Most innovative, experimental, unique PSG players today???

[Fred Treece]

Good stuff Daniel Morris, thanks for the links!

Some good quotables in those articles. Chuck Johnson on the mechanical nature of playing pedal steel:
“You might as well be operating a forklift and be trying to make it sound pretty.”

[Brian Willey]

Daniel M - Thank you for all these links and suggestions. I've just gotten to the Chas Smith and Bob Hoffnar links so far, and enjoyed both quite a bit, so I'm looking forward to checking out the others and those articles. I see that Bob Hoffnar is a local guy here in Austin, so hopefully I can catch him live sometime.

J D and Fred T - I appreciate your thoughts. I'm just starting my PSG adventure (after 40 years as a musician on other instruments, and a lifetime of loving the sound of PSG in more traditional music) and I'm trying to get a good view of the broader range of current players, styles, approaches. My initial plan is to spend half my practice time learning traditional PSG techniques for grounding and solid basics and then spend the other half experimenting as freely as I am able (and listening to others who are experimenting). The result will likely be a horrible racket for a long, long time, but I will have fun, haha. Maybe I'll find my own way with time and can find ways to incorporate it into my music bit by bit. We'll see. Regardless, I will enjoy digging into this rather daunting and beautiful instrument.

And thank you to everyone else who has offered suggestions so far. You've all given me a lot to listen to and think about.

- Brian

[Gregory LeBlanc]

I'm sure many on this forum are aware, but I would suggest checking out the Chrome Universal collection from Thompkin Square records, it was conceived of as a survey of Modern Pedal Steel and is a great jumping off point for people interested in how the instrument is being utilized.

[Bill McCloskey]

After PF, Robert Randolph is one whom I feel has successfully created a very unique and innovative style with quality such that he has been able to present his style to large audiences.
I wished the steel guitar community would acknowledge and embrace him much more. Because he could be an incredibly valuable ambassador of our instrument to broaden not just acceptation but also interest in our instrument. Which is essential for it's survival.

I would argue that Robert Randolph's is not unique or innovative so much as a natural outgrowth and commitment to a very old style: Sacred Steel. The sacred steel style goes back to the 30's and there isn't much Robert Randolph is doing that couldn't be heard every sunday in the Church of the Living God.

There is also a very well attended Sacred Steel convention each year in Florida that has a large attendance. Check out Kashiah Hunter, who comes right out of the Sacred Steel tradition, playing with Steve Cunningham at Asheville's guitar bar 9 months ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9uIoqQk7hw

[Nikolai Shveitser]

Dave Easley.

[Harvey Valdes]

Cool thread! Lots of great folks mentioned in here. Some big inspirations for me have been Susan Alcorn, Daniel Lanois, BJ Cole, and Gary Peters.

I wanted to take a moment to throw my hat in the ring. Not as someone aiming to be the most innovative but definitely someone exploring outside of the more common pedal steel music you hear. I’ve been enjoying the exploration of classical music and free improvisation on the steel with an ambient or textural aesthetic.

I just released a solo pedal steel album of Erik Satie’s “Ogives”, along with a companion interpretation that I call “Slogives”. https://harveyvaldes.bandcamp.com/album/ogives-slogives

Here’s an interview I did for Make Weird Music taking about my approach to Satie on pedal steel: https://youtu.be/NpejcASR-wc?si=CEG7UZBDmJTuDmU1

Here’s a take on Satie’s 1er Quatuor: https://youtu.be/5cJfQaHAZZc?si=qbB0OwvUM7c4x0_D

You can also find me on Instagram posting bits of improv on steel: https://www.instagram.com/harveyvaldes? ... _source=qr

That’s it for my shameless plug
Thanks everyone!

[Christopher Woitach]

Christopher Woitach is maybe not so much experimental, but he is definitely carrying on the tradition of the great jazz pedal steelers like Buddy Emmons, Maurice Anderson, Chalker, Jernigan, etc.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vnb9O8VbKMw

Thank you for including me here, Fred - most kind!

[Rich Arnold]

Right off-hand without time to think it over I'd say Travis Toy.

[Rick Campbell]

There's some good players out there, but I don't see them playing intros and breaks that make it to the set list at a steel show. "Way To Survive, Apartment #9, Highway 40 Blues, Borrowed Angel, Cold Cold Heart, I Love You So Much It Hurts Me, I'll Be There, 15 Years Ago, Misty" etc.... the most recent one that I remember making the transition from radio to steel show was "Look At Us", and that was over 30 years ago.

