European Steel Guitar Forum

We are pleased to announce the establishment of the European Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, the purpose of which is to award public recognition to people who have contributed to popularizing the steel guitar and steel guitar music in Europe.

The most obvious people for induction into ESGHoF are the many great European steel guitarists (practicing, retired or now of blessed memory) but there are many others such as instrument builders, teachers and musicologists, for example, who have also laboured at popularizing the steel guitar too. This process of recognition, we believe will give a great fillip to the steel guitar in Europe by revealing the extent of playing and players across the different nations, which will come as a great surprise to many. ESGHoF, by the very nature of its focus on contribution by individuals could well serve as a catalyst to the development of European styles and sounds and bring about a greater self confidence among players, instrument builders and fans.

To this end we are pleased to have been able to obtain the voluntary services, for the ESGHoF Selection Committee, of some of the most knowledgeable and accomplished individuals from within the European steel guitar community. They will have the task of making the annual selection of inductees to ESGHoF, a task made more difficult by the huge choice of worthies and our limited annual resources. So the sooner we get started the sooner will justice be done.

The members of the ESGHoF Selection Committee are listed in the following document: http://www.chanos-isgf.org/esgforum/ESG ... mittee.pdf

NICE AND GOOD IDEA....

but choice very difficult 'cause so differents styles !

good luck, good work and long life to the committee...

Establishing the European Steel Guitar Hall of Fame will help promote the Steel Guitar which we all love.
I applaud you for your efforts.

I am a member of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association based in Honolulu, Hawaii and a past board member.

I am a board member for the Aloha International Steel Guitar Club as well as member, which is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I want to encourage you all to join the HSGA and the AISGC to perpetuate steel guitar. We can do much to encourage each other.

The HSGA and AISGC websites are: -
HSGA




Aloha International Steel Guitar Club



You might want to blog on the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Assn website.

Best wishes.

A Steel Guitar Friend,
Don Kona Woods

Yes Bernard, the choice will be and is very difficult - not only style but also the long duration of time. It is very important that we recognise the historical contributors to the steel guitar in Europe as well as the contemporary ones.

Hi Don

Thanks for your enthusiastic encouragement for the European Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. I'm certain ESGHoF will help to promote the steel guitar all over Europe.

However, taking your point, regarding encouragement I see precious little sign of it from the two organisations you recommend.

Both of them can be described as senior and established organisations of the steel guitar world and both can equally well be described as inward looking, US-centric and self-satisfying.

I have been a member of HSGA for several years and have posted details of the Chanos International Steel Guitar Festival last year and this. You were the only one to respond in any encouraging way last year but there's been not a single response this year. The webmaster has not bothered to link to the CISGF website. (Doing it without being asked is the sign of enthusiasm and cooperation. Take a look at the Forums & Socs. button on this site and also how we've corrected your post to make it look better.)

You have been a member of this forum since early January - I don't see a link to it on Aloha International's website. And what is so "International" about Aloha International? There is not even a mention of Steel Guitar France forum http://steelguitarfrance.forumactif.com/forum.htm
This forum has for the past eight years been promoting and developing the steel guitar in France. Does anyone at AI know what James Schmitt has been doing?

Here's the test! I've had my say - now let's see how these two organisations respond. Will they respond by cooperating or will the wagons be drawn into a tighter circle with the good ole boys pointing their guns outwards??

Digby,

Your constructive criticism I take to heart.

I hope that it starts a discussion that will end in some meaningful changes. Further,
I hope that it is the beginning of a new or more cordial kind of relationship between Steel Guitarists around the world.
After all aren't we brothers of the Steel Guitar?

Aloha no,
Don

Don

Thanks for responding in such an understanding way. Of course we are all members of the steel guitar family and brothers (and sisters too).

Let's get this cooperation thing off by at least getting to know each other and looking at each other's websites. You know Basil well but the rest of us have a lower profile, nonetheless many of us play Hawaiian music here in Europe some are excellent players but all love it.

Of course the same is true for country, bluegrass and the rest.

Whatever the style it is important that we get support and encouragement from the heartland of the genre.

Aloha and mahalo

Digby