J.V.
From an earlier interview with Nils Tuxen, another Danish steel player who later on moved to Germany, I learned that you bought your first pedal steel in 1971. Please tell me something about how you became interested in playing a pedal steel. Did you purchase your first pedal steel, the Sho-Bud S10, from Eric Snowball in England? He probably is the man who ever gave me your visiting-card.

H.K.
The first time I heard pedal steel guitar was on AFN (American Forces Network) Radio, broadcasted from Bremen, Germany. They had a Country-Jamboree every afternoon at 3.00 o´ clock I remember. It was in 1965. The song was "Together Again" with Buck Owens and pedal steel guitarist Tom Brumley. Tom´s backup playing had a big role in that song, just as much as the vocal itself. I also remember listening a lot to Pete Drake´s steel guitar behind many different singers. In 1971 I travelled to the U.S. for the first time. In the Sho-Bud shop, which was located at 416 Broadway, I bought my first pedal steel guitar, the Sho-Bud model 6139. A rack-and barrel-single neck with 3 pedals and one knee lever. Later on "back home again" I added 2 more knee levers myself with parts from Sho-Bud. In the back room of the Sho-Bud store I had 4 hours of lessons every working day afternoon. I paid for 2 hours, but got 4 hours. My teacher was Duane Marrs, who later on, together with Paul Franklin senior and Shot´s son David, was in charge of the new Sho-Bud factory, called "Music City Manufacturing Co.". The old factory was on 2nd floor of the shop on 416 Broadway, where Harry, Shot´s other son, built the custom pedal steels, and where repairs and modifications were made. It was there where Shot built his Sho-Bro´s and other specialized guitars. Sometimes I went to the 2nd floor to see what was going on up there: people were busy manufacturing - with a lot of noise - big amounts of metal parts and wood parts for steel guitars. Some of the workers were unemployed steel players, which could get a Sho-Bud steel guitar, if they worked their money off up there! Back in Denmark again I corresponded with Eric Snowball in England and bought teaching materials from him. I even visited him in his shop in Maidstone, Kent, England, in 1981. He also had a big business renting out sound systems.

J.V.
Did you know any Danish steel guitarist, pedal or non-pedal, before you decided to buy a steel guitar?

H.K.
I visited Nils Tuxen in Copenhagen, who started playing pedal steel in 1970, after buying a used Emmons push-pull model in Los Angeles. Nils and I exchanged LP-records and teaching materials on pedal steel. He and his wife have visited with me many times. And I have visited them him in their home near Hamburg, Germany. Nils is the best pedal steel player in Europe, and one of the best in the world.

J.V.
In those days there was no learning material available. How did you make a start on the instrument? Did you have any musical education?

H.K.
I bought, when I was in Nashville 1971, Jeff Newman´s first course, a book and LP record. I also bought some Pete Drake LP´s. Before that I did not have any formal musical education, except for a 3 year period from 1963, when I attended the school teachers college.

J.V.
Did you play other instruments before you went to play steel?

H.K.
Yes, I lived in Sonderborg, near the German border. My parents had no money for any music lessons, but I was allowed by my school teachers to go to the school´s music room on afternoons and "play" the piano and the other instruments there. When I was 14 years of age (in 1957) I played piano, banjo and guitar for 3 years (by ear, no written music) on school parties and family parties. When I was 17 and 18 I played clarinet in the jazz bands in Sonderborg, including the "Niels Johansens Jazz Band", and the "Rainy City Stompers" which was North Germany´s most famous New Orleans style jazz band. I had to stop playing clarinet because the wooden reed was too hard on my lower lip. From 1962 to 1967, I switched to playing vibraphone and "The Shadows"-type guitar in "Luna-kvartetten" which was 4 members from "Niels Johansens Jazz Band" in new clothes! From 1963 to 1966 I studied to be a school-teacher and worked as such from 1966. From 1968 to 1969 I played in the "HeFiNi" kvartet, and from 1970 to 1975 I played in "Amorados" where I introduced the pedal steel guitar. We played every Saturday evening from 8 PM to 01 AM, and had one hour of country music show from 11 PM to midnight, where I played the pedal steel guitar. In 1975 I got married, and moved to Odder, near Aarhus. I had different recording jobs in recording studios playing pedal steel and Floyd Cramer style piano behind famous, and less famous, singers. From 1980 to 1982 we formed the country band "Ragnar and Country Service" and made an LP and played in Danish television.

