Amazing steel guitarist

Subject: Amazing steel guitarist
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 16 Aug 03 - 07:50 PM

Tonight I saw the second half of the BBC's excellent coverage of the 2003 Cambridge Folk Festival, featuring Laura Cantrell as headliner.

Whatever one's opinions as to the merits of Ms Cantrell headlining a "Folk" Festival, it cannot be denied that the musicianship of her band was absolutely incredible. The interplay of steel guitar and electric guitar reminded me of the great Hank de Vito and James Burton in the glory days of Emmylou's Hot Band.

By dint of googling, I am fairly sure that the pedal steel guitar player was one Jon Graboff, of whom I have previously been totally unaware, but who appears to have made quite a name for himself in the session scene as a pedal steel player, mandolinist and guitarist.

Has anyone here seen him play anywhere else ?

Murray

Subject: RE: Amazing steel guitarist
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 16 Aug 03 - 09:44 PM

This is not an answer to the question, but you should get some of the recent re-issues of Jimmy Bryant and "Speedy" West. Two white guys, one on pedal steel and one on electric, who were lumped into "country" by musical powers-that-be. This is jaw-dropping stuff by people who were having more fun than anyone in jazz, except maybe Lionel Hampton.

Subject: RE: Amazing steel guitarist
From: DonMeixner
Date: 17 Aug 03 - 12:47 AM

PDQ, you are very right.