"I'll Give You One Week To Learn It!"

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 27 Sep 2010 7:05 am

Bill Hankey wrote:Tony,

I've watched you play on the web. I think that I'll click on some of your performances, after I send this response to the forum members. No! I am not part of her band. As I had mentioned earlier, The couple visits with her daughter during the summer months, and truck back to Florida in The fall. She has spent most of her time singing with just keyboard accompaniment. Lately, the twosome have found a big advantage in singing to professional prerecorded music, by cutting out the original voices. They were playing recorded music while getting set up, when I walked over near the bandstand. About that time, a steel guitarist was playing some fast uptempo picking when she hit me with the remark.

Bill,So what if she said that to you. To me that wouldn't have be a big deal of what she said. How well do you know her,has she ever heard your playing? What did you answer her? Joe

Stuart Legg · Post by **Stuart Legg** » 27 Sep 2010 7:19 am

Just a reminder. You only have about 4 days left. Bill how are you coming along with it?
Maybe you could share with us what you have so far.

David Easley · Post by **David Easley** » 27 Sep 2010 7:42 am

You could give her a tape of Patsy Cline and say, "I'll sound just like that when you sound just like this."

Dave Easley

Les Anderson · Post by **Les Anderson** » 27 Sep 2010 7:54 am

I suppose the concept of this thread is to deal with the situation on a purely professional level. To duplicate the backup role that would all but replicate what is on a pre-recorded CD would require many hours of charting practice and rehearsal. Does this lady have the time and funds to pay for the musician’s time and does she have the funds to pay for the rehearsal hours?

I have run into this situation on various levels over the years and have to say that most vocalists can be reasoned with and compromises can usually be achieved. The other side of the coin is, many musicians insist on doing their own thing regardless of what anyone else wants and can turn anything into a fiasco.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 27 Sep 2010 8:15 am

Les,

We are both independent of one another. We both do our own things. Other than the remark on her part, and limited skills on my part, neither of us have a reason to think about one another. The Weldon Myrick arrangement of Connie Smith's, "I'll Come Runnin'" on other occasions provided the same lady with ammo in a crowded gathering.

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 27 Sep 2010 9:21 am

Bill, here's what I think happened... She knows that you play steel, and so she made that remark partly in jest, but partly as a way of expressing that she wishes she had a steel player (and a band). I doubt she meant anything by it...it looks like you might be way over-thinking her comment. She has never even heard you play, right?

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 27 Sep 2010 10:10 am

Duane,

She knows me and has heard me play. They have been doing a whole bunch of quipping. When she had a larger group of musicians in her band she wasn't nearly as impressed as I was knowing that the steel player was a favorite of mine, who played very well. This is a very small matter, and a repeat of choice words, may never be heard again.

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 27 Sep 2010 10:15 am

A whole bunch of quipping? What else did they say?

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 27 Sep 2010 11:53 am

Duane,

Nothing to write home about. I'd guess that "I'll give you one week to learn it", is her way of prodding lead players to do their best. Maybe someday I'll once again, be the recipient of "constuctive criticism". Thanks to all who have prepared me to respond properly.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 27 Sep 2010 12:01 pm

Joe,

She had raised her voice slightly, over the music.

David,

There is always plenty to do seated at the pedal steel. Minor distractions need not detract from the learning process.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 27 Sep 2010 7:25 pm

Learning a show is NOT a learning process,it's the result of the learning process. Should come natural as reading ,writing, or any LEARNED skill. Just don't see the big deal here,ANY compedent picker should be able to learn a CD in six days and have enough time left over to get in some good bass fishing.

YOU BETCHA, DYK?BC.

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 27 Sep 2010 8:02 pm

Bill Hankey wrote:...her way of prodding lead players to do their best...

Bill,

Some people dont give compliments easily, or when they do its in an underhanded way. Maybe she meant well by assuming that you were good enough to play that song well, and could have it nailed in a week. Many others might not be able to. In a flippant sort of way, she may have given you a compliment the only way she knew how?

Clete

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 27 Sep 2010 9:50 pm

I'd go along with Clete and Duane about what was behind the remark,and it likely could be interpreted as a friendly gesture from someone whose communication skills are confined to her singing.

