- WATERUX) cHllomcw . Wednesday, September 18, 2013 - a I 1 Man Of steel 0 . O O O C 0 Steel guitar player Ed ngwald wins Canadian Country MuswAssocratwn award ‘1 BY [30an was trying to get son to pick up the mom said it was [an Tyson.†said ' _ï¬ (t‘hmnirleW instrument. Ringwald. “I said ‘Mr. Tyson‘, and “I'll never forget seeing this he said, ‘Forget the Mr. Tyson stuff, aterloo's Ed Ringwald steel guitar up there and l was fas- you can call me Ian and l have a .2;- Whas had some time to cinated by the instrument and the T.V. show and I've heard alot about think about what makes sound it was producing and how you.’ .. the steel guitar such a fascinating this guy was playing it." said Ring “‘l don't need an audition. we instrument to play. and how it wald, “it had pedals and knee start next week and if you're in leaves them wondering how he levers and that’s what go me on to you‘rein.’ l was on the T.V. show for produces such haunting sounds. it.†two years†“The best way to describe it. I But it took a little convincing What makes steel guitar player guess, is that's it's the sound of from his dad. At that time the steel so in demand? Ringwald said it's a rockâ€"bottom loneliness and heart- guitar cost around $500. which real mental effort to bring all the stabbing isolation.†said the music was a lot of money for an instruâ€" elements of the instrument togeth- man With more than 40 years of merit back then. let alone one that er to produce its unique sound. trying to get “the steel†to divulge required such dedication to play. “You've basically got so many all of its secrets. ‘lt's the sound» different things going on.“ he said. track for ecstatic selfpi’ty ~ basir "You‘ve got finger picks in one (ally it's the musical glue that hand, then you play with a bar. holds together the emotions in a fl... â€â€˜5 the sound 0f Then you have pedals on the floor song. . that you step on that give you all “That's the best way I can rock-bottom loneliness your different chords. and you describe it.“ and heart-stabbing have knee levers that move side~ lhe 6] year old admits he - - 7 ways while others go up â€" you've came up With that deï¬nition over a lSOlath/l. [IS the _ got a lot of different things going glass ofwine and after some refleo soundtrackfor ecstatic on.†tion on a career that has seen him _ ' _ ’ ‘ ' Maste of the basics can be a play With music legends like [an self pity . Micaâ€), â€5 dauntingy task. which might Tyson. Gordon lightfoot and Anne the mu‘flcal glue that explain why there are so few steel Murray while turning down an holds together the guitar players out there. But when 4 irwitation to join a newly formed - - .. you do master it. it produces some group called lhe Lagles hack in PIIIOIIOIIS m a song beautiful music and it lead to an 197': A mummy.“ amazing music career, lt did for Riiigwald's poured his soul into .mpluying (he swlgium/ Ringwald. including 16 years of those strings over his SlX‘dt‘Cudt’ playingand touring with Canadian tareer. and in recent years he's music legend Gordon Lightfoot. received recognition for that body He has gold and platinum records of work after being named the “He did. but he didn't think i hangingon the wall ofhisWaterloo (anadian Country Music Associa would stay with it. and i said. Dad. home from artists like lightfoot iion’s best steel guitarist in 20] I for ill make you eat your words' and l and Murray. and he played on such the ï¬rst time and following that up did.†said Ringwald. “And I pracr iconic songs as The Wreck of the With the 20K! award last week at ticed and practiced it until I got Edmund Fitzgerald. the annual awards ceremony held good at it. and that's What you have Ringwald went under his music in ludmonton He was named a to do because it's such a difï¬cult alias of Peewee Charles in those member of the All Star Band for instrument to learn.†days, a nickname given to him in his work with George (‘anyon and He even moved to Texas for a 1968 with more than a touch of Wt-stem Swing Authority over the seven-month stretch to learn from irony for the self~professed six- last year. on top of the session a steel gunas master and bring foot-four string bean. But the last work that has him constantly in back some of the expertise with few gold and platinum albums lea» Waterloo steel gultarplayerEd RingwlldwasmmedtotheAll-Star Band demand him, Even then it was a rare ll’LsII'u' ture his given name so that his at the 2013 CCMAs last week in Edmonton. law-note And to ihink it started after his merit to learn and play. so when be family had something to hold on dad lack took him to see country got back to Canada he was lmme- to. and the two (IRMA awards are be out on the road as much â€" all world â€" he still is on the stage music star Ray Price at the Kitch diately in demand for his talents. destined for his children lesse and that travelling is a little less appeal every week at the jam space at the ener Memorial Auditorium in the “A day after I got back from Paula. ing for the 6l-year-old who has (hmmercial Tavern in Merryhill. 1960s His dad had a lap steel and Texas the phone rings and my While Ringwald doesn't like to played concert venues around the unhindmwze \ \ ~ Yam 2 BUCKS 5%er 0’11“» muss ‘- \ ~ WATERLl 50 CliRONICLE mum») : . . , " get an «at bottle â€" mic outline tor arty TWO aucxs: " amaze-m; 0... 5197472227 . ; . m um . ~. www.waterloochromcle.ca r "GUN†3‘ 9v «gag-gage; A... wwwgwsnuta