SteelRadio.org Plans New Steel Guitar Fest

All hail the steel guitar! It’s one of the essential building blocks of true country music, and the most recognizable sound of the genre as it squeezes the emotion out of moments with its crying and moaning bends. This once endangered species of country that nearly didn’t survive the Bro-Country era and its extinction-level depletion has been coming back strong lately, with a bunch of exciting new players, and a lot of organization behind it.

All the more reason to launch a new steel guitar festival, and in the Live Music Capital of the World. Called the Austin Steel Guitar Fest, it’s happening October 1-3 at the Austin Marriott South where there will be two stages, and all kinds of performances, showcases, steel guitar jams, seminars, along with vendors and vintage sellers, and all kinds of other cool stuff. It will also be the location 2026 Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Lucky Oceans, Junior Brown, and the late David “Feet” Rogers will be minted as Hall of Famers during the event, with Lucky and Junior being two of the 50+ guitarists scheduled to perform over the three days. This includes steel guitar legends like Lloyd Green, Lynn Owsley, Dave Biller, and Rose Sinclair, to newer steel players like Caleb Melo, Jake Penrod, Kevin Skrla, and Pedal Steel Noah (see full lineup below).

SteelRadio.org has been pumping out steel-inspired music 24/7 on the internet since 2022, and is a great app to download when you’re in the mood for some twang. The organization was started in the mid ’90s at KWRP.fm in Decatur, Illinois, drawing a worldwide listenership. But when the station was sold in 2016, it ceased operations the next year. Ted Smouse has now revitalized the station online as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The new event in Austin looks to become their flagship.

And both the events and SteelRadio.org don’t just encompass country. Blues, Hawaiian, Jazz, Sacred Steel, along with country subgenres like Western Swing are also represented.

Tickets are on sale for all access over the three days, or just single day tickets, or tickets to the evening performances at austinsteelguitarfest.org/tickets.