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Steel Guitars by the Dozen: A Cultish Concert Pays Tribute to the Most Country Instrument of All
Sho-Bud Showcase Live brought thousands of pedal steel enthusiasts to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium for a four-hour celebration of the instrument and the brand’s revival. The event highlighted how the pedal steel can cross musical styles, while giving an instrument often overshadowed by electric guitar the spotlight.
Sho-Bud was founded by Shot Jackson and Buddy Emmons and became a leading brand in the 1960s and Seventies; Shot Jackson’s grandchildren reacquired it in 2024 and restarted production. Performers included 89-year-old steel legend Lloyd Green, Slash, Don Felder, Marcus King, Junior Brown and Robert Randolph. The benefit supported causes including the Peter Frampton Myositis Foundation and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.
In short
- Thousands gathered at Nashville’s Ryman for a pedal steel showcase.
- Sho-Bud returned under the ownership of Shot Jackson’s grandchildren.
- Lloyd Green and Slash shared a stage in a symbolic pairing.
Explained simply
The pedal steel guitar is played flat across the musician’s lap or on a stand, with foot pedals and knee levers changing the pitch of its strings. Its sliding, sustained notes are closely associated with country music, though musicians also use it in rock, blues and other styles.
Sho-Bud, named for founders Shot Jackson and Buddy Emmons, became one of the best-known pedal steel makers in the 1960s and Seventies. The instrument has often had a smaller public profile than the standard electric guitar, despite its distinctive sound and devoted following.
The brand’s history connects Nashville’s country music scene with generations of players and instrument makers. A tribute to Sho-Bud also highlights the pedal steel’s reach across genres and the charities supported by music events.
Americas Entertainment Music World