J.V.
I know that you always admired Jeff Newman, who was both a great player and probably the most influential and respected steel guitar teacher for a long time. I even think that Jeff influenced your own playing style a little bit. Did you ever take lessons from Jeff? If so, tell something about it.

H.K.
Jeff Newman was no doubt the best pedal steel guitar teacher in the world. I attended the Jeffran Steel Guitar College in Nashville one week in 1982 and one week in 1985. We were about 10 students in one class. Every student had his own steel guitar, and an amplifier with headphones. In 1982 there was a surprise concert by Buddy Emmons, and one in 1985 by Lloyd Green.

J.V.
Tell something about the bands you have played with. When was your first live performance using the pedal steel guitar?

H.K.
From 1970 till 1975 I played in "Amorados", almost every Saturday night in the same hotels, 6 months at one place. From 1980 till 1982 I played in "Ragnar and Country Service", that was one-nighters in different clubs.

J.V.
I guess that you have been doing recording sessions in Denmark now and then. When was the first time? Please tell something about that and later sessions.

H.K.
First time was pedal steel on an LP with a big band from Sonderborg that played in a kind of "Earth Wind And Fire" style. The year was 1974. This was done in a recording studio belonging to Danish singer "Country Palle". At that same occasion I also did a single with Country Palle: "I Was Looking Back To See" in Buck Owens music style. You can see a list of all my other recordings on Henning Kock Discography.

J.V.
I remember that you featured a 45 r.p.m. record called "Steeling in the dark" and you had a well got-up tablature book with it. Did you have any success with that package?

H.K.
Yes, it was written for pedal steel in E9th tuning. It contains "Steelin´ In The Dark" & "Red River Valley", and is a book written in English, currently available together with a CD. I had 1000 books made in 1985, and have only 100 left. I also did a Lap Steel course in Danish language in 2005. It is for 6-string lap steel guitar tuned in C6th. Actually right now, in 2010, I am translating the text in it, so it will be available in English/German/Danish.

J.V.
Besides your regular promotion material, you had some magazine-like writings out. Do you still edit such writings now and then or were they just part of your study reports?

H.K.
I wrote for Tom Bradshaw´s magazine, Scotty´s magazine, Russ Rask´s magazine, and Bob Maickel´s magazine. But the story on my most recent trip to Nashville, St. Louis and Branson (7 weeks in 2005) is only available on the Internet. It contains writings and photos which can be seen on the websites Steel Guitar Forum and Photobucket.

J.V.
One time in history internet information started drawing everyone´s attention. At first I was a very slow user of the internet myself. Tell me which role the computer played in your life as a tool to reach more steel fans and, of course, customers.

H.K.
I find the Internet a good thing, if you use it for good things. I have made my 4 home pages myself using the program Visual Site Designer. These home pages are: Henning K. Music | Steelguitar Danmark | Henning Kock pedal steel guitarist | Henning Kock.

J.V.
How many times did you visit the U.S.A.? Were these all study trips? Please give a summary of the manufacturers and dealers (both guitar and steel guitar) you have visited.

H.K.
1971: New York, Philadelphia, Nashville (Sho-Bud). 1982: New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Nashville, San Fransisco, Los Angeles, San Diego (Scotty´s Music in St. Louis, Duane Marrs Music in Nashville, Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, Gibson Guitar Factory in Nashville, Fender Guitar Factory in California). 1985: Minneapolis, St. Louis, Nashville (Scotty´s Music in St. Louis, Bobby Seymour´s Shop in Nashville, George L´s in Nashville, Clem Schmitz Steel Guitar Emporium in Nashville). 1992: Halifax-Canada, New York, Fredricksburg, Tampa, New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago (Billy Cooper´s Music in Fredricksburg). 1996: Nashville, St. Louis (Scotty´s Music in St. Louis, Bobby Seymour´s Shop in Nashville, George L´s in Nashville). 2005: Nashville, Branson, St. Louis (Scotty´s Music in St. Louis, Bobby Seymour´s Shop in Nashville, George L´s in Nashville).

