I had the opportunity to sit down with hall of fame steel guitarist Sarah Jory and discuss her amazing career in music.
If you’ve ever been moved by the unmistakable cry of a pedal steel guitar in music, there’s a chance that Sarah Jory had something to do with it.
Sarah was first gifted a lap steel guitar by her parents at just five years old, and Jory seemed quickly like that instrument was made for her. She was born to play it. Jory grew up in Reading, England, not exactly the capital of pedal steel guitars or country music, which the pedal steel is most commonly associated with. But that didn’t deter Jory at all, she may not have lived in the mecca of all thing’s country, but her passion for the instrument and her determination was unmatched.
By nine, she was already performing in public. “I was just a kid, really,” she told me. “But the steel called to me. I never wanted to do anything else.”
That devotion paid off. By the time Jory was a teenager, she was already being noticed across Great Britain and quickly gaining a reputation as a child prodigy on the steel guitar and as her reputation grew, she knew the industry wasn’t exactly built to welcome a young British woman with a pedal steel guitar in hand.
“There were definitely times I felt like I had to prove myself twice over,” Jory shared. “Once as a steel player and then once as a woman in a space where you didn’t see many of us.”
But prove herself she did. Her skills on the pedal steel, her ear for the songs and being able to adapt to what the chord progressions were, and her stage presence, playing songs with so much passion, turned skeptics into fans, and her fellow steel players in the industry into admirers. Jory brought with her a passion for the instrument. She brought skill, grit, and determination that was as good as any male player on the instrument. Soon Jory was sharing the stage and doing studio work for music legends like Ricky Skaggs, Cyndi Lauper, Glen Campbell, Gene Watson, and Van Morrison. She was breaking barriers not just as a female steel guitarist but crossing into multiple genres.
Her versatility in playing multiple genres is one of best skills as a player. She’s done classic country, country rock, pop, and even jazz pop-infused arrangements. Jory’s steel guitar never gets lost in the mix, it’s always noticeable with her signature style.
But behind the tone and technique is something even more compelling, and that’s her authenticity. She doesn’t just play the notes. She tells stories with her hands. She feels what she’s playing and for anyone who has ever had the pleasure of seeing her perform live knows this as she’s a very emotive player who physically gets into the songs while playing. From body movements to facial expressions, you see the emotion flowing into her steel guitar.
“I never wanted to be just ‘good for a girl,’” she said plainly. “I wanted to be the best steel player I could be. Period. The instrument speaks through you if you let it.”
And for Jory, speak it does.
Over the years, Jory has established herself as one of the best pedal steel guitarists in the world, regardless of gender. She tours with country musical festivals throughout Europe, she’s a studio session player for numerous artists, and fans love to see her live performances as Jory can often be seen touring with various live bands as a guest player.
Most importantly to Jory, however, is that she’s living proof of what anyone with a dream can accomplish, even it’s a male dominated world and you’re a female trying to carve out your own path.
“I get messages all the time from young women picking up the steel for the first time,” she said. “That means the world to me. Because when I was growing up, I didn’t have that. I want to be that for someone else.”
In a world dominated by male players, Sarah proved herself as the best of the very best. She became the first woman inducted into the hall of fame as a steel guitar player.
Jory’s accomplishments are very impressive. She’s had the honor of playing on the Grand Ole Opry and she’s been the headliner on many tours all over Europe and performances in the various parts of the United States. In 1991 she opened for Eric Clapton in Dublin and she undertook a nationwide tour with the legendary country artist, Glen Campbell.
Her most requested number in her live performances is undoubtedly “City Lights”, penned by Bill Anderson and made a hit by Ray Price in 1958. Jory’s version showcases her amazing talents on the steel and how truly gifted she really is.
But she’s also not afraid to stretch the boundaries. In more recent years, she’s explored modern country, country rock and even jazz fusion, adding a fresh voice to her instrument while always staying true to its roots.
Jory has her favorite custom steel guitars, but Sarah’s real secret weapon isn’t gear, it’s playing with feeling. She uses volume swells and bar control like a vocalist uses phrasing, adding emotional lift and phrasing that’s part of the signature sound she’s created for her brand.
“I’m always chasing tone,” she admitted. “Even after all these years, I still experiment. It keeps me inspired.”
Beyond her accomplishments onstage, Jory has left a permanent mark offstage too. She’s been a mentor to countless players, young women especially, who saw in her the possibility of making their mark in what was once considered a man’s world.
“She was the first steel player I ever saw who looked like me,” said one young artist at the British Country Music Festival. “And she was tearing it up. That gave me the courage to start.”
Jory passionately supports music education in schools, especially programs that support underrepresented instruments like the steel.
“I love when someone tells me they picked up a steel because they saw me play,” she said.
After playing and touring for decades, Jory shows no signs of slowing down and if there’s one word that keeps coming up when people talk about Sarah Jory, it’s “genuine.” Genuine in her sound. Genuine in her passion. And genuine in her heart for the steel and the people who love it.
“I still get the same feeling every time I sit down behind the steel,” she told me as we wrapped up. “There’s peace in it. A connection. The world falls away for a moment, and it’s just music.”
That’s the magic of Sarah Jory, not just a player, but a storyteller with ten fingers and a heart full of melody. She didn’t just rise through the ranks; she carved out a place for herself and left the door wide open for those coming behind her.
When asked how she wants to be remembered, Jory stated, ““As someone who never gave up. Someone who earned her place in the steel world, who had initiative, and her own tone. And a nice human being.”
She adds: “If you tell me I can’t do it, I’ll try to prove you wrong.”
For Jory, she’s still captivating audiences and her legacy as one of the greatest to ever play the steel guitar is still being written.
