Pedal Steel Guitar

Smoky Mountain Jamboree 1997

Playing the pedal steel guitar on the road, in the studio, and on TV was my first career in the 70's. Since then I've worked as an electronics engineer with Ten-Tec, Inc. and most recently as a Senior Technical Writer/Manager with Emerson Process Management/CSI. In the late 90's my health started to deteriorate, and by 2002 I was forced to stop working. When I'm able, I now just play the steel for self-enjoyment.

My number one influence, and the reason I switched from playing regular guitar to the pedal steel when I was a teenager, is Curly Chalker. Therefore, I enjoy the C6th tuning the most, and my music preference leans towards jazz and western swing. Other influences include Buddy Emmons, Sonny Garrish, John Hughey, Maurice Anderson, Hal Rugg, Julian Tharpe, Buddy Charleton, Herby Wallace, and almost every other steel guitarist that I've ever run into.

My current pedal steel guitar is a late 70's MSA double ten with eight floor pedals, four knee levers, and three vertical knee levers. My tuning and pedal setup (copedant) are as follows:

Some of the people that I have either worked for* or with at one time or another (not in any particular order).

  • Blue Ridge Quartet*
  • WWVA Jamboree Staff*
  • Doc Williams*
  • Country Fusion*
  • Tony Douglas*
  • Jimmy C. Newman
  • Charlie Pride
  • Randy Parton
  • Kenny Biggs*
  • Jim Ed Brown
  • Osborne Brothers
  • Con Hunley*
  • Pat Boone
  • The Eastmen
  • The Beaumarks*
  • Steve Allen
  • Jimmy Stephens
  • The High Score
  • Susan Raye
  • Jimmie Davis

Eagle Mountain Theater with Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius, and Con Hunley

April 1998

Pedal Steel Guitar Links

In my opinion, the best amps ever made for the pedal steel.
Dean Markley is a manufacturer of high-quality strings for steel, guitar, etc. I use these strings on both necks of my steel. They're stainless steel strings (i.e. lasts a lot longer) without being "brash" like most of the other stainless that I've tried. In addition, I haven't had a string break on me in a long time.
In memory of Herby Wallace.

Herby was a good friend and a great steel player. I will miss him very much.
Tom Bradshaw's Pedal Steel Guitar Products Catalog Lots of steel guitar accessories and hard-to-find recordings.
Carter Steel Guitars Manufacturer of pedal steel guitars. Carter's site also has a wealth of useful technical and mechanical information for all steel guitars.
An extensive list of other steel guitar related web site links and steel player's copedants. Also home of the Steel Guitar Forum.