J.V.
You have visited quite a few American steel players at their homes. Please name a few. Did some of them teach you some interesting licks and progressions?

H.K.
Yes, I visited the U.S.A. 6 times and took private lessons on pedal steel guitar. That was 1971, 1982, 1985, 1992, 1996 and 2005 by Doug Jernigan, Jimmy Crawford, Mike Sweeney, Russ Hicks, Mike Cass, Duane Marrs, Jeff Surrate, Bob Hempker, Mike Johnson, DeWitt Scott, Don E. Curtis, Pat Heller, Stu Basore, Randy Beavers, Koos Biel, Lionel Wendling, and many more. Also group lessons by Lloyd Green, Jimmie Crawford and Janne Lindgren (in Sweden), Jeff Newman and Herby Wallace (in Norway) Nils Tuxen (in Germany and Sweden). I also had private piano lessons in Nashville by Roger Morris and Beegie Adair, and a lesson in The Nashville Number System by Charlie McCoy. And last but not least I had the big honor to be invited by Lloyd Green to visit with him in his home in Madison, Nashville . That was in 1985 and 2005.

J.V.
Which players are and/or have been your very favorites?

H.K.
I have many favorite pedal steel guitar players, but if I had to name only one it would be Lloyd Green. He is a pedal steel guitarist and a composer in one person, and because of that his improvisations are so special and beautiful. Lloyd is the Mozart and Paganini of the pedal steel guitar. He still does not lower the E (4th) string, and he still has a .022 wound string for his G sharp (6th) string. Lloyd really works for long periods of time in his music room at home on composing steel guitar music, experimenting with melody phrases, what string combinations, what pedals or bar slants, what slides, and whether a lick is best played on a plain or a wound string. Also, if a knee lever movement or a forward or reverse bar slant will give the most unified, seamless playing. Mostly all licks can be played at 4 or 5 different positions on the pedal steel guitar, but licks should be wound together to melody lines. When Lloyd composes he will go through many different ways to play a melody line so it is clean and still is saying what he wants it to say - and transmit his feelings to the listener. Now there is an appreciation website for Lloyd. The website is made by Austrian pedal steel player Walter Stettner: Lloyd Green Tribute. As I told you in one of my previous answers, I even had the great honor being invited to Lloyd´s home in Madison, Nashville, two times. Little did I know, that I was also allowed to buy his personal JCH pedal steel guitar at a later date!

J.V.
Did you ever play at the International Steel Guitar Convention? If so, when was that?

H.K.
I attended Scotty´s International Steel Guitar Convention in St. Louis in 1985, 1996 and 2005. Only for listening – not for playing. In 1992 I received The ISGC Appreciation Award. I was not present there, so Nils Tuxen brought it back to me in Denmark.

J.V.
I do not remember having seen you at one of the many Dutch pedal steel guitar festivals. Did you ever attend or play at the British Steelie Festival or one of the Irish festivals?

H.K.
I attended the Dutch Steel Guitar Festival in Oudewater a Saturday and Sunday in March 1991 to hear Lloyd Green play. On Monday, Lloyd and Nils Tuxen went to Nils Tuxen´s home near Hamburg, Germany, to record the famous CD "Reflections", and I drove south in Germany to visit two keyboard factories to order a keyboard. I was invited by Nils to come back on Friday, and when I entered the house Lloyd and Nils were just mixing the last song of the album. I also attended the British festival in Newbury in 1986 to hear Hal Rugg and Sarah Jory. And Jeff Newman, Herbie Wallace and Scotty in Norway. Nils Tuxen in Sweden and Germany. Also Jimmy Crawford and Lloyd Green in Sweden.

J.V.
Although the lap steel had an unexpected revival, I have my personal doubts if the pedal steel will ever become a generally known instrument. Please tell me how you think about it.

