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 What was your first gig playing steel? (Page 1)
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Jerry Mason Member From: Reader, Wv |
posted 26 February 2005 10:25 AM
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I know this is an old over-done thread, but I just played my first job on steel a couple weeks ago. I played for a "Conway Twitty" singer at a local show in New Martinsville, Wv. Things went pretty well and I surprised myself by not hitting too many mistakes. What seems strange, is we had a pracitce on the night before the show and everything sounded terrible. From this I knew that if we had a bad practice the show would go over ok. This sounds weird but have any of you had experience like this? |
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Smiley Roberts Member From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075 |
posted 26 February 2005 11:09 AM
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For me,that was over 50 years ago,& I can't remember that far back. I do remember that the band I was in,("Country Ramblers") had a local radio show,3X a week (M-W-F),& we used to perform,(for free,of course) at a bar in Windsor Locks,Ct.(the "Brown Derby"),every Sun. afternoon. That was around 1954. That's about as far back as I can go. ------------------ |
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Eric West Member From: Portland, Oregon, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 11:19 AM
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On Steel I gotta claim only 26 years. It was a wedding at an Odd Fellows Hall, and we rehearsed a bunch of stuff. A bunch of guys that worked for the freight co that shipped my PIII back out here from MD grabbed me and put me to work, days and weekend gigs. I couldnt' believe that we got a hundred bucks a piece. It didn't sound right to me, but they loved it. I bought gas and oil for my house with the money. Lots of stuff a few thousand gigs later, doesn't sound perfect. Not always anyhow. I know it was really nice to get out there and play live, and be worthy of making money when I did it. Those two feelings have not diminshed, nor the need for both. Enjoy it, and feel good enough about yourself to demand payment when entertaining others, especially of somebody is making money off you. It's a journey that lasts as long as you want it to. EJL |
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Dave Mudgett Member From: Central Pennsylvania, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 12:13 PM
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My first gig with steel was about 6 years ago with Kris Kehr and the Stone Poets. It was terrifying, I'd only had the steel briefly and didn't know how to play much of anything. So I brought along a B-bender Tele to fill in where I couldn't figure out a reasonable steel part. But it worked out, they really wanted a steel player, and they were OK with me learning on the job. The old adage, when in doubt, lay out, was very useful. In fact, it still is, for me anyway.  I have always felt, never have a really great rehearsal right before an important gig. For me, I think it's that I don't learn much if everything goes well. One learns from errors, and there are always some hiding back there, particularly if I'm trying to push the envelope. Better to get 'em over during rehearsal, then I tend to remember to look out for them. I also think a really great rehearsal sometimes induces over confidence. |
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Ray Minich Member From: Limestone, New York, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 12:59 PM
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1971, freshman in college, played with a country group at the Star Restaurant in Bradford, Pa. Got paid $35.00. The place really needed a chicken wire enclosure but didn't have it. What an education. |
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Jim Phelps Member From: just out of Mexico City |
posted 26 February 2005 02:45 PM
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I started doubling on guitar and steel in about '71 and doubled from then on, but didn't take a job as full-time steelplayer until '78. Since then I've been in bands playing any combination of the two plus fiddle. |
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Larry Strawn Member From: Golden Valley, Arizona, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 03:21 PM
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My first payin job, was a little over 6 yrs. ago with my departed friend Jack Montgomery, the old Tennessee Saloon Chloride, Az. [aint nobody heard of that place] Since I was the lead player I had to double. Looking back, it must of been horrible!! Of course my wife and bass player, can attest to the fact some pretty bad sounds can still come from an Emmons!![ gotta be the guitar] lol... Larry ------------------ |
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Robert Thomas Member From: Mehama, Oregon, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 03:33 PM
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My first paying job on steel, 6 string Gibson BR-9, was for a grange Hall at Fox Hollow, just out of Eugene, Oregon. That took place in the year 1949. |
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Larry Strawn Member From: Golden Valley, Arizona, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 03:55 PM
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Mr. Thomas, I was only 1 yr. old then.. Well done Sir!! Larry ------------------ [This message was edited by Larry Strawn on 26 February 2005 at 03:56 PM.] |
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Hook Moore Member From: South Charleston,West Virginia |
posted 26 February 2005 04:00 PM
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My first was in the late 70s, just a teenager and started playing for a gospel quartet.I had started out playing drums and bass in gospel music at 13 years old.. Hook ------------------ |
