breaking the dobro barrier

i would suspect that there are churches catholic churches in eastern kentucky or in southern missouri or in west texas where the dobro is occasionally heard
but in the church wherein i worship the immense concrete tent
of marcel breuers' imagination today i introduced a sound no one had ever heard there before
of this i am very sure
at one point i looked over at the abbot and the look on his face was utter amazement
he'd never imagined that sound in this church never heard it
but there i was with my dobro twangin away
i accompanied myself and the people gathered on the response psalm
then i played a sort of abstract tone poem during the preparation of the gifts
during communion i played a basic gospel hymn structure over and over
for some reason the sound of live steel strings in that space
is very powerful live plucked steel strings

i was conscious of myself as presenting something completely new
most people there probably didn't even know the name for the
particular resonator guitar known as the dobro

there is definitely something earthy and primitive about the sound of the dobro
the phenomenon of bending the notes is readily apparent on the instrument in question

if you happen to be someone who is hearing about this instrument for the first time
i would highly suggest listening to the music of alison krause and union station
jerry douglas is a powerful study in understanding the instrument

it was a coup d'liturgie
sometimes i get excited like a kid knowing that
i'm doing this in a particularly unique way
perhaps never to be heard again
or at least not for awhile

i am always exploring new sounds of the guitar
that can be used tastefully within catholic liturgy
it is a serious study in stylistic aesthetics
i tell you what

you betcha