Categories: Uncategorized

1977: this is a really, really strange way to advertise a pedal steel guitar

She stood by the TV holding a cup of coffee from the vending machine in the hallway.   I was just packing up my toothbrush and she asked me, half-joking,  if I’d be coming by this way again.  Damn that woman could wear one hell of a Canadian tuxedo.  I didn’t know what to say.  Sure, I’d been through Tulsa a dozen times or more, but I was on the wrong side of 35, trying to make a living playing an instrument that was completely irrelevant for 99% of music in the world.  I might as well of been a fucking kazoo player.  I mean, all those goddamn pedals and levers; what do they even DO?  Big Billy was a peach for bringin me out on the road again for this tour, but even backwoods Bill was talkin’ about goin disco for his next record.  Shit man, ain’t gonna have pedal steel on a disco track.   So, Cindy, answer is, I don’t know.  You seen my comb? 

chris

View Comments

  • Chris, you gotta run with this. There's clearly a country song in this -- drinkin' here in Reno / 'cause there ain't no steel guitar in disco.

    -- Tom Fine

  • Most people do not realize that as late as 1955 steel guitar was fifty-plus percent of the business volume at Fender, and quite a bit at Rickenbacker too. When nonpedal steel died out and the only steelers left were serious pedal guys, almost all the business went to specialized steel vendors and Fender, Rick and Gibson basically quit selling steel guitars entirely.

Recent Posts

9sides: Preservation Sound Radio March 2024

This month on Preservation Sound Radio: nine side-filling tracks from 1970 thru 1986, all from…

2 days ago

Preservation Sound Radio Feb 2024: best new (old) tracks

This month's show airs Tuesday 2.20.24 at 8:30PM -11:25PM EST on WPKN 89.5 FM in…

4 weeks ago

PSR January 2024: Contemporary Jazz 1967-1980

The first Preservation Sound Radio program of 2024 will air Tuesday January 16 at 8:30PM…

2 months ago

PSR Dec. 2023: Psychedelic Ballads and Dirges 1966-1976

As aired 8:30PM-11:30PM 12.19.23 on WPKN 89.5 FM Bridgeport. Enjoy. PSR DEC2023 sequence 1. Click…

3 months ago

WPKN FM Preservation Sound Radio 11.21.23

Tonight 11.21.23 8:30 PM EST: special advance broadcast of the P/S Winter 2024 Mixtape. Catch…

4 months ago

Preservation Sound Summer 2023 Mixtape

Here's the tracklist for the 2023 Preservation Sound Summer Mixtape, to be broadcast 8:30PM EST…

7 months ago