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Jim Peters Member From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 04:32 PM
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Thanksgiving week this year at Bueberry Hill, 2 songs on steel 3 on reg. guitar with my son's band. I have the board tapes, and they tell the cold terrible truth.JP |
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Brett Day Member From: Greer, SC, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 05:56 PM
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My first gig playing steel was June 13, 2004 in Hollonville, Georgia at the Hollonville Opry House in Hollonville, Georgia. I loved every minute of it! Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10 |
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John Bechtel Member From: Nashville, Tennessee,U.S.A. |
posted 26 February 2005 06:29 PM
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My very first gig was in about ’55 at Shorty's Bar & Grill, in Phoenixville, Pa. I played with Tex Carson and ‘The Smokey Valley Troubadors’. I was kinda an addition to the regulars for that job, so; as an extra, I was paid $3 for the 9–1:30 gig! The rest of the band was paid $5 each per-night and my pay was considered compension for gas-money. After the first several week-ends, (Fri. & Sat.) I became a Regular and received the Full $5 per night, like everyone else! [I was only 18! (under age)] Our band included: Tex - Ryhthm, Billy Smith – Les Paul (Elec. Rhythm), Bill Dubois - Kay (Elec. Bass), Cilff Sterner – } Accordeeeen! { [Had to play a lot of Polkas], and myself made up the (5)-piece Band for about (4/5)-Yrs. The first night included the ‘Shakey-Foot’ syndrome! (Never happened since!) ------------------ |
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Bob Blair Member From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
posted 26 February 2005 06:49 PM
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First steel gig was on Wolf Island in the St, Lawrence River near Kingston, Ontario in the late '70's. I had just acquired an LDG and sold my Sidekick to a fine young guitar player named Dan Ellsworth, who recruited me into a dance band he was starting - we became the "Limestone Cowboys" (Kingston is called the Limestone City), and Dan was able to get a bunch of Saturday Night community hall-type dance gigs. In retrospect, those were great gigs - pay was decent, always good food, and nice peole in the crowd, as opposed to all the drunken criminals that frequented the critter clubs. I had done my share of gigs playing guitar and singing, but found this to be a different experience - playing with a real good guitar player, and ok bass player, and a weak drummer. The first song I suddenly felt nervous, which I had not expected, and my volume pedal foot was shaking so bad I could hardly control it. I remember that packing up was a real rush because you had to catch the last ferry back accross to the city. That was the first of a bunch of Kingston area gigs I did, and it was a great town for musicians in those days. |
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Leon Eneboe Member From: Sisseton, South Dakota, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 06:56 PM
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Probably the first gig for me was at the highschool auditorium in Summit S.D. playing with a small group doing a benefit. I played a six string MultiChord thru an Airline amp. We did what we could with what we had, we didn't know any better and we were ignorantly blissful. I remember the microphone was plugged into a Deluxe Fender Reverb amp, and the mike sort of fell apart once in a while. THis was at least 30 or 40 years ago. I sold the MultChord shortly thereafter, got a Fender 400, then a ShoBud LDG, and now have a Williams single neck l2 string. Good memories tho, humble beginnings and "lesser" equipment make you appreciate the "stuff" we have now. Leon Eneboe NV ll2, 400, l000, Williams. |
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Reggie Duncan Member From: Mississippi |
posted 26 February 2005 08:57 PM
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Talent night at church..1973, age 14. I played "The Old Rugged Cross". Two years later a guy called our house looking for the "Duncan guy that plays steel guitar". My Dad was probably the one he was after, but I told him that he was talking to the right guy. I borrowed Dad's Bud and I had my first practice with the "Gloryland Quartet" that Sunday afternoon and we recorded an album the next weekend! I was on my way...well...sort of! Incidentally, they bought me my first steel, a PP Emmons. |
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Roy Ayres Member From: Starke, Florida, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 09:07 PM
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First payin' gig: little school house "show date" outside of Prichard, Alabama in 1943 -- dobro -- Co-op band, 2 rhythm guitars, fiddle, steel. each of the four or us got $9.00. ------------------ Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com |
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Howard Tate Member From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA |
posted 26 February 2005 10:25 PM
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In 1980 I took a six string job in Montana, and since no one there knew me I brought my new Dekley and sat it up. I had never been in snow country before and the first night went out side at break to see a Jeep sitting upside down in the parking lot. I knew if he could not drive on the black ice I was in trouble in my Chev. The club shut down shortly after, I swear it was my steel that did it. ------------------ |
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Tom Stolaski Member From: Huntsville, AL, USA |
posted 27 February 2005 12:04 PM
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1974, The band: Last Call. Had twin steel guitars. Me and Mr MVA. Made $20.00 that night. |
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MUSICO Member From: Jeremy Williams in Spain |
posted 27 February 2005 01:36 PM
