What do you do for a living?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 1 Sep 2008 5:34 am

Mike, the Air Force AFSC's sounds like my brother. He originally went in as recip engine mechanic and then after the 2nd tour in Viet Nam they forced him to retrain into heavy jet engine mechanic on B52's and later on C5A's. However, when he retired he couldn't get a job in aviation and he now works for California Transportation department as an electrician on traffic signal systems.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 1 Sep 2008 5:49 am

I've spent nearly 34 years climbing trees. I'm a self employed Arborist and proud of it. I specialise in large difficult removals and storm damaged trees---the tougher the better. 99 percent of my work is around or over residential homes.

I have for 18 years now, raised dogs for the purpose of hunting wild hogs/cattle, and ship them world wide. This breed of dogs are called Catahoulas, originating from the great state of Louisiana. I am a hobby steel player, and enjoy refurbishing old shobuds, and teaching entry level steel guitar.

Mike Kirkley · Post by **Mike Kirkley** » 1 Sep 2008 6:06 am

Hi, Jack,
Just a quick question concerning your brother...did he get any FAA certifications after he got out of the AF? That made the difference for me. When I retired, I had my A&P licenses in my hand, and was able to go to work in the private sector without any problems. But, it seems that he's done quite all right...I have a nephew that works for the California DOT, up near Bobby Lee's neck of the woods. Mighty pretty country up thataway, and the CDOT pays quite well I understand.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 1 Sep 2008 7:02 am

Twelve years active duty as a military policeman in the US Army.....retired Assistant Chief of the Oklahoma City Fire Department with 20 years service.....50 years as a either a full-time or part-time musician.

Currently managing my investments with all the money I made playing steel guitar through the years!

Bob Snelgrove · Post by **Bob Snelgrove** » 1 Sep 2008 9:00 am

I'm just a Pool Man

bob

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 1 Sep 2008 9:18 am

I played steel around Portland, Oregon for about 12 years and also built Sierra steel guitars from 1973-1978.

After getting married and having a son, I quit music, went to college and then medical school. I'm now a rehabilitation medicine physician. I started playing steel again about a year ago.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 1 Sep 2008 11:01 am

I'm just a singer and steel guitarist. During my senior year in high school, I was a karaoke singer with a country radio station. Before that, I worked at a Vocational Rehabilitation place, and tried to burn cds at a radio station that played classical Christian music. After that, I just turned to the steel and practiced hard.

Brett

Bill Dobkins · Post by **Bill Dobkins** » 1 Sep 2008 12:07 pm

I think there are three things we shouldn't talk about. Religon, politics and WORK...

richard burton · Post by **richard burton** » 1 Sep 2008 12:14 pm

I'm a pheasant plucker......

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 1 Sep 2008 12:24 pm

James Morehead wrote:I've spent nearly 34 years climbing trees. I'm a self employed Arborist and proud of it. I specialise in large difficult removals and storm damaged trees---the tougher the better. 99 percent of my work is around or over residential homes.

I have for 18 years now, raised dogs for the purpose of hunting wild hogs/cattle, and ship them world wide. This breed of dogs are called Catahoulas, originating from the great state of Louisiana. I am a hobby steel player, and enjoy refurbishing old shobuds, and teaching entry level steel guitar.

Man, I LOVE watching them Catahoulas work! The catch dog has GOT to have the most thankless job in the world!

Dick Sexton · Post by **Dick Sexton** » 1 Sep 2008 12:33 pm

God help us, 4 bucks a gallon, the govments in a crapper and I gotta go to work. Sorry Bill, just had to.

10 years in Marine Electronics on the Texas coast. 23 years USMC, retired. 13 years, government contracting in simulation at MCAS Cherry Point, NC, ie. Lockeed Martin, Mc Donalds, BAE, CAE and a couple more. We stayed and the companies changed. Simulation tech on the AV8B Harrier program. Computers, Hydrolics, and such. Got to fly the thing every morning. Now I just grow tomatoes, play steel and mess with my cat Max. Love to invent, tinker and teach, wish I could even more.

Bless you all,
Dick

David Ziegler · Post by **David Ziegler** » 1 Sep 2008 1:11 pm

Thirty-one years teaching natural resources at a technical college here in Ohio. Started play steel guitar 31/2 years ago and am not very good but lovin' the heck out of it. Also, have been a National Park Service Ranger(7 glorious seasons various places across this beautiful land) and a geologist for a couple of years. About ready to retire so I can really concentrate on learning to play this instrument.

