Brown glides across the floor while still playing as well as get down on one knee while playing. And of course Willie Eason sang on 6 of 7 the 78s he recorded in the 1940s and 50s. He made a career out of singing while playing lap steel. He would talk to his steel ("What did you say?" or " You better hush your mouth!") and make it answer back. |
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Paul Graupp Member From: Macon Ga USA |
posted 09 October 2001 05:58 AM
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I was going to post this yesterday but I didn't have a last name for this player and still don't today. Perhaps he will recognize his work or someone else will know who I am talking about. In the late 60s I was working as a TV Engineer. On sunday mornings I would work in VTR and load and play shows like the Happy Goodmans (sp ?). The steel man was singing as well as playing. Later in the 80s he was working with Johnny Paycheck (also a former steel man.) and I spent an evening with him at Whiskey River, Macon, GA. He opened the show with a knock-out rendition of What's Forever For and playing excellent steel guitar at the same time. His name was Mike - - - - ?? I could make a guess but I won't because there are so many good players named Mike and I'm sure I'd offend someone either way. He played an Emmon D-10 but I think there were only three or four strings left on the C6th neck. He said he never used it but I wondered to myself, why not take those old strings off and put a pad on there. I'd like to think now that he had so much work, time wouldn't allow for that. Regards, Paul [This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 09 October 2001 at 05:59 AM.] |
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Joe Henry Member From: Ebersberg, Germany |
posted 09 October 2001 10:58 AM
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quote: Iīm with you on this one, Johan. Actually, for me itīs rather like drinking a glass of wine with a joint in my mouth. But seriously, I already found it difficult to play guitar and sing at the same time, and on steel even more so. Maybe also because I have to look at the fretboard a lot to know where I am, and, IMO, it just doesnīt look too cool singing without looking at the audience. Some are born to be frontmen. Not me. |
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Samuel E. White Member From: Greeneville TN. |
posted 09 October 2001 06:46 PM
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I try to play Steel and Ido better playing than I would if I sang.I have four of the Steel players in The R.I Steel Guitar Assoc. that are great Steel players and real good singers.We Have Manny Escbar who can triple yodel,Roger Traham who does a great job on (Look at us),Len Amaral who is a great singer and Andy Perry who is also great at both. Sam White |
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John Steele Member From: Renfrew, Ontario, Canada |
posted 09 October 2001 08:46 PM
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I agree with Jim C. and ebb... Pete Burak does a really great job at it. I happened into a side room at a convention and soaked it in for a while... The hair's gotta go though. -John |
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Gary Harris Member From: Hendersonville, TN, USA |
posted 11 October 2001 06:31 PM
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Of course, Pete Drake did it and recorded it. One of the few pedal steel players that had his own distinctive sound. I saw Smiley Roberts do it this week and did a bang up job. |
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TomP Member From: Encino Ca |
posted 18 October 2001 03:35 PM
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Leon McAuliffe was my favorite. Enjoyed his sangin' a lot more that Tommy Duncan's. ------------------ |
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Jim Smith Member From: Plano, TX, USA |
posted 18 October 2001 03:38 PM
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Gary, the story I heard was that when Pete Drake's "talking guitar" style was at it's peak, he couldn't learn all the songs fast enough to record them, so Jeff Newman played them and Pete mouthed the words.  |
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Ed Webster Member From: Salem, Oregon -USA |
posted 26 October 2001 08:04 PM
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Richie Dell, wherever he is now, does a single, using an auto. drummer/bass machine and has done this VERY successfully since back in the 60's. He was my mentor in the transition from triple neck Fender to the pedal scene and blew me away with the kind of steel he could play along with all that other stuff going on as well as singing. Anyone know where Richie is today? Lat I heard he was in the Lubbock, TX area. |
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Double ya sea Edgar unregistered |
posted 26 October 2001 08:45 PM
I do it also and very well I might add. WC |
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chris ivey Member From: sacramento, ca. usa |
posted 27 October 2001 03:46 PM
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i've sung quite a bit in the past...lead and harmony. lead singing is alot easier if the band knows the tune! |
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Jim Florence Member From: wilburton, Ok. US |
posted 28 October 2001 09:56 AM
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If you're old enough you could remember Wayne Newton and his brother Jerry as the Rythym Rascalls on TV like in 1957 where Wayne played steel and sang while Jerry played guitar. It was very cute Wayne was probably 15 or 16, and they had a parakeet that stayed on his steel. The bird seemed to enjoy being on camera. |
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Jussi Huhtakangas Member From: Helsinki, Finland |
posted 28 October 2001 10:28 PM
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Jeremy Wakefield sings and plays steel with The Lucky Stars, and does a heck of a job on both. Jussi |
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Red Kilby Member From: Pueblo, CO, USA |
posted 04 November 2001 10:32 AM
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What about Weldon Myrick???? He sings and plays. |
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Deana Clark Member From: Beverly, Ohio., USA |
posted 07 November 2001 04:43 AM
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Mike Sigler from Ohio, is awesome. He sings his butt off, and never misses a note. He has it down to a science. I heard from Jerry Brightman that Mike did, "I Walk Alone" out in St. Louis this year, and tore it up. Not suprising. |
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Paul Graupp Member From: Macon Ga USA |
posted 07 November 2001 07:19 AM
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Jim: I remember those Newton boys !! What I have most vividly in my mind is Wayne playing Steel Guitar Rag while looking out from under his guitar with his hands over his head on the guitar. That is something no one could forget.  Regards, Paul |
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Bill Myrick Member From: Pea Ridge, Ar. |
posted 07 November 2001 08:04 PM
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A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of watching Jack Smith play steel and do back up vocals for Connie Smith at Grove, Ok. and literally carried the show !!!! What a great performance !!! I talked to him some after the show. I wish he was on the forum . Do any of you keep up with him ? How's he doing ? |
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Rick Barber Member From: Morgan Hill, Calif. USA |
posted 08 November 2001 09:57 PM
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Hi Bill, We should get together for some steel playing soon. Rick Barber |
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