Eddy Dunlap

Eddy Dunlap is a young steel player who is amazing in how quickly he has mastered the steel guitar. He started playing the pedal steel at age 17. By the time he was 18 he was playing local shows in Kentucky and Illinois, and came to our attention at the NTSGA. I introduced him to several of our NTSGA members at the Southern Illinois Show last year. Russ Hicks was one of these, and Eddy was soon in the rehearsal room swapping licks on the steel guitar with Russ. Russ has a teachers instinct, and it's good for young players to get ideas from him.

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Only months later, Eddy was invited to be on one of our superjams in Nashville. He was on stage with Doug Jernigan for that show, and made a great impression. So much so that he was given a set by himself our biggest show of the year, the October 2 day event in the ballroom of the Preston Hotel in Nashville. Although he professed to be nervous, he did his rehearsed songs and also answered requests from the crowd, gaining him a standing ovation. That was a real accomplishment as this day was filled with top steel guitar players. The crowd reacted very well to the talented young man who tried to do everything they wanted to hear.

Eddy has now been on three of our NTSGA jams. He has been playing for less than two years, but plays like he has been at it for twenty. This is one of the rising stars that you should watch.

The NTSGA has many legendary steel players, no shortage of “superpickers.” But the goal of the organization includes the identification and encouragement of newcomers who show promise. We are happy to say that these are showing up on our shows and we are constantly looking for more. The future of the pedal steel guitar is bright with these talented young players rising in the business.

-Ray

NTSGA will be featuring more promising newcomers on our shows and in our publications.