This is so true, Nick.Originally Posted by Nick
Although I don't consider myself country by any means, the pedal steel guitar was the first stringed instrument I learned to play back in the early/mid seventies. I had the Wailers "Burnin" album and listened to Reggae but was mostly into bands like Pure Prairie League, Flying Burrito Brothers, Poco, New Riders of the Purple Sage, etc....They called it country rock back then, but back then, the only way to learn the pedal steel guitar was to listen to country music, so, I studied in Nashville under the late Jeff Newman (probably the greatest steel guitar teacher).
Now, I know I'm generalizing and surely alot has changed in 35 years, however, I came back to Ohio thinking that [collectively] those were the most racist people I had ever met. Eventually, I ended up trading my steel guitar for a "72 Strat and learned to play guitar and Reggae music.
And, through various Reggae bands, led me to becoming one of the founding members of the Ark Band (which, although I live in Florida now, I think is still around and alot of people on this forum are familiar with).
Back then, I used to joke to myself, "Man, if these (Jamaicans) knew how much these (rednecks) hated them, would they still listen to their music?"
But, if it wasn't for the negative experience I had (whether real or perceived), I probably wouldn't be married to a Jamaican, own land in Negril, 70 plus trips to Jamaica, and have virtually every Jamaican fruit tree growing in my yard (in other words, my entire life centered around Jamaica). Hell, maybe I'd be playing at the Grand Ole Opry or something.
So, I guess the only thing I can say is, YEE HAW!!!!!
