SACRED STEEL
Darrick Campbell
Henry Nelson and Willie Eason
Sacred Steel is a musical style and African-American gospel tradition. The tradition developed in a group of related Pentecostal churches named the House of God church of the living God, in the 1930s. A man named Willie Eason was the first to introduce the lap steel guitar to the church. His brother, Troman, had a lap steel because of the Hawaiian-guitar craze. Behind his brother’s back, Willie would take it to the church and mimic the voices of the singers.
Brothers Troman and Willie Eason introduced lap steel guitar to worship services in place of the traditional organ. This new instrument was met with great enthusiasm and taken up by others. Willie Eason's nephew Aubrey Ghent had also become a celebrated steel guitarist, preserving the sacred steel tradition and bringing it to a wider audience.
Later on the lap steel and pedal steel tradition was continued by a number of guys that are known as the pioneers of sacred steel today such as; Henry Nelson Maurice "Ted" Beard, Chuck Campbell, Calvin Cooke, Darrick Campbell, Aubrey Ghent, and Bishop Lorenzo Harrison, just to name a few.
The sacred steel movement is growing at a pace like never before. With more young players taking an interest in the instrument ensures that the sacred steel tradition is to continue for many years to come.
Calvin Cooke
The Campbell Brothers
Aubrey Ghent