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Bruce Bouton

Bruce Bouton

About Bruce Bouton

Bruce Bouton is an American guitarist, session musician, producer, and songwriter. His pedal steel guitar has been featured on many country music recordings, and he helped reintroduce it to the forefront of the Nashville sound. Bouton is also a member of The G-Men, the group of session musicians who has played on most of Garth Brooks' albums.

Bouton began playing pedal steel in 1973 while studying at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. He played with several local ensembles, including the Good Humor Band. In 1978, Bouton moved from Vienna, Virginia, to Nashville, Tennessee, in pursuit of a music career. His first work in Nashville was touring with Dottie West and Lacy J. Dalton and recording and touring with Ricky Skaggs.

Career Highlights

Bouton has toured and recorded with Garth Brooks from the beginning of Brooks's career. Bouton co-wrote the song "Against The Grain" for Brooks' Ropin' The Wind album. He also toured with Reba McEntire.

Bouton was inducted into the Musician's Hall of Fame and Museum as part of Brooks' studio band, the G Men.

Bouton has played steel guitar on records by Kenny Rogers, Brooks & Dunn, Keith Urban, Lonestar, Pam Tillis, Lady Antebellum, and Shania Twain.

Songs Bouton wrote or co-wrote have been recorded by T. Graham Brown, George Strait, Glen Campbell, and George Jones.

BENADO Partnership

Bruce Bouton is using BENADO's PF-Steel Dream and PF-Steel Dream II.

PF Steel Dream II

Bruce Bouton plays the PF Steel Dream II — boutique analog tone for studio and stage.

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Paul Franklin
Paul Franklin

About Paul Franklin

Paul Franklin is one of the world's most influential pedal steel guitarists. He began his career in the 1970s as a member of Barbara Mandrell's road band and also toured with Vince Gill, Mel Tillis, Jerry Reed, and Dire Straits. Paul has become a prolific session musician in Nashville, playing on thousands of albums.

He has been named by the Academy of Country Music as Best Steel Guitarist several times. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019.

Paul Franklin is the most nominated person in CMA history and is notable for having been nominated for the Country Music Association Award for Musician of the Year more than thirty times.

In addition to the pedal steel guitar and lap steel guitar, Franklin plays Dobro, fiddle, and drums, as well as three custom-built instruments called the Pedabro, The Box, and the baritone steel guitar. Since 2016, Franklin has been offering online steel guitar lessons.

Notable Collaborations

Franklin has worked with many well-known acts during his career, including Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits, Barbara Mandrell, Rodney Crowell, Notting Hillbillies, Sting, Peter Frampton, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Barbra Streisand, Reba McEntire, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea, Big & Rich, Clint Black, Etta James, Jake Owen, Kane Brown, Kenny Rogers, Kid Rock, Lauren Alaina">Lauren Alaina, Lee Ann Womack, Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, Olivia Newton-John, Peter Cetera, Randy Travis, Ronnie Milsap, Sheryl Crow, Thomas Rhett, Tim McGraw, Toni Braxton, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Luke Combs, The Bellamy Brothers, Mark Chesnutt, George Fox, Collin Raye, John Michael Montgomery, David Lee Murphy, Lace, Toby Keith, Harry Connick Jr., Wynonna Judd, Mark Wills, Hal Ketchum, Jo Dee Messina, Aaron Tippin, George Jones, Carrie Underwood, Aaron Lewis, Willie Nelson, Easton Corbin, Troy Cassar-Daley, and Megadeth, to name just a few.

BENADO Partnership

BENADO and Paul Franklin have been collaborating since 2011. Paul uses several BENADO units in the studio and on the road, including the PF Steel Dream and the PF-5 PRO, which he utilized during the Chris Stapleton tour.

PF Steel DreamPaul Franklin with BENADO gear

Paul Franklin plays the PF Steel Dream — his signature boutique analog unit.

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