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Topic: Ques. for country rockers |
Jim Peters
From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 6:45 am |
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How is business for your groups? I am currently in a band(The Cosmic Cowboys), specializing in NRPS, Burritos, Commander Cody, with a healthy dose of Buckaroos, Haggard, etc. Lately gigs have been harder to get, and not as well received. We added a girl singer that seems to have changed the direction of the band a little.
I've always looked at this band as a niche group, not one that's going to gig more than once or twice a month, and not aimed at the public at large. Others in the group expect more public acceptance.
Those of you in groups like mine, how do you feel about the appeal of a country rock group like mine? Is yours wildly or mildly successful? Thanks, jp
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Carter,PV,Fender |
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 9:15 am
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It'd be interesting to compare the success of bands working this musical territory to that of the straight-ahead country bands.My impression is that in this area the alt-country/California country-rockers work perhaps a little more,but their gigs tend to be for the door,and the straight country bands work the more traditional gigs for a guarantee.In any event JMHO-YMMV we're working less,earning less,and enjoying it less.  |
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Bo Borland
From:
South Jersey -
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 10:05 am
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In my experience,
Playing in a bar usually means you are or should be playing primarily for the dancers. What type of music that takes can depend on the region. Saddly, line dancing is still big up here. In Southern NJ, parts of Penna, Maryland, Virgina couples dance traditional 2 steps, shuffles, and partners dances to country music the same as they have for years. The line dancers want some action too so more modern radio type tunes get a lot of play, if you want to work.
In Delaware there is virtually no country couples dancing, line dancing is secondary and they mostly dance to anything with a dance groove.
That means you have to play tunes like Mustang Sally, SOme Kind of Wonderful, maybe some Stones, etc. from the older rock book and modern country sounds from the new guys. I really don't mind it at all, to me it's all music.
I also play a lot of blues shows covering keyboard, horn sections etc on my steel... I like it. |
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Jim Peters
From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 1:43 pm
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Bo, dancing at our gigs is rare and unexpected. Think Panama Red, Pancho and Lefty, Cosmic Cowboy, no new stuff at all. We are not straight ahead country, more psychedelic country rock. We also do several Byrds songs, Ric 12 string, of course! JP
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Carter,PV,Fender |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 5:25 pm
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This kind of stuff has been tougher the last year or two. The Stone Poets gigs are OK, but we don't play as a whole band much. We play as a trio - vocal/acoustic-guitar, upright bass, and steel - more than we do as a 5-piece (add B3 and drums).
The roots-country/rock band I played with, the Rustlanders, hardly ever plays around here anymore. They spend most of their playing time touring in Texas and environs with Ryan Bingham, and doing some showcases in Nashvegas and other places down south. After I left (my choice - I can't tour with my teaching gig), they ultimately replaced the steel with B3.
The high-school/college-age crowd in the northeast is largely hip-hop nation right at the moment. Some of the cheesy 80s-current cover bands do OK, but even a lot of the rockers are finding their audiences down. Not everybody, but a lot.
You know what's been pretty popular here the last few years? Bluegrass. I think it's a visceral reaction by a relatively small but still significant minority to the amount of (IMHO, YMMV) seriously over-processed cookie-cutter crap out there in the mainstream. |
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Jim Peters
From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 6:56 pm
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Dave M,my R&B Band,Swirl, plays out often and with great success. We are guitar,bass,drums and great female vocalist(my wife). Lately I have been booking a lot of trio stuff, my band with no drums. The Cowboys are also booking more drumless gigs.
I also do a CSNY type gig,2 guitars and singer that is becoming very successful, and very easy to book. No drums sure does simplify things!
Do you think this is the way of the future, booking sans drums? JP
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Carter,PV,Fender |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 7:17 pm
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I do think drummerless is getting more common in small, more listening-oriented venues here. Drummers are another mouth to feed and often tend to crank the volume up - a lot of places (and their clientele) are fed up with ear-splitting bands. But a lot of it is simply economics. A party band where people are going to dance generally requires a drummer, but they're not always critical in other situations.