Emmons with Price, Weldon with Connie, Hal with Loretta, Lloyd with Paycheck, Brumley with Buck, Helms with Hank, Hughey with Conway, Drake with George and Tammy, etc.... were recognized as being a vital part of their sound. I just don't see that association being made in today's music. It's not that we don't have good players today, it's that the music has changed to a sound that isn't steel friendly. When I do hear steel in a song, it's pretty generic licks, nothing I'm anxious to get home and try to figure out.

How/why did this happen? That's another whole topic of discussion that's been addressed many times.

It's for the reasons above that I listen to Pandora... Darrell McCall, Leona Williams, Justin Trevino, Jody Nix, etc... channels. These Texas guys are playing real country music, with plenty of steel and fiddles. Jim Lossberg, Johnny Cox, Tommy Detamore, Caleb Lindley, and others, are cranking out the music that made me fall in love with steel guitar.

RC

[Daniel Morris]

Rick, it sounds like you're simply defending traditional country music and steel guitar.
Nothing wrong with that, but currently, that's not 'innovative, experimental or (particularly) unique'.
I cut my teeth on the original Flying Burrito Bros, with Sneaky Pete, who was unique and innovative enough to land on a huge range of artists' recordings. Zappa, Joe Cocker, Yoko Ono, and the list goes on; certainly not 'steel friendly' music.
While I know I missed some fine music, one reason I didn't usually attend steel shows was precisely because I didn't want to listen to the same standard songs ad infinitum. Susan Alcorn, who recently passed away, told me about the time she performed at Scotty's convention. Though she could definitely play country, she chose to play her own very unique music. It didn't go over well, though she said Scotty was supportive.
Remember Tom Bradshaw's editorial in Steel Guitarist magazine, where he lamented the ruts steel guitarists tended to be in? Still relevant after nearly 50 years.
Everything either grows or dies. I don't recall who said it first, but 'steel guitar is an instrument, not a style.'
No disrespect to you intended, Rick. And apologies to the OG if I misinterpreted his direction.

[Rick Campbell]

Daniel

I get what you're saying. Yes, my comment was directed toward country music. I've watched steel become less and less important to a country band, but country bands and country songs are a lot different than they used to be. Maybe there's an outlet for steel guitar in other genres of music, but I'm not holding my breath. There's some good jazz players, but that's kind of a niche music. I agree with you about steel shows and hearing the same songs over and over. You know those songs were not always "worn out songs". That was my point,..... There's doesn't seem to be any new steel music that makes it to the steel shows. I think that's the reason that steel shows are not as plentiful as they were 30 years ago. I also agree that innovation, and experimental playing has to come about to keep the instrument alive. However, without a popular outlet for the music, like country was for steel guitar, it only gets heard by people that seek it out. It doesn't help that we don't have any syndicated network music shows like we did in the 60's and 70's. Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, Wilburn Brothers, and the variety shows like Ed Sullivan, etc... I think we're in agreement for the most part. Just looking at it from different points. I appreciate you helping me see that.

I have noticed that fiddle seems to be gaining popularity in bands as compared to the past 30 years.

Obviously, I don't care for the new country music that gets played on the radio, but I certainly recognize the talent and success that it's getting. I believe Nashville's current version of country music is bringing in more money than it ever has.

RC

[Rick Schmidt]

Ok..throwing my hat in the ring. I've played country and jazz on steel for years. But here's a record I did last summer with a good friend. Mosty "ambient" type stuff. Ext E9 and C6. Definitely out of the box on pedal steel. If you listen to "Blast", it's just C6 steel through a phase shifter, frettless bass, tenor sax, and drums... totally improvised!

https://beatntrackrecording.com/air-cd- ... -blackburn
Scroll down to listen... I'm on "Corridors, Blast, Robin, and Joni"

viewtopic.php?t=401951

[John Larson]

He only plays non pedal to my knowledge but Kristof Hahn who plays with Swans fits this bill. Very eclectic. Industrial, drone, ambient, experimental. Watching him play with Swans was my intro into the super deep textural possibilities with steel guitar. He was mercilessly attacking the strings for much of the night, thought one was gonna fly off at any moment.

https://youtu.be/72FIoiRVQX8?si=fbrZgQuJ8gYpvSXC

[J D Sauser]

We probably would have to separate "Innovative", "Experimental" and "Unique".

Somebody could still today be pretty unique if that person could play exactly like Buddy Emmons, or Jerry Byrd or Speedy West, but it wouldn't be experimental and certainly not qualify as innovative either.

Someone else could be experimental all their life and still not innovate anything, but only uniquely stubborn and keep on experimenting to little or no avail.

Innovative is a tough one, as we seem to only appreciate "innovation" if it is acknowledged, accepted and generates a following... in other words becomes Relevant and Influential.

