Country music is dead in S'port. I'm moving! Where?

[Eric West]

Playing your music, and especially HAVING to do it for money is really heartbreaking most of the time.

Newer venues. Older players. Even moreso.

I think a person that does it has to realise that they're setting their losing battle with life to music.

Much more than other people get to do.

In these coming times, many of us can luckily use it as a skill that gives us that extra hundred bucks a week.

It ain't gonna be much easier than stocking shelves at Target.

For me, it's still out there every weekend, though there are some new venues, and genres I'm gonna have to consider. Dress up like a "Wild Boy" with my pants inside my cowboy boots, if I want my Depends Pads, and Metamucil paid for each week, and a few extra bucks for gas to the river with my dog.

Can't say it's much worse than playing Eddie Raven or Rabbitt covers sandwiching Juice Newton and Chrystal Gayle, at volumes that ruined my hearing, only to get to play "Swingin'" a thousand times..

I've always said that if a person is looking for excuses or even valid reasons not to play music for money.

You don't have to look too far to find thousands of them.

Can't say I've heard it blamed on "stomp boxes". I think Ray might have whined about them, but then he's whined about everything forever...(not saying that you are Tracy)

It's gonna get tough, and the trends are worth watching.

Right now it trends toward neighborhood meeting places, and angry music, played for kids that have money their parents sent them to stay in school and TF away from home. Most of them have found ways to cash in their "New Seasons" gift cards. They're groups of people that thrive on hating the "Powers that Be". Now I guess it's easier to take their coming collective Ire at B-HO, than it was at GWB, but that's just me..

Most of them will like Ernest Tubb Buck Owens, or Merle Haggard music, though they've never heard of them..

Like I said, the other venues are fairs, political "rallys" ( yuck ), and I think there are going to be "aid concerts", or mass protest rallies. "Tin Soldiers and ______(fill in the blank) Comin.."

We'll see I guess.

I'm really "jazzed"..

..or not..



EJL

[Jeff Neal]

I live in East TN around the Johnson City area. My friend ,the music has died. I go to Nashville about once a month because this is the last stronghold for real country music. They say Austin is great but when I went it took alot of asking and alot of getting laughed at to find a country band. Finally after a week long trip I found the Derailers were at the Broken Spoke.

Nashville is great,The bad thing is sometimes you have to look hard to find it there. The area around Nashville is some of the most prettist country you will see.

I have managed to keep playing but here is what I had to do. I do solo acoustic gigs with a drum machine(because drummers around here can't/won't play country. To survive you have to play a mix of everything, Hank to Hendrix as I say. Probally six times a year I get that pedal steel job call but like the previous post it's the antler tour(Elks ,Moose)

So in closing my advice would be to find a band that would like to incorporate steel maybe just not on every song. Play some acoustic rythmn or electric lead on the songs where the steel is not used or play with an all original band. The Americana scene is pretty hot right now.

This is the only way I have found to survive playing the songs and instuments I love in a world full of keyboards with no melody or chord progressions, O what the heck I will just say it NO TALENT!!!!!

[Keith Hilton]

John Buffington--Do you think it would help if we let our hair grow and got a ear ring? In my case, with white hair, I need to wear a big black hat. To hide my age, I could wear large sun glasses, and a dark robe. John, we need to add lots of distortion and effects to our clean clear sound. We probably need to put some type of cover over the front of our steel guitars so we won't be stero-typed. Then we could take all those old Ray Price tunes and speed them up 3 times the normal spead. At high speed, with lots of distortion, the audience would never recognize them as Ray Price tunes.

[Corky Anderson]

Well things have slowed up and changed here too, but when I look around I realize we don't have it as bad (yet)as some places. The classic country crowd is still out there guy's!.....it's just that now you have to more or less take it to them. We spend a lot of time, effort, and money to advertize! Classic country shows, whether in a bar, Casino, or soft seat theatre do well for the most part. But, you have to get the word out! There are at least five bar gigs here in Edmonton that book COUNTRY bands....period! However, this is not enough to keep you busy so we are doing more road work on the weekends.....and doing our own shows. We have been bringing Opry shows up here to Casino's and soft seaters for several years. It is a heck of a lot of work, but well worth it. Our next set of shows is in Jan, with the Grand Ladies of the Opry. Jean Shepard, Helen Cornelous, and Jan Howard. We have two Casinos shows in Saskatchewan and one soft seater here in Edmonton...we have at least three more soft seaters that want in on the next round!
Like I said, the real country crowd is still out there, and I hope some of you guy's can try it from this angle. In a nutshell.....I'm creating my own work a good part of the time! Good luck!!!




