Some E9 backups on my Emmons push pull

[Ken Byng]

Inspired by Tony Smart's excellent sound clips that he has just put out (Weldon Tribute), I am putting some country clips on here that I did with some mates. All E9, and all on my black Emmons push pull - the tone machine. With Emmons pot volume pedal and Webb amp.

http://picosong.com/9gbt

http://picosong.com/9gQs

http://picosong.com/9gQK

http://picosong.com/9gEf

Here's one from 40 years ago with the Rye Whiskey Road Band. ZB into a Fender Twin w/JBL's.

http://picosong.com/9gHG

Last one folks. Here is the late Michael White from the Rye Whiskey Road Band, who sadly passed away about a month ago. A wonderful singer, and I am godfather to his son. I am proud to have played in the same band as him. Again - ZB into Twin Reverb.

http://picosong.com/9gUW

Last edited by Ken Byng on Mon Sep 15, 2014 6:49 pm, edited 4 times in total.

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Superb playing Ken. Certainly a tone machine. Your mate is an excellent singer too.
Best regards
Billy

[Ken Byng]

Cheers Billy - appreciated.

The singer is a guy called Tony Heatherington. The second singer is Pete Handley, and lastly Michael White. I lot of my musician friends that I grew up with in the 60's and 70's are dropping like flies, so I thank God every morning when I wake up.

[mick hearn]

Some beautiful musicianship going on here. Loved the lot. We are all getting that age now Ken and I for one have lost several friends over the past few years. Back to the music though there are a lot of fills there that would be useful to our novice players in the BSS. Cheers Ken

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Some great playing there Ken, re."dropping like flies" I am off to another funeral today and glad its not my own!!
One thing that makes me rather sad is, Over the past few years since about 2007 I was running Steel Guitar players meetings at the rate of about two per year and it got bigger and bigger to the point we had to have a larger hall, people came from France,Spain.Scotland and Ireland, as well as all corners of England in search of our beloved instrument......even our president Uncle Roy made it all the way up from Bristol ...........BUT! this enormous home grown talent that is now emerging was nowhere to be seen Where were you guys?, This is the first time I have ever heard Ken and Tony play.... though Tony and Bob H. did attend my final meeting......neither of them played...
It takes a lot of effort to try and bring our community together in a spirit of help and friendship, I am just sad that a lot of the "Big guns" were busy keeping their powder dry......

Hey Dave, When's your next Steelies meeting ???? eh??

[Ken Byng]

I'm not sure it's a question of keeping the powder dry John. Some players are far better (and more comfortable) backing singers in a band or recording environment than doing sets of instrumentals. I am one of them for sure. Gerry Hogan asked me for years to play on his shows, but I was always booked solidly in my band which was was full time pro at the time. I regret that I didn't lay aside the time now, but that's how things were/are.

I know players in the UK who are very good players that never see the light of day. They don't do YouTube or soundbites, but quietly and contentedly do their own thing. Tony Smart, Dave Nash, Bobby Haskell, Mike Wrixton and Barry Fowler immediately spring to mind, but there are many others. The non-attendance by players on steel guitar gatherings is not down to indifference or lack of interest. Sometimes it is a question of logistics actually getting to a venue, and other times a preference to sit back and watch and listen to others do their thing.

Players who flood YouTube with clips of themselves - fine if that's your bag. I wouldn't know how to do that even if I wanted to. But - I do think that some folks who do that are putting out sub standard (by their own ability) performances. The guys who meticulously record an audio track and then synch it to a mimed video have the right idea. I see very obvious flaws in some players basic techniques who put themselves on YouTube, and one or two are just patently tone deaf. I try to encourage all players at all levels of this wonderful instrument, and know how it is to feel completely inadequate in the company of truly world class players. Buck Reid, Mike Johnson and Maurice Anderson have had this effect on me over the years. All three were totally helpful and encouraging.

Tony Smart's generous piece in the Tuition section of this forum is typical of someone who has a lot of theoretical knowledge at his disposal, but doesn't necessarily wish to keep it all to himself. Basil Henriques is also another guy who does this.

So John D, don't take it to heart when folks don't choose to participate in your meets. It's nothing personal mate - far from it.

[Ken Byng]

Some beautiful musicianship going on here. Loved the lot. We are all getting that age now Ken and I for one have lost several friends over the past few years. Back to the music though there are a lot of fills there that would be useful to our novice players in the BSS. Cheers Ken

Thank you very much Mick. If there are any bits and pieces that anyone would want tab to, I am sure that I might be able to do some of them. Just send me a PM. Most are very basic and simple moves & licks.

[Tony Smart]

Lovely playing and recordings Ken. We wouldn't expect anything less from you. Looking forward to hearing your instrumental cd.

By the way, do you use a plain or wound 6th on the Emmons? I've always used a wound string. I think it comes from the fact that the string often sounded out of tune with a plain. Having said that, it was probably because I was pressing a bit hard on the steel at time.

John mate, Bob and I came to your steel meeting to find out what it was all about. This is the second time you've had a pop at us.
We came to support you, not undermine you. You seem to be trying to make us the villains of the piece.

I've got nothing against you, you seem a decent sort of bloke, so give it a rest mate. Lets all be friends.

[Ken Byng]

Hi Tony - thanks for your positive comments.

Re the 6th string, I prefer a plain string on all of my guitars. I like the overtones that a plain 6th gives. I also like to lower the 6th a full tone, and a wound 6th just doesn't react very quickly to being lowered a full tone. The push pull guitar holds its tuning better than any other pedal steel. However, if I have to tweak any string when tuning it on stage at the start of the night, it is invariably the 6th string. I use a .22 plain, so God knows how Franklin gets on as he uses a .20 plain. He is always fiddling with his tuning (at least when I have seen him play), so that 6th string may be the reason.

[Barry F]

Hi Ken,lovely playing,very sad to hear about Michael,I remember him well having seen Rye Whiskey play on many occasions.