Irish Steel Guitar Festival 2014

[bob adams]

12.35am and you're on here Mr Heap! ..... I'm impressed! dedication or wot!

[Uncle Roy]

Hello Bob,
So glad to hear that your dad is back home although pretty shaky hopefully in a few days rest he will feel a lot better.
Yes it has been a brilliant day as Ken stated but I must say Ken himself played a blinding set with a super rendition of The Lighthouse, hopefully he will give it to us again tomorrow.
We have certainly missed seeing you here.
Take care.

[bob adams]

Hi Roy, Yes the 'old guy' will improve again I'm sure, one day at a time as the song says.
Ken emailed me early today and mentioned 'The Lighthouse' I so look forward to hearing his version as it is a wonderful piece for the steel. I'm sure he'll do it again tomorrow by special request! Enjoy the remainder of your visit!

Gutted!

[Ken Byng]

Yesterday morning I slept through my alarm and It caused me to have to rush through my preparations for my set. This morning will be different and I will be more relaxed hopefully. Tomorrow I spend a day with Ivor 'The Driver' Greenwood at his place. I am looking forward to seeing his arsenal of steel guitars and amps, although he has shed some recently.

With regard to Jesus Is The Lighthouse, Bob is right - it lends itself perfectly to steel guitar. There was a temptation to nick Mike Johnston's exquisite version, but the more I listened to the Happy Goodmans' version the more I realised that I should play the piece as it was meant to be i.e. a Southern Gospel song. I will try to do a better version of it today than I did yesterday.

I am so pleased with my new Telonics combo here, and it has raised some interest with some of the players who want to have a go through it today. This week I worked out a medley of When Irish Eyes Are Smiling/I wonder Who's Kissing Her Now and played it publicly for the first time (unaccompanied) yesterday. Luckily it came together without any hitches.

Roy and I had a good old reminisce in the bar last night about the old days and old UK players and the such. That's what we old guys do best. If my wife is reading this - I WAS SOBER - honestly.

Buck has certainly made a lot of new friends here this weekend. His ballad playing was wonderful, but his speed picking is something else. He has personally been a good friend for a long time now, and I was really proud of the the reception that he was deservedly given last night.

[bob adams]

All sounds great Ken, would like to have heard your set as well you know!

I’m sure Buck would get a great reception, is there anywhere else to get a better one!??

Good to hear you’re making a pilgrimage to the Greenwood Ranch, you will enjoy that for sure, he could be taught steel if you could hold his attention for 30secs!! Before it goes off on MSA or BHP!!! Ask him if he’s got over it yet! He’ll know what I mean, as for me I love it to bits and now it’s getting played!

I look forward to hearing how today went, thanks as ever for keeping in touch!

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Bob, you and me got a lot in common with Cinderella at the moment Best wishes to the old fella, glad he is on the mend

[Ken Byng]

OMG - Lionel Wendling got Buck up to share his set for some straight down the line jazz. Buck is cutting loose and blowing everyone away now that he has got the shackles off. The crowd are loving it!

[bob adams]

Ha! That's played to Buck's strength, Richard Nelson will be loving it!

[Ken Byng]

Well its all over bar the shouting now. The normal anti-climax when these weekends draw to a close. As I was loading my gear in my motor, Mr Gamble was playing some pretty tasty stuff in the jam session in the bar.

Buck's solo set tonight was just astounding. He crammed in all of his best material, including Sourdough, a number that I have been pressing him to play for the past couple of years. His slow material sounds wonderful now through the Infinity - full bodied with good definition. (Just as Willie Gamble likes his women). However, the up tempo things were riveting, and you could see people turning around to whoever they were standing with with their jaws wide open. Buck's Alabama Jubilee tonight was just simply sensational. The band played it faster than I have heard Buck play it for years, but they were sticking to the speed that he played it on his CD. Bucks single note runs were incredible, and it is difficult to describe just how well he played the number. When he finished there was an almighty roar from the audience, because they knew that they had seen something very special indeed.

It can be argued about who is the best player in the world, but I can say this without fear of contraception - I mean contradiction. I don't know of any other current player who could have played some of the stuff that Buck did tonight, and I have heard them all. I will break down the numbers that Buck played in his sets later when my brain isn't hurting. He certainly made a few friends in Ireland this weekend.

[Peter Nylund]

Thank you ISGF for inviting me again this year. I had a good time as always with a lot of good players. Keep up the good work with the festival.
Peter