My latest project is a 4-piece - guitar/pedal-steel, B3, bass, drums in a Country/Soul/R&B/Blues/Acid-Jazz type of format. Danceable music, but a very wide range of styles, mostly from south of the Mason-Dixon line. This drummer can play with a very light touch when appropriate. We're looking at both the usual basement dives and more refined venues or private parties. |
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Steve Norman
From:
Seattle Washington, USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2009 11:40 pm
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its pretty big in Wash State. People like to rock out up here, much to my dismay. Lot of teles doing wanna be pedal steel licks. The bands with steel do well.
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GFI D10, Fender Steel King, Hilton Vpedal,BoBro, National D dobro, Marrs RGS |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 4:51 am
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One of my bands plays a hard-eged type of classic country, with some country rock thrown in as well. Strangely enough, Johnny Cash's death in 2003 did a lot to boost this type of music, and it lasted quite a while thanks to the Hollywood movie and everything. But I do get a sense that it's going away again. We were really busy for the last 5-6 years, but my classic rock band is getting way more work lately. I don't expect it to get better for the country act. I think the country revival brought on by "Folsom Prison Blues" has unfortunately run its course in my area. Even the rock bands play that song now. 
As far as straight ahead country-rock or Americana is concerned (i.e. later Byrds or Townes), we'd never get away with that here in the bars unless it was danceable.
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Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 7:48 pm
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Our band [strokin dixie] plays quite a bit[never enough for me]I'm one of those old six night a week guys. But we work four to eight gigs a month. What works best for us we do a little bit of every thing.Depends on the gig. We can do the old country classics Hank Sr.Eddy Arnold,Jim Reeves,also do a lot of Southern rock,ABB,Skynard,Do some of the harder butt bumping stuff,a lot of blues if we need to.Just according to the place we play,Try to please the crowd,most of the time we get booked back,from casinos,VFW'S out of town,Sports bar,and honky tonks,I think if we were just a country,rock,or blues band only we would'nt work near as much. My good buddy Shorty Smith has a great job playing country at the VFW in Columbus Ga. But not many around here that do that. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 8:19 pm
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Bama,
Will you give me country rock lessons? I'm slow, but I'll pay you well.
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2009 11:54 pm
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Sure Rick,no problem, But you have to teach me to play bluegrass fiddle first.Then maybe by 2030 I can start teaching you.You remember in the stories section my fiddle adventure. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 16 Oct 2009 12:28 am
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By the way Rick I don't think we are a [country rock] band.If we play classic country we play it that way,When we do Southern rock we stick close to [the cover tune] same with the blues tunes.About as close to [country rock] would be cover tunes by Hank Jr. or Waylon.Ever one in our band over the years have played in all country,all Southern rock,all blues bands,and top 40 rock,at one time or another,we know JUST enough in each venue to mix it up with no problem. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Ryan McMahon
From:
The Land Of Sky Blue Waters
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Posted 16 Oct 2009 3:55 am
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I've been playing with 'Lazy Ike &the Daredevils'. Country Rockers to the core. Great reception, strong following. Tons of fun.Plenty of work!!
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Williams and Fulawka Guitars |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 16 Oct 2009 10:39 am
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Bama,
I'll teach you all the "Cabin" songs, and you can teach me Sweet Home Alabama. Country Rock, Southern Rock, Bed Rock, etc, it's all new to me ... R. Milsap had "Lost in the 50's", I think I'm "Stuck in the 60's". I'm in desperate need of some reprogramming. |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 16 Oct 2009 11:51 am
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Rick,I listen to the two CD'S you sent me a lot. You DON'T need to learn anything else,If I could play blue grass and country as well as you do.would'nt worry about anything else. I play a LITTLE of this and a LITTLE of that,to make a few bucks. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 16 Oct 2009 3:38 pm
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Jim your band sounds like my musical fantasy.. Unfortunately, that music form is dead, except for a few aging hippies, and a few musical types like us that can't let it go.
Dr Dave is correct.. The college age crowd is hip hop nation.. Even classic rock is dying.. Slowly, but its dying.
The best you can do in local venues is keep repeating
Mustang Sally-Old time R&R- Sweet Home-all night long... It has to be danceable, otherwise people walk out.. I LONG for the good old days.  b
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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