Carter D-10 Nashville 1000/400

Tele...................twin.............boss pedals

[Tommy Huff]

hi Larry Bell...you are exactly right, the house gig is pretty much gone. And here is another thing about the direction country music has taken over the last 10-15 years.....how is it that the CMA entertainer of the year KC can't decide if he would like to play music with a steel guitar or a steel drum in his band? IMHO......Merry Christmas.....everyone

[Roger Edgington]

In San Antonio and the surrounding people still enjoy good old Bob Wills, Bush, Mccall, Price, shuffles and waltzes. They come to the old dance halls (all ages) and dance the night away. San Antonio is still a small big town. Some guys do make a living at playing. I'm a week-end warrior and do pretty good at it. It would be hard to make a living out of just music here. It's a good place to raise a family.

[Mickey McGee]

Yeah, go to Nashville or Austin if you want to meet a bunch of other steel players looking for gigs -- you'll find a BUNCH of them there.

Welcome to Century 21. The 'house gig' is gone. Many of the clubs that feature country are also gone. I can remember moving into a club first week in the month, playing 3 or 4 nights / wk for the month and then moving on to the next one. I suspect from your post that you do too. I wish you luck finding it but it is really tough finding enough work to keep you busy. If you do find a country gig, be prepared to do a lot of rock and new country (much of which is 80s rock with cowboy hats and boots).

The best place to find country music these days is in the 'critter clubs' (Moose, Eagles, Elks, etc.) or the Vets' clubs (VFW, AmVets, etc.). Unfortunately, the pay ain't great but you will find some folks who really enjoy listening to country music. Sometimes even those venues cater more to classic rock than classic country.

As one who relocated 4 or 5 years ago, I can also tell you that if you are not good at networking and seeking out the gigs it can take a long time to get established. I hate to paint such a bleak picture, but you are very observant -- the gig scene has changed A LOT in the past 15 or 20 years.

Good luck. Choose the right community first -- one that has a climate and social environment that suits you. Look in the suburbs and outlying areas for small town clubs and 'local oprys' and stuff like that. Then you have to find one that needs a steel player. It can be done. I feel fortunate to be playing 2-3 nights/wk not TOO far from home. I wish the same or better for you.

this is very true but the 80's rock was better IMHO.

[Mickey McGee]

Don't feel so sad. it's the same in Baton Rouge. I have been putting want ads out looking for work with a band. I told my wife my that If I want to get any where with my music ,is to move to some place like Austin, Branson,Mo. or any place else in Texas.
There is no demand for Country Music bands in Louisiana. If you play Cajun, or any other genre you'll do good.

ain't Cajun music country music with odd bars?

[Tony Prior]

just be sure to move to a place that has at least 3 or 4 American Legions close by and a few Moose Halls. Then fight to get your band in rotation and you can work 6 to 8 gigs/month if you choose !

When I came out of gig retirement in 2003 I joined a band that was in rotation and we worked 3 or 4 Fridays every month. Did that for almost 2 years. Add a few extra gigs now and then and before you know it you are playing too much and want to stop again !

Market your band to those places, be sure to talk to the right people, and you can work that circuit. They will not call you, you have to call them and be assertive. Are they the best places to work, ? No, but they are places to work which, as far as I know, are never going out of business and have been hiring bands for as long as I have been playing music.

Glorious , no ? Consistent..yes Our band is not even in rotation with any of these clubs and we have played 3 gigs this month already and doing another on NYears eve.

Play Country, add in some 50's/60's and a few Eagles/Clapton tunes and it's a "dun deel" They will even love Sleepwalk !

