If you’re reading this, you are probably aware of who Jeff Newman was and the tremendous impact he had, and continues to have, on generations of aspiring steel guitar players. Jeff produced some of the best steel guitar instruction for over three decades from the late 1960s until his untimely passing in 2004.
Jeff had a true gift for teaching, and he touched so many people that it’s difficult to say anything about him that hasn’t been said before. A quick search on the Steel Guitar Forum will yield a seemingly endless list of posts with stories, pictures, and fond memories of Jeff.
Rather than repeating what so many others have already said so well, I’d like to honor Jeff’s legacy in my own way here at The Pedal Stop.
A Family Connection
I started playing steel guitar when I was 43 years old. By that time, Jeff had already been gone for almost 18 years. However, I was well aware of who Jeff was from an early age because he was my father’s first cousin, making him my cousin once removed. My family was proud of Jeff’s tremendous talent and his accomplishments. If I’d been a couple decades sooner in learning to play the steel guitar, perhaps I could have gotten to know him personally. The reality, however, is that I didn’t take much of an interest in the steel guitar during Jeff’s lifetime and I simply didn’t have the chance to get to know him well.
A Body of Work
Having a family connection to Jeff and an appreciation for his unrivaled reputation as an instructor, I set out to acquire Jeff’s educational material anywhere I could find it when I began playing. Having to rely on the secondhand market can be difficult and unpredictable, but in spite of the challenges, I accumulated a very nice collection of Jeff’s work. Additionally, I spent considerable effort in piecing together from various sources a comprehensive list of the lessons Jeff published. In addition to his instructional material, I have also acquired many of the great albums that Jeff performed on and/or produced. Jeff even produced and played rhythm guitar on an LP for my grandparents’ (Jeff’s aunt and uncle) gospel quartet.
Honoring a Legacy
One of my main goals here at The Pedal Stop is to honor Jeff’s legacy by sharing what I’ve learned about his invaluable contributions to the steel guitar world. I plan to share information about records he performed on or produced, as well as general information and thoughts on his many instructional courses. I want to ensure that his contributions are not forgotten and that his legacy continues to inspire future generations of steel guitar players.
