Saving Country Music

Tim Sheinman · Post by **Tim Sheinman** » 31 Dec 2018 7:59 am

Dear All,

I am worried that, as a 'Young Steel Player', I am meant to be Saving Country Music, but I don't know where to start...

Should I be making shaky bedroom videos on my phone, playing along to backing tracks until Universal Music comes along?

I really want to avoid wearing a costume if at all possible.

Jonathan Lam, Spencer Cullum, Mr Van Horn, you seem like a cool guys, can you help me?

Tim

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 31 Dec 2018 8:16 am

It's cool that you want to "save" country music. As a steel guitar player (of any age), it's very unlikely that you will be able to do it. That is the job of the artists, songwriters, and producers. After all, they are the one's who killed it.

I do realize that this post was probably tongue-in-cheek, but a good topic none-the-less.

Dustin Kleingartner · Post by **Dustin Kleingartner** » 31 Dec 2018 8:44 am

Real country music is alive and well, it's just not on mainstream radio. There's lots of good acts out there putting in the work. I can appreciate the sentiment, but it's not going back to what it was in years past. The good stuff's out there, it's just changed platforms and venues.

Tim Sheinman · Post by **Tim Sheinman** » 31 Dec 2018 9:04 am

Thanks for the advice guys. Taking Richard's advice, I have since recorded, produced and released an entire steel guitar album, based on the most popular tracks on the steel forum.

Tim Sheinman · Post by **Tim Sheinman** » 31 Dec 2018 9:21 am

This is the first track...

https://soundcloud.com/tim-sheinman/together-again-1

Tim Sheinman · Post by **Tim Sheinman** » 31 Dec 2018 9:23 am

This is the second, you can probably see where things are going...

https://soundcloud.com/tim-sheinman/together-again-two

Tim Sheinman · Post by **Tim Sheinman** » 31 Dec 2018 9:24 am

Can I get some feedback? Thanks in advance

Dustin Kleingartner · Post by **Dustin Kleingartner** » 31 Dec 2018 9:53 am

Fantastic!!!

I think a poll is necessary!

Tim Sheinman · Post by **Tim Sheinman** » 31 Dec 2018 10:12 am

I would really like that, Mr Tiny Gardener.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 31 Dec 2018 11:15 am

The playing is very professional but you're buried in the mix. Steel needs to moved up so we can hear it.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 31 Dec 2018 2:01 pm

I agree with Dick about the steel being too buried in the mix. But, that was really nice playing. Good job. There just might be hope for REAL country music yet.

Spencer Cullum · Post by **Spencer Cullum** » 2 Jan 2019 1:58 pm

Hey Tim, I’m prob the last person you want advice from but here’s my two cents

I noticed you live in London, I used to live in whitechapel and have to lug my ZB SD11 all around London on the tube...but played as much as possible and searched around for singer/songwriters I thought were original and asked to play with them

Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s, The Lexington, notting hill arts club...then carry it upstairs to my flat, half drunk up to two flights of stairs most nights for very little pay

My back still aches years later but it made me better and got my name out.

I wouldn’t say you need to save country music, just find people you like playing with

There’s a great little community in London that I dig at the mo. Chris Hillman, Joe Harvey Wyhte and Harry Bohay. Might be worth picking there brain about the laaaaaandon scene

Good luck

PS as for Jonny Lam and Will Van Horn ...I wouldn’t ask them for advice as they are more or less “shaving country music” to a disgraceful exsistence

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 2 Jan 2019 7:34 pm

Another line of thinking:

As a "young steel player" I don't see where there's any mandate to "save country music" (which is pretty darned hard to define as a "style" today anyway.).

Why not work towards "saving the instrument"? Play other styles - virtually any that include "guitarish" parts - and adapt?

Pedal steel is a musical instrument - not a "style".

Just another angle to think about, especially with the radical changes/overlaps in musical styles.