And they don't even care what your name is.

tp

[Bob Carlucci]

Live music is not dead yet, but its on life support.. There are no new places to play, and the old ones are shedding live music like a crawdad sheds its shell.
No gigs unless you want to play free these days ... I play bass mostly these last few years to try to dig up SOMETHING.
.
Steel???.. around here??.. No one knows what it is, no one cares, and no one wants to hear it....
I dunno. Do I sound "pissy??".. probably so, but I never thought this day would come... I am lucky now to play one gig a month. When I first joined this forum I was doing 8 or more,,,, bob

[Damir Besic]

I have not been thinking about playing music seriously for a long time now, my last gig was for a NYE 2007/2008 , a year ago...I have so many other problems to deal with, I knew we were in the recession 3 years ago and right now we are on our way to depression (if we`re not there already) and I try to concentrate on things that I will need to survive, try to keep my job, got rid of my debit card and checks (banks got out of wack with their fines and fees) , bought a 20 year old Caddy for $850 cash and paying $37 per month for the basic car insurance, got rid of my cell phone ($100 a month saved, if you need me call me when I`m home) and right now thinking about cutting off a cable and DSL Comcast and get me a converter box at the local Wal Mart and watch free local chanels...they say the worst is yet to come and it will last until 2011 ... so, the music...??? what music..???

Db

[CrowBear Schmitt]

if the events are'nt happening, can one create the event ?
like a saturday garden party w: a nominal admission & 1 free beer fer starters ?
get the ladies bakin'cakes & cookin'up some good dishes & bringin''em on over
get the kids in on it & just let everybody have a good time
just like the good ol days, when people still knew how to get together & money was'nt the criteria
invite the fire brigade, the sheriff & his deputies too
that way you won't get hauled in if the bbq & the musik get outta hand

[Roual Ranes]

CrowBear,
We are doing just about that at one place. One Friday a month we also have "pot luck" dinner.......or something similar. Lotta fun!

[Charles Dempsey]

I have not been thinking about playing music seriously for a long time now, my last gig was for a NYE 2007/2008 , a year ago...

I feel for 'ya. My last gig was June 10. It was a good gig. Then our drummer went tits up (literally!) and the band was no more.

Cable, cell phones and magazine subscriptions are not in my picture. I'm doing OK, but I don't need that stuff. There's nothing on TV (any channel) that I'm interested in, and there are times when I don't want people calling me. So that stuff went bye-bye last year.

Get a digital TV or a converter box (free with the coupon). You won't watch TV any more, but you won't watch it any less .

And go play some music. It's about love, not money.

Charlie

[Tom Quinn]

Don't go putting down the "hppies." Real hippies are in their 60s by now. They love live music, unlike their over-medicated so-called straight neighbors.

I just got a gig!!! More later...

[Joe Miraglia]

I've been very lucky,playing with our band. We are going on our ninth year. This year is our first year we are not playing new years eve in 6 years. We do play the clubs,one of them is 1 mile from my house . We are now getting gigs for next year,you have to book way a head.Check out our web site if you like. Merry Christmas,and Happy Holidays to everyone.Joe

[Joe Miraglia]

The web site is www.willowcreekband.com Joe

[Randy Gilliam]

I am Lucky Enough To Play with Several Bands . I Play every Thursday At tras Country With Patrick Glen A Great Country Singer,In March I Will Have every Other sunday Gig, I Play almost Every Friday and Sat. I Show up on time and Try Too Get along With Whoever Is in The Band , And I Dont drink which I Think Really helps. San Antonio Is a Great Place To Live, I Left Fairborn Ohio When I Was 18 to Go in the AirForce , And Only Go Back to visit In the Summer, Tomorrow Christmas day High In The 70S , Its Hot in Here gotta Turn the ceiling Fan on , Good Luck On Your Choice Of Places To Move , Randy Gilliam.

[Tom Quinn]

Pendulum my friends... honkytonks will never die as long men like women and vice versa... People will one day hate the pre-packaged pablum and get their ya-yas out.

