Pedal Steel with the US Navy

RickRichtmyer · Post by **RickRichtmyer** » 14 Feb 2002 7:43 am

A friend of mine just saw the U.S. Navy country band, "Country Current" and said that they're looking to hire a pedal steel player. Click here if you're interested.

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Rick Richtmyer
Good News

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 14 Feb 2002 7:53 am

Two months ago I drove 75 miles too our other campus too see David and hear him play.Guess what? He had already quit too stay home with his wife and new baby.If you go too the audition,you better like playing a lot of blue grass.The band is good.

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Steeling is still legal in Arizona[This message was edited by Ray Jenkins on 14 February 2002 at 07:56 AM.]

Michael Garnett · Post by **Michael Garnett** » 14 Feb 2002 5:11 pm

That's interesting to know. I'm not near good enough to audition, but I'm a future Navy man, and that's an interesting sector of the service... I wonder if it's connected to the USO?

Garnett

Sam White · Post by **Sam White** » 14 Feb 2002 6:12 pm

Hey Guys you are right those guys are great and the steel player they had when I heard them was from Va. and he was super. I think his last name Jerry Sutton or Simpson I can't quit remember but I got it some where around here.I invited him to the Rhode Island Steel Guitar Show two years ago and he was comming if they were not playing. i guess they played some where as he did not make the show. He was playing a new Emmons and he did not like it he said he wish he had the old Emmons back. he said the strings were to close together and it was messing him up. If that was true I wonder how much greater he could be.
Sam White

JACK HEERN · Post by **JACK HEERN** » 14 Feb 2002 6:53 pm

Michael I just watched a special about the U S O last week on t v. Much to my surprise they are no way connected to the armed services.
jp

RickRichtmyer · Post by **RickRichtmyer** » 15 Feb 2002 3:37 am

"Country Current" is an official part of the U.S. Navy Band. There equipment, including steel guitars, amps, etc., is furnished by the Navy and that's correct, they are not related to the USO which is a civilian organization.

From what I understand, it's a great gig. You get essentially free room and board, free uniforms, free transportation, and as I said, free equipment (that you don't get to keep when you leave) and your sole job is to practice and play the gigs.

Jeff Agnew occasionally posts on here and I know that he did a stint in this gig. Maybe he'll see this topic and post a thought or two.

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Rick Richtmyer
Good News

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 15 Feb 2002 4:55 am

I was a guitarist /Steel guitarist with the US Army band.

I have been out for a little while. I still meet all of the procurement standards and have been thinking about going back into a service music organization.

I am going to contact them for an audition

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 15 Feb 2002 5:49 am

I was a guitarist /Steel guitarist with the US Army band.

I have been out for a little while. I still meet all of the procurement standards and have been thinking about going back into a service music organization.

I am going to contact them for an audition

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 15 Feb 2002 12:15 pm

To be a member of the U. S. Navy Band, you are required to attend their music school. When I joined, they wavered my school because they felt a bluegrass/country musician is just a functioning illiterate. They were afraid I would fail what they refer to as "A" school. Anyway I had no intention of telling them that I could pass the "A" school, just send me out to my duty station so I could just pick. Many Navy musicians were furious that most of the country band members didn't have to take the "A" school and the country/bluegrass pickers were moving up in rank just like everyone else. For those of you who don't know, a military musician must pass an exam to move up in rank along with time in service and whatever else that was required. Not all country pickers had the "A" school wavered. I knew of a few that attended and it never interfered with their pickin.

For what its worth, if you can put up with being owned, the job is ideal.

Gary Lee

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 15 Feb 2002 1:15 pm

When I went into the Air Force, they had recruited a guy for the Air Force "Singing Sergeants". He was in our basic training squadron but when we completed basic training he automatically was promoted to SSGT and the rest of us got our first stripe.

I hate to say it, but that was June 1955 at Sampson AFB, Geneva N.Y.

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 15 Feb 2002 2:33 pm

Gary,
I am a graduate of the "A" school and the advanced Navy Music School course.

As an Army musician, it was required of all Army Pickers.....

The Navy sponsors the Music "A" school for the Marines as well as the Army..
I am well aquainted with the military music program

BTW, I am an E7 and I have taken all of those tough music tests...they are no joke....

See ya,

Tim

Bob Putnam · Post by **Bob Putnam** » 15 Feb 2002 4:01 pm

Tim,

I've seen you play over in Indianapolis (with John Hughey)and I know you would do an outstanding job! If you can get back in this deal, I'd definitely do it! I hope you push for it.

Bob Putnam

Michael Garnett · Post by **Michael Garnett** » 18 Feb 2002 11:01 am

Am I to understand that everyone in the military bands are enlisted? What do you think they would do if an officer (candidate) wanted to join the band after commissioning? Obviously this is a pretty distant possibility for me, but I'm always looking at my options. But all the same, I'd like to get my degree from college and be a commissioned officer, so perhaps the band isn't for me.

Garnett

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 18 Feb 2002 11:59 am

The musicans are all enlisted from E6 to E9.

The only commissioned or warrant officer positions are the Bandmasters (conductors)

The only way to go is to be an NCO - non commisioned officer.....

Tim

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 18 Feb 2002 12:16 pm

The musicans are all enlisted from E6 to E9.

... but all the steel players start at E9, right?

Sam White · Post by **Sam White** » 18 Feb 2002 4:52 pm

Jim Cohen are you taking lesson from Bobbe Seymour.A Steel player starts out as a E-9
in the Navy band.No I don't beleave so they are a great Band.
Sam White

RickRichtmyer · Post by **RickRichtmyer** » 19 Feb 2002 11:01 am

Does that mean that if a steel player in the USN goes to sea and can't hold down his lunch, he's C6?

Sorry...

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Rick Richtmyer
Good News

Michael Garnett · Post by **Michael Garnett** » 19 Feb 2002 11:06 am

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

holy crap that was funny

Garnett

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 19 Feb 2002 11:39 am

Sea duty never made me sick and come to think of it, riding the ferry across Puget Sound didn't count as sea duty.

Gary Lee

BobG · Post by **BobG** » 19 Feb 2002 12:40 pm

Rick, ... That was beautiful !!!

Dave Horch · Post by **Dave Horch** » 24 Feb 2002 9:35 pm

What about U-12? Oooppps!