It seems to me there are far more opportunities to expand playing horizons using the instrument than there are (no offense meant to anyone here) by having to "force-feed" the instrument into a musical style that rarely exists in its previous form.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 3 Jan 2019 9:33 am

Tim, no one can stop time or fate, or change things for very long. The world rolls along at it's own pace, and in it's own direction. Even influences to music as profound and significant as The Beatles or Elvis have largely faded and disappeared, good evidence there's not much anybody can do to keep things from changing in the world of music. I think that the best course of action (as long as you're not depending on your playing as a main source of income) is just to play whatever it is that you want to play, and to try and find some like-minded people to share that desire with.

my2cents anyway

Tim Sheinman · Post by **Tim Sheinman** » 4 Jan 2019 1:40 am

Thanks everybody for the help.

Spencer, you are absolutely right, I do need to make my mark on the London scene.

To do this, I have recorded an album of pub classics.

Cover and first track below

Please could you give me some thoughts. Will and Jonny are still welcome.

https://soundcloud.com/tim-sheinman/kne ... wn-excerpt

Ken Boi · Post by **Ken Boi** » 4 Jan 2019 4:43 am

I'm just waiting for 'Together Again 3"....

Don R Brown · Post by **Don R Brown** » 4 Jan 2019 5:31 am

Ken Boi wrote:I'm just waiting for 'Together Again 3"....

Well, here's "It's Over Again" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NK_E1lF2hs

Larry Ball · Post by **Larry Ball** » 10 Jan 2019 12:04 pm

Hi Tim,

Sadly "Country Music" has changed which as Richard mentioned has been the direct result of Young Artists, Young Producers and Songwriters. playing to
the desires of fame and the almighty dollar. Hank Williams Sr. and Vince Gill are much different so you can say Country Music evolved too. Those of us that came from the music of the 50's,60's and 70's are witness to the evolution.

So trying to save "Country Music" is not going to happen. You can contribute to the sound by keeping the steel alive in your songs.

I have discussed some of the approaches to keep "traditional Country Alive" with a group that I follow in Australia. Saying keep up the great work as "We" support you. Australia has some great Country Music from the "Old" Nashville Sound.

Tamworth, Australia has a big 10 day festival that draws the major players. Michael Rose a truly great steel player preforms there with his group "The Feral Swing Katz" . Stuie French and Friends (including Redd Volkaert), who played lead for Merle Haggard at one time comes over there often to join Stuie.

This festival is similar to Fan Fair in Nashville.

The point to all this that good old Country Music is played and lots of great steel guitar.

So as I said you will not change the direction of Country Music but you can influence it alot with the steel guitar.

My two Cents.

Tim Sheinman · Post by **Tim Sheinman** » 10 Jan 2019 12:23 pm

SO WHAT SHOULD I DO??

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 10 Jan 2019 12:43 pm

I think they say, 'Shut up and play yer guitar.'

I'd say, go ahead and save it.

Larry Ball · Post by **Larry Ball** » 10 Jan 2019 12:44 pm

As I said "Just keeping the steel guitar. Because if
you listen to todays Country Music you will not hear a steel or rarely. Just a lot six strings guitars with lots of effects etc.

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 11 Jan 2019 10:03 am

Tim Sheinman wrote:SO WHAT SHOULD I DO??

Depends. Which country are we talking about? Is the Pub album available in all 12 keys? There are minor keys too, you know. What are you waiting for? Fans have waited days and days for your next release. And hey - real country fans want it on vinyl. None of this download streaming whatever ya call it stuff...

Tim Sheinman · Post by **Tim Sheinman** » 19 Jan 2019 1:18 pm

Fred, These are all very good points and I hope to have something soon, on vinyl.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 20 Jan 2019 1:00 am

Don R Brown wrote:
Ken Boi wrote:I'm just waiting for 'Together Again 3"....
Well, here's "It's Over Again"

Don,

The singer reminds me of David Houston.

RC