Bill Terry

Pedal Steel Guitarist

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9 Reviews (9 Verified)
Bill Terry on SoundBetter

Seasoned player, Pedal Steel, Non-Pedal Steel, and Electric Guitar. Uniquely qualified with a diverse musical background, able to cover many styles.

Over 35 years of experience in the music industry, with literally 1000's of live performances and 100's of recording sessions in my log. I am the consummate side-man; I work for the artist, and I can and do deliver what the song requires.

I'm very experienced working with singer/songwriter artists, and I pride myself on being able to understand and provide the track they're hearing.

Contact me through the green button above and let's get to work.

9 Reviews - 2 Repeat Clients

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  1. Review by huntthompson
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    Bill was great to work with. He was prompt with great sounds and responsive to direction. He was flexible and creative. He provided a few great finished pedal steel tracks that gave me some flexibility to comp as I saw fit. I would absolutely work with Bill again. A real pro.

  2. Review by Richard T.
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    Bill added pedal steel guitar to my song and the track blends with the song so well. A great traditional country sound that I needed for this tune.

  3. Review by Wil Van Winkle
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    2nd project with Bill, he did a great job again & we'll be using his work in the future. Highly reccomended

  4. Review by Henrik J.
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    Bill was very dedicated and open minded to my project. A pleasure to work with him.

  5. Review by Mike Butler
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    Bill delivered excellent tracks and was very accommodating to my requests. Excellent communication and very professional. Highly recommended!

  6. Review by Wil Van Winkle
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    Provided a few options by the deadline he set. Perfect addition to the song!
    Will use again and highly recommend

  7. Review by Alex F.
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    Great pleasure to work with Bill. Beautiful sound and musicianship. Can't wait to make more music with him again. Highly recommended!

  8. Review by Ludvig I.
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    Bill was very easy to work with, understanding and "wide" in terms of arrangement approach. Highly recommend!

  9. Review by Matt S.
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    Bill did a great job and provided a much need quick turnaround. His experience enabled him to know what I needed and provide a great track on the first pass. That was invaluable. Thanks Bill.

Interview with Bill Terry

  1. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  2. A: It's hard for me to really generalize, but I usually try to listen to the song before I ever hit a note, and imagine how my part is going to improve it.

  3. Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

  4. A: It's such a variety, even though steel guitar has been somewhat pigeon-holed as a country instrument. I would say in the last couple of years, about 50/50 country and singer/songwriter tunes that lean more toward Americana or even rock.

  5. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  6. A: Definitely adapting to different styles and music, but even more so, communication. I really enjoy a dialog during the process with the client as we move toward a final take.

  7. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  8. A: I think I bring good ears, and a good sense of 'style' or whatever you'd call it, where I can hear a song, and imagine how my part can add or enhance the track.

  9. Q: What's your typical work process?

  10. A: I like to get as much information from the client about what they want from me right from the beginning. If there is a production 'plan' in place, this is key to getting the track they want. Many times they don't know exactly and that's ok too. I generally take a first pass based on whatever input (even if there is none), and share that to see if we're on the same page. If so, I usually take a second pass, and almost always that's the keeper. Sometimes one pass is good, with just a punch or tweak. I prefer that the client 'steer' me, it saves us time and ensures that I'm headed the right direction.

  11. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  12. A: I recently upgraded to my studio computer new a Mac Studio, and I'm using Presonus Studio One 6 for the base DAW. I have a lot of outboard analog gear that I find not only a pleasure to use (I still like to turn knobs) but also valuable in getting the sounds I like. I have a stable of vintage amplifiers; Fender, Marshall, Peavey, and other odd balls, plus a nice array of condensor, ribbon, and dynamic microphones that I've accumulated over the years. I have a nice selection of mic preamps; Neve and API clones are usually my go-to, but I'm always trying new gear.

  13. Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

  14. A: I enjoy listening to everything from jazz, to country, to rock, and just about any genre you can name. I find I'm inspired the most by creative musicians who can cross boundaries without any problems. Buddy Emmons of course is the perfect example of a true master, who spanned many styles, and made each his own. Other musicians I really admire from the pop/rock side are Donald Fagen, Larry Carlton, and of course from the country side Paul Franklin, Vince Gill, and Brent Mason.

  15. Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

  16. A: I work with clients across many genres, and of course pedal steel is strongly associated with country music, and I get my share of those calls. However, I receive a lot of calls from singer/songwriter clients who have heard pedal steel guitar, and believe it will be a great addition to the their production, but they don't necessarily know how to make it fit. That's where I believe I can be a valuable asset. I've played many types of music in my years of experience, not just country, and I have a good feel for how to make pedal steel guitar work in many different contexts. Of course, I can also follow very specific production instruction when the client knows exactly what they want.

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Various - Demo Clips

I was the Steel Guitar (Elec Guitar last 2 clips) in this production

Terms Of Service

I typically provide 2 revisions, but I'm not done until the client is happy. I can guarantee quick turnaround, usually 1 to 2 days. Discounts available for multi-song projects.

GenresSounds Like
  • Houston Marchman
  • Joe Ely
  • Charlie Robison
Gear Highlights
  • Mac Studio
  • Studio One 6 DAW
  • Universal Audio
  • Trident
  • MPA
  • AKG
  • Audio Technica
  • Emmons guitars
  • Vintage Fender guitars/amps
  • Marshall
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