To me the chain of Innovation and Uniqueness in steel guitar may have started with it's designated Inventor, a Portuguese sailor but really took wings with the likes of Sol Hopi'i -> Jules Ah Se' -> Jerry Byrd -> Buddy Emmons & Lloyd Green -> Paul Franklin.
They all influenced a generation of players and shaped the instrument's recognition with their Experimentation which led to Innovation and their Uniqueness. Because theirs was a chain of successful events.

All along there was some momentarily successful "experimenting" and "innovations" which may have been quite unique to some degree, which however did not withstand the test of time and which influence thus quickly faded away. Were those less "unique" or "innovative", that's probably a matter of opinions and even taste.

To ME, Robert Randolph is right now the only new unique and innovative player of our instrument who has developed a style at a quality which MAY influence new generations and go into history as relevant, but only if his style, playing and exposure (the later which is quite promising) create enough excitement and interest in the instrument for a new generation of players to develop on his style.

... J-D.

[Bill McCloskey]

Of course, as I pointed out earlier, Robert Randolph comes directly out of the sacred steel style and tradition so not particularly unique or innovative. Look at the Campbell Brothers, or any of the sacred steel players playing today and you will see he is just another player in a long 90 year tradition, but one most of us were not exposed to. Not to take anything away from his ability to popularize a very insular style, but nothing he is doing is particular unique in the sacred steel genre

[Fred Treece]

With a nod to the fact that we sometimes take ourselves a bit too seriously in threads like this, Milo Deering has a message for us.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JNY_R3FmmBw

And in all seriousness, let us not forget Hank DeVito’s e-bowed theme on Seven-Year Ache, or Buddy using one on Once Upon A Time In The West. Innovative? Unique? Experimental? It’s not limited to any particular style of music.

[Alijah Manzanilla]

Susan Alcorn, who recently passed, was a great and innovative pedal steel guitar player. She was always one to give advice and share her talents. Luckily there is quite a bit of video out there with her songs. Listening to her play changed my perception of the pedal steel guitar.

Thanks so much for this recommendation, blowing my mind right now.

[Lee Rider]

Susan Alcorn, who recently passed, was a great and innovative pedal steel guitar player. She was always one to give advice and share her talents. Luckily there is quite a bit of video out there with her songs. Listening to her play changed my perception of the pedal steel guitar.

Thanks so much for this recommendation, blowing my mind right now.

She really opened up my mind to the possibilities of the instrument.

[scott murray]

I just discovered Luke Bergman on instagram at lukebergmanmusic, I dig what he’s doing.

has anyone mentioned Doug Livingston (aka Earnest Bovine) yet?

I still consider Bruce Bouton on Maxwell's Now (2001) and Greg Leisz on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories (2013) as major leaps forward for psg.

[John Larson]

I just discovered Luke Bergman on instagram at lukebergmanmusic, I dig what he’s doing.

has anyone mentioned Doug Livingston (aka Earnest Bovine) yet?

I still consider Bruce Bouton on Maxwell's Now (2001) and Greg Leisz on Daft Punk's Random Access Memories (2013) as major leaps forward for psg.

Greg Leisz on Bon Iver's self titled also applies or this album he did with electronic pioneer Suzanne Ciani and producer AF13.

[Tomi Graso]

How come nobody mentioned Travis Toy, one of the most unique and innovative players today!!!

https://travistoy.com/

Travis has also greatly contributed to the invention of his signature TT12 and TT15 Quilter amps.
Endorses MSA guitars and has his own Travis Toy tutorials.

https://travis-toy-tutorials.teachable.com/

https://travistoy.com/about

[Paul Awalt]

After hearing Travis in the MSA Room in Dallas at this year's show I can contest that he is the fastest, cleanest, and "off the cuff" picker my little ears have ever entertained.

[Rick Heins]

Not that I put myself on the level of the amazing players being spoken about here, but I love doing ambient music using the pedal steel.

Rest assured, I still work on my Emmons and Myrick chops but there is something so soothing about the tonality of the steel that fits perfectly with this style of music. This was done as a live stream on Instagram and I just happen to put a put a mic on my amp and record it and was happy with it after listening a couple of months later.

The pedal steel has been pigeon-holed for so long and I think it's awesome that players keep pushing the boundries in different styles and techniques. It's the way to move the instrument forward so that it doesn't die a slow death as an "old-timey" sound.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2jmWCIlK ... Y8aIK-S2TQ
https://music.apple.com/us/album/steel- ... 1734602255

[Daniel Morris]

Rick, yer right. 1964 ain't coming back.
No one is knocking the acknowledged masters or classic music; it's more a matter of expanding the field in which we can play.

By the way, nice use of effects.

[Ben Murray]

I saw Philip Sterk play a free/improv set the other night and after seeing that I’d have to mention him here, it was great