What's that new artist that plays the lap steel? Anyone?

[chetatkinsdiet]

He's a black guy, i think from New Orleans...at least he plays like it. Amazing stuff. I saw him on the tele recently and just read something about him a few weeks ago. i wanted to try to track down some of his stuff, but can't think of his name.
later,
m

[LeedyGuy]

Robert Randolph seems to ring a bell...hes bad ass. and the Family Band or something

[kdarr]

He's a black guy, i think from New Orleans...at least he plays like it. Amazing stuff. I saw him on the tele recently and just read something about him a few weeks ago. i wanted to try to track down some of his stuff, but can't think of his name.
later,
m

Robert Randolph? If that's who you're thinking of, it's a pedal steel.

|<|>|

[chetatkinsdiet]

that's him...thanks guys....
later,
m

[chetatkinsdiet]

I've heard some really bad clips of him ripping through hendrix stuff....totally amazing. FWIW....

later,
m

[JASIII]

I don't care for him. I mean it's a cool concept and the guy can play. But he's just not like a real pedal steel player. They play unbelieveable stuff using crazy pedal/knee lever combinations, it's intense. Randolph just seems to use it like a lap steel with more strings, he barely uses the pedal and levers and it's always so overdriven. He barely scratches the surface of the instruments potential and relies on intense "gospel/blues fury" to sell his whole schtick. I'm not trying to bash the guy, he's talented, but I know some very serious professional pedal steel players who don't think of him as a true pedal steel player. Fucking snobs!

[EasyGo]

I don't care for him. I mean it's a cool concept and the guy can play. But he's just not like a real pedal steel player.

I think Robert Randolph is from the 'sanctified' school of steel players, a whole nuther genre really.

More here

[housepig]

But he's just not like a real pedal steel player.

I know some very serious professional pedal steel players who don't think of him as a true pedal steel player. Fucking snobs!

pot calling the kettle black?

whether or not he's a "true" pedal steel player, do you enjoy the music he makes?

you could go back to 1968... "oh, that Hendrix, he's not a true guitar player, he doesn't play like [insert non-effected, non-overdriven player here]"

[tony moore]

yeah, i've seen he and the family band live as a friend of a friend was playing guitar for them. it's a really cool thing for like 2 or 3 songs... but yeah, he's just playing the pedal like a lap steel. and very loud. and kinda sloppy...

[ape32]

I saw and met The Campbell Brothers, another sacred steel band, and they were pretty damn good, actually touching an Allman Brothers vibe. The show I saw had a "traditional" pedal steel player from the country music idiom sitting in and clearly they had a different approach to the instrument - which is not a BAD THING!

[rimbaud234]

my friend bruce kaphan (brucekaphan.com) is a fantastic pedal steel player and has done great stuff with many artists including american music club. i love his unique, artistic and non-traditional take on the instrument.
b.

[bigtoe]

"bruce kaphan (brucekaphan.com)"

does this guy own a pizza joint in san francisco?

i love the sacred streel stuff. arhoolie forever. i'll check this guy out...

Mike

[E-cue]

I saw him at H.O.B. Hollywood and Skunk Baxter sat in on a couple tracks. It was one of the best shows I've seen in years. He played very tight. His grammy performance disappointed me, which I thought was pretty sloppy.

[chetatkinsdiet]

Hey Jas,
I'm from Texas...I know pedal steel. This guy is defenitely not a traditional, in the sense of The Texas Playboys, but nonetheless, great. I know what you mean about more traditional country steel players, what they do is absolutely amazing.
later,
m

[tonewoods]

"I'm from Texas...I know pedal steel. This guy is defenitely not a traditional, in the sense of The Texas Playboys, but nonetheless, great."

Pedal steel?
Texas Playboys?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Leon McAuliffe was straight steel guitar without pedals...