BIOGRAPHIES of Canadian Steelers
AL BRISCO
Canada's
Ambassador
of the
Steel
Guitar
Born & raised on the
family 'APPLEDALE' farm in the community of NORTHCOTE, near RENFREW, ONTARIO,
CANADA, where early musical influences included the school & church. Five
years of piano music lessons plus learning some chords on the acoustic guitar
lead to playing bass at the age of 16 with country bands.
One of these bands named
The Countrymen were desirous for a steel guitar, & since there wasn't a
pedal steel within many miles, Al proceeded to build his first one, from a
picture on a Pete Drake LP. After many tuning frustrations, Al purchased his
first factory-built pedal steel, a Fender 400, finished high school & went
on the road making music his career. In 1966 he took delivery of his first Sho-Bud pedal steel.
His influences over the
years include Ralph Mooney, Tom Brumley, Buddy
Emmons, Buddy Charleton
& Lloyd Green. Since there were no cassette tapes in those days, he
practiced with a LP turntable which would play a half speed, putting coins on
the tone arm to slow it down to pitch. (really great for the record grooves!)
Al started doing recording
sessions in the late 1960's, & in 1970 he put the hit sound on the song
"COUNTRYFIED" by Dick Damron. Over the
years, he has been active doing session work with such names as: George
Hamilton IV, “Bustin’ Out” w/Pure Prairie League, Ian
& Sylvia Tyson, Gordie Tapp,
Gary Buck, Tommy Hunter, & Johnny Burke, to name a few.
Throughout the years, Al
has been in demand, playing with such artists as Grant Carson, Sons Of The
Saddle, Honey West, Gary Buck, & then in 1972 he was called by Ronnie
Hawkins, taking the position as band leader. During his 4 years with "The
Hawks" playing mostly Rock 'n Roll, gave Al the experience of using a
‘Leslie’ organ-type speaker and a fuzz tone, taking the steel guitar into a new
dimension. During this tenure he got to back up many notables, such as Frank
Zappa, The Band, Kris Kristofferson, Beverly D'Angelo,
& many others.
In 1976 Al joined Johnny
Burke & Eastwind, one of Canada's top country
groups, & in 1977 assisted in making "Wild Honey", a #1 record. Eastwind were in demand, having won RPM Magazine's Big
Country Award for Canada's top country group. Consequently, Eastwind were often the first choice for back-up musicians
for live gigs, as well as CTV's Funny Farm, & CFGM's Opry North syndicated
radio show. During these years, Al also assisted Eddy Fulawka
in building pedal steel guitars.
In 1979, after being
inspired by attending the International
Steel Guitar Convention in St. Louis, MO, Al (with fellow steeler Al Gain), started the Steel Guitar Club Of Canada,
(S.G.C.C.), now named "Steel Guitars of Canada" (SGC).
Al quit the road in 1981
& started working at Cosmo Music in Richmond Hill, Ont., where he worked
for nine years, maintaining The Steel Guitar Club Of Canada, as well as playing
misc. engagements. He left Cosmo in 1991, continuing to operate the S.G.C.C.
from his residence in Mississauga, Ontario, & eventually moved to his
current location in 2000 on 4 acres in the country near Colborne, Ontario where
he built his current Steel Guitars of
Canada store in 2002.
Al has been playing at
various steel guitar conventions & events, doing seminars, etc. throughout
North America & Europe, including the Pedal Steel Guitar Association’s
Celebration in Connecticut, USA; the Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree in Dallas, TX;
Steel Days 2000 in Holland, the Irish Steel Guitar Festival, Bettysville, Ireland; the first ever Finland Steel Guitar
Convention, as well as playing Scotty's International Steel Guitar Convention
in St. Louis, MO, regularly since 1982.
Other highlights of Al's
career include the October of 1994 induction into The Ottawa Valley Country
Music Hall of Fame & the subsequent release of his first solo album, "PICKIN' UP THE
DUST", containing 10 pedal steel guitar instrumentals, available on
CD, which has received fantastic reviews!
On November 28, 2004 Al was
honoured with the ‘2004 Career Musician’ award at the
O.C.P.F.A. (Ontario Country Performer & Fan Association) awards show &
banquet.
In 2005 Al was invited to
become committee member of ‘The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame’, which meets once a
year at the International Steel Guitar Convention to select nominees to be
inducted into the SGHF.
Al released his second solo
CD “Pickin’ Your Picks” in 2007 which is a variety of
14 tunes (2 original combined with 12 popular favourites).
Over the years Al has
published a variety of instructional material for the pedal steel guitar. In
order of their release they include: “Pedal
Steeling” Tab Book w/CD, “Pickin’ Up The Dust” Tab Book w/CD, “The
Bakersfield Sound, Ralph Mooney Style” DVD w/Tab, “Care & Feeding of Your Pedal Steel” DVD, & “Appledale Ride”
DVD. Upcoming instructional DVD’s include “Tuning
Your Pedal Steel” & “The Volume
Pedal”.
As well as operating Steel
Guitars of Canada & promoting his music, Al keeps active playing with
Carroll Baker & Baker Street, Johnny Burke & Eastwind
plus other miscellaneous gigs, steel guitar concerts & seminars. In
addition to assisting his wife Betty in maintaining their property, Al is a
member of the Masonic Lodge, & is very active with The Rotary Club of
Colborne assuming the position of President for 2011/2012.
"KEEP
STEELIN"
...But Don't Get Caught!
Order a copy of Al Brisco's:
- "Pickin' Up The Dust" @ $15.00
- “Pickin’ Your Picks” @ $20.00
at CDs For
Sale
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suggestions about our Site via Email: albrisco@steelguitarcanada.com
albrisco@steelguitarcanada.com
Steel Guitars of Canada Web Site.