Johnny Ummel (Pedal Steel, Fiddle)

Johnny says "I am a native Washintonian but my grandad in Lubbock, Texas was an old-time fiddle player and gave me a fiddle when I was 7, I still have it. I graduated high school and went to college just long enough to know that what I wanted to do was play music.I wound up in Spokane playing in a country rock band called Saloony Toons.

I really loved playing music. I had taken up the pedal steel guitar in addition to guitar and fiddle. I found my services in demand from various country and country rock bands over the next several years. In the early eighties I was offered the job playing steel with Gerry Andal's Roughrider Band, a position I would hold for the next 15 years. This was really a great time filled with great opportunities.

After having played full time, 5 or 6 nights a week, for more than 20 years, I decided to put music on the back burner for a while. I studied electronics and have worked for several years in that field. But someone once told me that music is in my blood and that can't change. I guess she was right because I am having a blast playing with Joe & Duncan & the guys, I still love playing music."