November 20 was the quarterly meeting of the Rhode Island Steel Guitar Association.

 (click HERE for their website–I’ll be working up a blog for them soon)

I figured now that I own a lap steel guitar, I should learn how to play it, right?  So Banjo Man and I nestled a crock pot full of homemade meatballs in the trunk and set off to another far corner of our little state.   This section of Portsmouth (on Aquidneck Island) is close to the Massachusetts line, on the water.

The particular meeting place is called Common Fence Point, which hosts monthly live music.  Attendees bring their own dinners, place settings and beverages and sit family-style at long tables.  It’s great fun and a chance to see local and regional musicians.

We didn’t know what to expect–the meeting was to start off with a jam session, followed by a business meeting, potluck lunch and then more music.  I hoped I could convince someone to take me on as a student (can you bribe a musician with meatballs?), but I wasn’t sure if this would be an exclusive group, or if they would welcome ignorant strangers.  I told Glen to leave the crock pot in the car for a while until I decided if I felt comfortable enough to stay.

I shouldn’t have worried.  We pulled up next to a man (Roger) busy unloading several tons of speakers and equipment, but he grinned at us and introduced himself.   So did the other two men chatting at the door. We hadn’t even entered the building before I told Glen to get the meatballs. <g>  Marcia, the president (and wife of Chuck, a pedal steel player), couldn’t have been nicer.  She’d brought an instruction book for me to look through and seemed genuinely pleased to welcome a new member.

No one could believe I hadn’t brought my lap steel with me–despite my explaining I didn’t know how to play it–and said they could have helped me get started.  No one could believe I hadn’t brought my fiddle either, and I regretted leaving it at home when the first song the guys launched into was “Tennessee Waltz”.

Roger Trahan on pedal steel

It would have been such a thrill to play along with Roger, Chuck, Peter, Gary, Paul and Eddie.

Let me tell you about Eddie.  It was love at first sight when I walked in the room and saw his double-necked Rickenbacher.  He was attaching the legs and plugging in cords when I introduced myself and tried not to drool on this beauty.

Eddie said he had no patience for teaching, but I pulled a chair next to his and he gave me an explanation of tuning and chords.  Marcia convinced him to lead a workshop for beginners soon, so I hope that works out.  Eddie was the only one playing the lap steel (as opposed to the pedal steel).

Joe Ferri, retired musician, took my hand and gave me some good advice:  Learn your scales, he said, and you can play any song with anyone.  Joe has played steel guitar with Kitty Wells, Hank Thompson and many other famous country folks.  He had to give it up three years ago, but everyone was really pleased he’d come to the meeting to visit a while.

Marcia (who reminded me of Retired Mountain Lady) was pretty darn funny.  We had to list our instruments on the membership forms and she told Banjo Man that steel guitars and banjo’s don’t go together–and he thought she was serious.  I teased him about not being told he “should have brought your banjo”.

The next meeting is in February, which gives me time to get up to speed on a couple of songs (I took notes on what they played and in what key) on the guitar and the fiddle.  I’m already worrying about the weather cancelling the meeting.

Yes, it was that much fun.

Almost as good as being back on the lake, up on the mountain, with the Cougar Creek band.

The winter now seems a little less bleak.

Eddie Cunningham on lap steel