H.K.
Steel guitar is moving slowly forward, but it is moving. It is the ideal second instrument for a guitar player. "If you play guitar, you are halfway to steel guitar".

J.V.
Do you have an idea of how many pedal steels and lap steels you have sold?

H.K.
Since 1985 I have sold more than 124 factory new Zumsteel Stage One economy models to music dealers, and also more than 42 used double-10´s and 10 used single-10´s directly to steel players.

J.V.
Talking about lap steels. I know that you have the "Nashville Sound" lap steel in your sales program. Do you sell many of these? In other words: did the lap steel have a revival in Denmark too?

H.K.
I have sold more than 50 lap steels during the last ten years. Most of these were sold between 2000 and 2005, because I was the only wholesaler then who had these in the program. But now other wholesalers and factories woke up and brought lap steels on the market, which of course is a good thing.

J.V.
Did you ever teach steel guitar students yourself?

H.K.
Yes, together with every pedal steel guitar I sell, I offer 4 hours of free lessons divided out in one year, with 3 months in between. If people live far away, I give advice by telephone. I also teach other steel players by the hour.

J.V.
You own the JCH pedal steel guitar that has been played by Lloyd Green for many years. It was this guitar he used for his "Reflections" CD and he also played it on the great video "An evening of E9th" with Tommy White. Please tell how you got that guitar and about the special custom execution of it. Did you change Lloyd´s original setup to the one you use yourself?

H.K.
I had the big honor to get permission from Lloyd Green to buy his JCH guitar, on April 7th, 2004, when he wanted to switch back to Sho-Bud. Jimmie Crawford changed the knee lever set up almost to the usual Buddy Emmons set up except for the E (4th) string, which I do not lower (one of Lloyd´s trademarks) The missing tone there can be found in 4 other ways, which leads to many more interesting licks.

J.V.
I remember you have played the Sho-Bud S10, an Emmons D10, a Zumsteel D10, a Franklin Pedabro and the JCH SD10. Do you still have all these guitars or did you sell some of these?

H.K.
Currently I only have 2 professional models: the Zumsteel D10 (which belonged to Hal Rugg. And Bruce Zumsteg put two new changers in) and Lloyd Green´s JCH guitar, single neck on double body. I have promised Lloyd not to sell it, except for selling it back to himself again. I used it in two songs on a recording session in 2009 with Danish singer Peter Kent.

J.V.
Do you have any special plans for recording, editing courses, giving seminars, making trips to special events or are you planning to just live a more easy life?

H.K.
I have not planned to stop any of the branches of music I am involved in. I just continue doing the same kind of musical activities.

J.V.
Do Inger, her family and you still run the farm or did they/you sell all the land?

H.K.
Yes we still run it, but we do not work it ourselves. The work is done by outside contractors.

J.V.
Please fill out your current setup.

H.K.
Note, that I do not lower the E (4th) string (like Lloyd Green) The missing lowered tone can be found on more than 4 different places, and this leads to more exciting and fun improvisations. On the empty knee lever spot I have placed the lowering of the second string one whole tone, so I do not need a double stop on the second string, which I hate. On the C6th neck I put a G on top, like Pete Drake did, when he played his "E9th type licks" on C6th. And on the C6th neck Jeff Newman showed us to put Bb instead of B on the 4th pedal.

J.V.
I guess that you play some lap steel and probably some dobro too. Which tunings do you use?

H.K.
On both the lap steel and the dobro I use Jerry Byrd´s C6th/A7th tuning, which is a brilliant tuning, since you have C, C6, Am, Am7 C#mb5, A, A7, A7b10 (and Eb13 without root and 9th) in the open tuning. Naturally I wrote my lap steel course book for that tuning. Right now I am translating this book to English and German languages.

J.V.
Okay Henning, thank you very much for your extensive answers. It was a real pleasure for me to do the interview. Trudy and I wish both you and Inger good luck and hope to meet both of you personally once again.

H.K.
Jan, it was a pleasure to do this interview. You are truly the "Professor Of Steel Guitar", and you and Trudy are most welcome to see us again, when you are in Denmark.

Henning Kock D-10 Tuningchart