Keep practicing your palm dampening in the meantime... -L-

Tq

[Tommy Shown]

As per what Jody said, "Country Venues are hard to find" Amen to that! I played Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa this past weekend, Sunday night as a matter of fact. Cain's is the known as "the house Bob built" (Bob Wills) and the rest of the week nights has hard rock, heavy metal or whatever they call it but no country music. This is Tulsa, OK., home of the former KVOO AM1170 where traditional country and western swing was once played - now the station is talk radio. Where do you hear or play country music up here - you'll drive 50+ miles from Tulsa to play it. You'll hear country as the world knows it today, but not as a steel player knows it! Sad thing is, people are so starved for real traditional country music, rarely turn out for a local dance for fear of being disappointed in what they assume they'll hear. The band I do work in does play traditional country, and boy do I feel blessed to be a part of them. The folks that do know of us are avid supporters of country music and the band, and are spreading the word that traditional country is alive and well with us!
John Buffington

John,
The late and great Justin Tubb once had a song that he debuted at the country dj radio convention in Nashville, where he asked them a simple question in song,What's Wrong With The Way That We're Doin It Now?" A touching little diddy where he takes a poke at country radio, back in 1978. I too grew on Roy, and ET and Kitty, and Lefty and Hank were the rage.
Justin was right, because it was good enough then and it's good enough now. Now days you got people that don't know anything about country,REAL country in suits in LA and New York dreaming of "playlists" saying what country is. I guess I better get off of my soap box before i get carried away with my rant.
Keep up the good work.
tommy shown

[Ernest Cawby]

lot of bands have caused their own problems,most older folk like the old country, but do not like to have their ears busted with the loud music. If you noticed previous post some have told of the problem, some of the band play so loud they lost the job. I have a friend here playing CD's and making $500.00 a nite with them and stays busy, he quit, a live band could take over this market if they would play the right songs at proper volume.
Most all class reunions want live music but you have to play what they want to hear.
We played a Christmas party here, the band played so loud and would not tone down so the owner did not pay and I did not blame him, we could have done it every year and got other jobs from it but TO LOUD.ernie

[David Wright]

I've been working some jobs , none of them have been a lot of fun, clubs, they play rap on the breaks, loud mostly top 40 country is what were playing, really hope to find a band that I connect with , there is some good music around here, still in search of it..

Tracy,
Where and who did you play with ??? sounds like a band or two I've filled in with

[T. C. Furlong]

I played steel full time for many years until the "small human accessories" came along (I love that). I enjoyed playing everything from clubs to concerts and regular session work. Now I play mostly sessions with an occasional live music gig. I also play a number of times a year in one of several contemporary Christian worship bands at church services. It can be a really nice gig. One of my session guitar player buddies called church gigs "the jazz brunches of the new millennium". There used to be jazz brunches where the best musicians would play on Sunday mornings as part of their week. Now, great session musicians get hired in to "beef up" the musicianship in the Sunday worship team. The band and the congregation usually get a lift out of hearing a steel with the regular band. So many people stop me and tell me how much they enjoyed hearing a new dimension to the band. The best musicians in Chicago play on Sunday in church. Now that's usually the larger mega-churches. One more thing. In Chicago, you don't get much chance to play country. The last church gig I played on, the song list included Brent Mason's Hot Wired and a Carrie Underwood rocker. Although the music is usually pop.

The bottom line is that you can get the social aspect of a club gig, you can play outside of the traditional country gig and maybe increase your vocabulary, you can possibly play with some great players and best of all, usually there aren't too many drunks requesting Freebird thinking it's funny.

TC

[Randal Smith]

Money is good, it shows you're appreciated, but if it's a good gig and I make my gas, pay the tab and still have ten bucks I'm happy.

Sounds like a typical Nashville gig, except for that last part about being a good gig, making your gas & tab and having $10 left.

Seriously, you can find good gigs here in N'ville, but most are a ways out of town, like in Oregon. Do I sound a bit cynical. Yeah. I've been playing guitar in a rock band for the last two years just to be able to play. They advertise country music here, but it's the same crap you hear on the radio. Watch the CMA Awards and you'll get the idea.

On a lighter note, I recently went to a place called John A's on Music Valley Dr., and sat in with the band (on guitar). When I sang the Jim Reeves classic "He'll Have To Go", I got a standing ovation. People tell me they don't hear that kind of music anymore. So. . .

This year one of my goals is to put together a band to go play real country music. Buck, Haggard, Frizzel, Hank, I intend to make it real. Maybe it'll fly, maybe it won't, but damit, I'm tired of playing crap. I'm want to make music for a change.

[Damir Besic]

there was a really good band down town, it was Eddie London band and our buddy Jay was on the steel, his old p/p Emmons of course, planty of Buck, Merle,Tubb and other good old guys,they even had a sax player...until Eddie went on the road, with a rock band..as a bus driver.... ...



Db