Steelers - what was your "fish hook" moment?

[Mike Heugel]

I thought this might be a fun topic for a lazy Saturday afternoon.

What was your "fish hook" moment? That one phrase or song you heard, or that one lick you figured out, or that one steeler you saw play, that hooked you on playing Steel Guitar?

For me, it wasn't too long ago. Even though I'd listened to country music all my life, and had been hearing brilliant steel the whole time, my "fish hook" moment was hearing Cowboy Eddie Long's intro on Jamey Johnson's version of "For the Good Times". I remember running that song back again and again that day, saying to myself "damn that's some good stuff!".

That song took me to youtube, which took me to the Steel Guitar Forum, which sent me on a 3 year journey to sittin' and pickin' today.

So what was it for you?

Cheers,

Mike

[Tony Russell Davis]

"Yarrow" by Marc Elington on an electric-folk album. Sneaky Pete on steel guitar. Later got the album it came from, "Reins/Rains of Change", and found another steel player on there, Gordon Huntley.

[Donny Johnston]

I didn't have a one tune fish hook, it was just the sound. Don Helms. That's what hooked me.

[Ken Byng]

1963 - Santo Farina - Sleepwalk and Teardrop.

[Malcolm]

Tom Bromley, Buck Owens live at Carnegie Hall.

[andrew marson]

Too long ago to remember exactly but I heard BJ guesting with Welsh band "Man" and Sneaky Pete with the Burritos when I was about fifteen and loved the sound of the steel and started seeking it out specifically wherever it could be found.

[Ken Byng]

Tom Bromley, Buck Owens live at Carnegie Hall.

Malcolm, did Tom Bromley come from Kent?

[Malcolm]

Predictive text Ken, think it was invented by someone English from Essex.

[Ted Nesbitt]

I have always been a fan of American Country Music. I remember one night listening to David Allens country show on Radio 2
and he played The Byrds album "Sweethearts of the Rodeo" featuring Lloyd Green ... Wow... blew me away. That album was
a turning point for country music ... it brought a new audience into the fold. From what I can recall, I think there was 2 steel players
involved with the album. Ken Byng will probably have more details as he was involved in the steel guitar industry during that time.
I think the album was released around 1973, and its still available today on CD. If you havent heard it, do yourself a favour and
buy a copy. The Byrds went on to become "The Desert Rose Band" with a few changes of band members.

[Ken Byng]

..... Ken Byng will probably have more details as he was involved in the steel guitar industry during that time.......

Ted - Lloyd for definite, but I did hear that JD was also involved. However I can't substantiate that. If you drop JD an email he might confirm or not. I think that much of what Lloyd played on that album was ahead of its time. Lloyd also played steel on a track called Proud Mary in 1969 by a guy whose stage name was Anthony Armstrong Jones. The steel was amazing, and included a key change in his solo that was phenomenal. Great days for me in the late 60's/early 70's as I was really into pedal steel and E9 was growing at a rate of knots in the States and shortly after in the UK.

Sit back and be blown away by Lloyd's key change from 46 years ago!!