Geoff Barnes · Post by **Geoff Barnes** » 1 Sep 2008 1:27 pm

Mike Kirkley wrote: I'm still doing that, along with a lot of music involvement, now here in OZ. Oh, I play the pedal steel guitar a little, too!!!

Hey Mike!
been a while mate!

Mike, I bought that demo of yours into the studio here a short while back, and got it to pre-master stage....just sits a little better now...the home rig lacks a bit of "Ooomph". Touch base and I'll figure out how to get it to ya!
cheers,
G

mike nolan · Post by **mike nolan** » 1 Sep 2008 1:43 pm

I have been a working musician for 40 years. 20 years ago, I took a job as a professor in the Architecture department at NYIT in Manhattan. I make money in the music biz.... playing, recording, producing. I do have to say that it would be real hard to live on that income in NY city. At least I couldn't live the way I want to...... which means having retirement benefits, health insurance, going out to really expensive restaurants regularly, driving a nice car, buying lots of guitars....etc.

Dale Gray · Post by **Dale Gray** » 1 Sep 2008 2:36 pm

Retired law enforcement, or so I thought. Now a part time school bus driver. Fly rockets when weather allows.

Don Discher · Post by **Don Discher** » 1 Sep 2008 2:48 pm

I retired at age 53 after 4 years in a steel mill and 30 years on our police force. I started my first band in 1973 and have been playing ever since.I take the Summers off and start again after labour day.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 1 Sep 2008 3:43 pm

I've been a welder and fabricator for 40 years.

The first 20 years was in the piping industry as a pipe welder, and pipe fitter.

The last 20 years I've been maintaining, repairing, and rebuilding heavy equiupment. I was an independent owner operator for 15 of those years, now I work for a large copper mine between Kingman, Az. and Las Vegas, Nv. Yep,, heavy equipment repair!

I've been a musician during all this time, playing as my schedule would permit

Larry

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 1 Sep 2008 3:45 pm

Helped make all them truck engines.22 years at Cummins Engine as a machinist. 10 years at Photo Tool making hand tools. Joe

Shorty Smith · Post by **Shorty Smith** » 1 Sep 2008 3:50 pm

I served 21 years in the Army, retired E9, played music on my off duty hours, spent 11 years in Germany and had my own band for several years there, then worked 22 years in Cival Service at Fort Benning, Ga and retired in 1995. Since then I have been playing Steel with a traditional country band every Friday and Saturday night at the local VFW Club and been enjoying it very much. I'm 76 now and hope to continue playing till I'm somewhere in my 80's[img'shttp://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix0808/4139_Arnold2_1.jpg[/img]

Austin Tripp · Post by **Austin Tripp** » 1 Sep 2008 5:23 pm

This has gone farther than I expected

Lets keep em' coming!!

Joe Drivdahl · Post by **Joe Drivdahl** » 1 Sep 2008 8:01 pm

I tried to be a professional musician during the late 70s and most of the 80s, then during a moment of clarity, I decided to return to college and I just never left. So my title now is "Educator" I guess. I majored in English but teach Computer Science courses along with others. Funny how things turn out... Who can figure it?

Joe

Tim Fleming · Post by **Tim Fleming** » 1 Sep 2008 9:06 pm

This is fascinating...Doctors, Lawyers, Indian Cheifs and Pheasant Pluckers.
I am a Certified Specialist of Wine. I train restaurant and hotel staff members on the wines that they sell and how to apply them to thier menus, etc. I also sell wine for a huge wine & spirit distributor based in Miami, FL.
I played bass professionally from 1970-1985 and now play bass and steel in church situations mostly.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 1 Sep 2008 9:46 pm

Tim! What luck! As it turns out, I'm a large consumer of wine! I can see we're gonna become fast friends.

James Marlowe · Post by **James Marlowe** » 2 Sep 2008 3:06 am

Spent four years in the USAF as a jet engine mechanic. Then the rest of my career from '70 until 'o5 was in the telephone business. mostly as a lineman......climbing them poles!
Now my 'business' is playing bass in a bluegrass Gospel band and trying to play steel in between everything else. LOVING this retirement!!
jas.

Oldon Burgdorf · Post by **Oldon Burgdorf** » 2 Sep 2008 3:38 am

Mornin' Austin,

Most of my "workin' life" was in R&D as a model maker, that being a combination of machinist, precision metal fabricator and welder. Since retiring my wife and I travel the country in our motorhome teaching caricature carving at woodcarving event and particioating in woodcarving shows. At most of these events there is always a lot of jammin' in the evenings and thats when my efforts turn to music.

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