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My first gig on PSG was easy to get...I do a solo show, standup mixed with music, silly songs or "virtuoso" numbers playing bach mixed with oh susana on the banjo...or "Tubular Bells" in a solo arrangement. So I´m my own boss. Just decided it was time and took my Carter DB12 Universal and used it to accompany myself fingerpicking style "a la" Bobbe Seymour. Got a 1000 euros. Must say it was a good feeling to play steel for a non-steel audience in a non steel country. People loved it, Pedal Steel is a beautiful sound, forget country/non-country, Purist/non-Purist, Nashville/non Nashville,Push/pull-All pull. It's a fact that if you play a few notes on any pedal steel, people love it. Jeremy Williams |
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Larry Bell Member From: Englewood, Florida |
posted 27 February 2005 02:05 PM
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I played quite a few Dobro gigs in 1972 and 73. Even though my Dobro had Bigsby palm pedals on it, my first REAL pedal steel gig was right down the road from Messrs Stolaski's and Van Allen's, in 1974, near Kalamazoo, Michigan in a small town called Delton at a bar called 'Phil's Still'. Band was the LoneStar Statesmen [This message was edited by Larry Bell on 27 February 2005 at 02:10 PM.] |
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Jim Harper Member From: Comanche, Oklahoma, USA |
posted 27 February 2005 06:33 PM
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My first paying gig was 6 mile,s south of Lawton Okla. at a Bar. I was 16 year,s old and they slipped me in the back door.We had a radio show on sat. Morning in Lawton and taped it on Fri. night. After the tapeing we would come back by the bar and play til 11 pm cause i had to be home by mid-nite.Had a cigar box for collection,s and made from 5-8 dollar,s a piece. That was in 1950 and i had a Double neck Supro-6 string. There was 4 in our band called the Oklahoma Rambler,s. God Bless==Jim-Peg Harper |
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Dyke Corson Member From: Urbana, IL USA |
posted 27 February 2005 08:36 PM
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Mine was in 1973, sitting in (for free) with a young girl singer and her band (Denise Strode and the Country Ramblers)at a small bar in Champaign IL on Sunday afternoons - |
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Marc Friedland Member From: Vallejo, CA |
posted 27 February 2005 09:12 PM
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Jerry, Congratulations on your first psg gig. I tell the story of my first gig on pedal steel on my website, which I invite you to visit at www.marcfriedland.com From the home page go to BIOS & then PSG History. The 3rd paragraph down tells the story. If you have the time, please don't hesitate to view other portions of my website as well. Thanks, Marc |
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Mark Metdker Member From: North Central Texas, USA |
posted 28 February 2005 05:45 AM
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It was in 1979. A place called "The Hitchin' Post" in Lewisville Texas. I don't remember all of it, but I can guarantee I probably sounded terrible! There has been a little improvement since then, but not much! HA! ------------------ Strats thru a tweed Bassman Band Pics |
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Webb Kline Member From: Bloomsburg, PA |
posted 28 February 2005 05:53 AM
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January 1980 at The Crossing, a truck stop bar in Buckhorn,PA. I played an S10 Fender and an old spinet piano with a big pickup in place of the sound board. I didn't stop drinkin' till the beer bottles and shot glasses made it from one end of the top of the piano to the other. Wild and wooly times. These days, I'm a preacher. And that was some kinda seminary. ------------------ [This message was edited by Webb Kline on 28 February 2005 at 05:54 AM.] |
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Bob Hickish Member From: Port Ludlow, Washington, USA |
posted 28 February 2005 06:15 AM
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My fist gig was around 1948 - another kid name Raymond and my self had taken 6 month of steel lessons and the school we attended found out we played duets , (Santo & Johnny so to speak !) Our teacher sent us to other classes to play - and our pay was getting out of class to do this - WE were Stars !! So there was no place to go but down from there . |
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Ken Thompson Member From: Great Falls, Montana, USA |
posted 28 February 2005 07:03 AM
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For Howard Tate; where in Montana did that gig take place? My first was at the local Elk's Club. I was asked to play Friday and Saturday night. The singer, who through some musicians together to back him, decided he didn't want steel the second night. I wonder why?.... |
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Robbie Daniels Member From: Casper, Wyoming, USA |
posted 28 February 2005 07:28 AM
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My first gig was in 1949 or 1950, can't quite remember exactly, in Brisbane, CA just south of South San Francisco. I was about 17 at the time and played a double neck 8 string Epiphone Zephyr with an Epiphone Zephyr amp. I think we made about $5.00 each. I loved, still do, Jerry Byrd. |
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Mark van Allen Member From: loganville, Ga. USA |
posted 28 February 2005 10:01 AM
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Ah, the good ol' days!  ------------------ |
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Howard Tate Member From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA |
posted 28 February 2005 10:10 AM
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Ken, it was the Elmar in Butte. Actually it closed because the guy lost his lease. I wound up working in his new club, the Acoma Lounge. I stayed in Butte until 1997 before moving to Lousiana. I miss the scenery, but not the cold. ------------------ |
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Barbara Hennerman Member From: Rangely, CO, USA |
posted 01 March 2005 02:07 AM
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My very first gig was at a bar way out on West Colfax, in Lakewood, Colorado. Lane's Tavern. This was in 1951. I was 14 and had a nickle plated single neck Rick. We used to play on Sunday (for free) from noon until the house band came in at 4PM. Ahhh .. the good ole days. [This message was edited by Barbara Hennerman on 01 March 2005 at 02:08 AM.] |
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CrowBear Schmitt Member From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France |
posted 01 March 2005 02:58 AM
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you guys will probably get a chuckle outta this one my first gig on steel was when i was a roadie for the Brooklyn Bridge back in 71 they used to play "whole lotta love" by Led Zep they had me & my lil Gibson Br9 do the slide part right after "a whole lotta love" on the chorus [This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 01 March 2005 at 02:59 AM.] |
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Ron Steenwijk Member From: Greensburg,PA |
posted 01 March 2005 02:59 AM
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The first gig I played was at a festival where the bandleader threw me on stage and said you got a big mouth in the pratise room......now lets see what ya got. Great festival though with over 30.000 people. Ron ------------------ [This message was edited by Ronald Steenwijk on 01 March 2005 at 03:01 AM.] |
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Jerry Hayes Member From: Virginia Beach, Va. |
posted 01 March 2005 10:18 AM
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My first steel gig was with a GI band in Korea in 1962. I'd been sent to Seoul to be in a variety show thing where we'd do all kinds of music for a troupe type show. I played tenor banjo in a polka group, some rockabilly electric guitar, and in one of the groups called "The Western Spotlighters" we needed a steel. I'd played a bit of Dobro before and Special Services had a six string lap steel which was tuned to open E. I practiced on that thing for a little bit, learned "Steel Guitar Rag" and "Sleep walk" and as time went by we started getting some paid gigs away from the show troupe. I didn't play for a few years after that and eventually got a 6 string MultiKord around '64 or '65 and played that a little on the side for a novelty at my lead guitar gigs. It was replaced by a Fender 400 and later a 1000. Around 1971 or so I got a Blanton S-10 which Blackie Taylor and I converted to a S-11 and added a couple of knee levers and I doubled on that for a while until I traded it for a Volkswagen. I didn't own another steel until around '77 or so when I bought a ShoBud S-12 and doubled on it for about a year until our full time steel player quit and I took over on steel and have been doing either guitar or steel or sometimes both ever since. As I've gotten older and fatter I've leaned more toward the steel as no one bitches at you for playing sitting down....JH ------------------ |
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Jim Cohen Member From: Philadelphia, PA |
posted 01 March 2005 10:21 AM
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My first gig on steel was with a band in St. Louis called "Whitehorse", around 1972 or so. I had just started taking lessons from Scotty and had bought an old 6-pedal Gibson Electraharp. We used to play a lot at Chuck Berry's compound in Wentzville, MO, and our biggest gig was opening one time for Joe Walsh and Barnstorm at some big arena in St. Louis. Country-rock type stuff. |
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Les Anderson Member From: Rossland, BC, Canada |
posted 01 March 2005 11:40 AM
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My first gig playing my steel came after only two and a half months of buying the guitar in Sept. of 2004. All I did was use the most simple chords and a few slides that I had learned for “Your Cheating Heart” and “Cold Cold Heart” and few other oldies. I sure didn’t have to worry about dry fingers and dropping the bar. The shaking in my hands gave for a nice sound as well. A week ago Friday, five months after buying the guitar, I played my first full solos on stage, “San Antonio Rose and Steel Guitar Rag.” A few screw ups; however, both tunes worked out great and did tons to help my confidence. As a side note, I have played with this band for a number of years as their harmonica player; blues harp, solo chromatics and chord harmonica. ------------------ |
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DJ Sillito Member From: Lethbrige, Alberta, Canada |
posted 02 March 2005 04:22 PM
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1984 or so , I was 14 and it was for a community dance held on a tennis court outside. I played Crazy Arms using the arrangement of Bill Keith's from the steel guitar instruction booklet. I tanked it half way through the solo and I remember feeling a lot of stage fright. I don't know if anyone even noticed or cared. I had a single neck MSA starter(sidekick)with my name on the front...it looked cool to me but I don't remember impressing the chicks with it..oh well. |
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Mike Shockley Member From: Lufkin, Texas, USA |
posted 02 March 2005 04:42 PM
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Toul Rosiere Air Base, NCO Club, in France in 1964. A GI band with David Drennon of Eureka Springs ,Arkansas, Perry Higginbotham of Lufkin, Texas (now) and Hal Phillips of Oneida Tenn.---A long time ago, and a lot of fun!!--Mike |
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Miles Lang Member From: Ventura, California, USA |
posted 04 March 2005 02:31 PM
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With a group of 12 ukelele players and Hawaiian dancers out front. I used a six-string Rickenbacker lap steel (40's - the grey metal one) and a Polytone Mini-Brute II |
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