But if I'd been a fly on the wall,I'd like to have seen Bill singing back at her:

"If you've got the money,honey
I've got the time".

admin · Post by **b0b** » 27 Sep 2010 10:16 pm

Dave Hopping wrote:"If you've got the money, honey
I've got the time"

That, of course, is the perfect comeback.

Rick Winfield · Post by **Rick Winfield** » 28 Sep 2010 12:23 am

When I used to "gig", free lance,(between bands), people would come up to me and hand me a list or tape of 40 songs or so, and say, you got a week before the job. Fortunately, I was familiar with most of it, and used to working that way. My thing was to grab the "hooks",main riffs, and improvise. On the job, I'd keep a watchful eye, on their arrangements of things, so I fit in.
Don't overlook an opportuniy to work, because of semantics.
Rick

PS: Bill, you've got me confused with another Rick. I'm not from NY, but the Jerzy Shore.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 28 Sep 2010 2:11 am

Rick has stated:

"Don't overlook an opportunity to work, because of semantics" Excellent advice, with the one exception known as a controlling person blocking escapements from a tense situation. Lacking the ability to sidestep a tight plight, such as moving away from disagreements that are deemed nonsense, through a series of misunderstandings, can be very uncomfortable.

Thanks for your location reminder.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 28 Sep 2010 2:31 am

b0b,

I believe that losing sleep over trivial matters is a poor lifestyle. I've known musicians who retire, and fall to sleep without a care in the world. I find that it can be relaxing to dwell for short periods on some of the words spoken by others in the course of the day. Thanks for your tutorage.

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 28 Sep 2010 8:47 am

Only 3@1/2 days to go!

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 28 Sep 2010 9:09 am

That remark was made to me by a mediocre female country singer, who's husband is a keyboardist. They were playing a prerecorded CD with hot steel "licks" in a club when she decided to speak out. As a steel guitarist, how would you respond to that comment?

Well, my first response is for them to find someone who would fulfill your requirements, and if that is not me, then get someone else. My credits are minimal, but they do not include acceptance of something that I don't approve of.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 28 Sep 2010 9:35 am

I wrote about this years ago but it bears repeating here:::

Lynn Anderson once told me I didn't sound like Lloyd Green... I replied; If I sounded like Lloyd, would I still be in Raleigh, NC ??

Regards, Paul

Curt Langston · Post by **Curt Langston** » 28 Sep 2010 9:49 am

"I'll Give You One Week To Learn It!"

This line suggests to me that she really does not want to deal with a steel guitar. (an ever increasing trend, sadly) Perhaps it was at the request of the keyboardist or some of their "faithful following" that there should be one of those "slide guitar thingys" to portray an authenic "country" band.

Sounds to me like she is drunk with the delusional grandiose image she has created for herself.

She would probaby be better placed on a small platform, in a karaoke setting, where she can be free of the potentially "fame" robbing musicians who in fact, actually have some true talent.

Yeah.........

That's ok though.

She probably enjoys the ride home to her run down double wide, listening to her own CD's!

Let them eat cake.....................

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 28 Sep 2010 5:10 pm

Curt,

Your response strikes me as coming from a person who is dedicated to a no-nonsense lifestyle. I feel strongly that your reflections suggest just enough stridency to stage a comeback after an attempt by a controlling personality, to belittle your stage presence.

Jimmy Lewis · Post by **Jimmy Lewis** » 28 Sep 2010 5:47 pm

Tow different times I played several Jobs throughout the summer for the Louisiana Secretary State called the Louisiana Calvacade of music. We had two practice secessions before we did the first show. Boy what an eye opener with parents trying to tell you what to do. At one of the rehersals the guitar player and I almost came unglued at the parents. You are goijg to get this conduct from some pepole but I find the better singers or players are a whole lot better to deal with.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 28 Sep 2010 6:19 pm

For me, it's about whether or not I can reasonably fit woodshedding a certain set of songs within my other time constraints, which include learning stuff I care about. If the tunes are in-line with my time and interests, I'm cool with that and I'll bust my butt. But if they're orthogonal, I try to diplomatically let people know I just can't do it. I wish I could just play every gig I could, it would be good for me. But right now, my main teaching gig is pretty absorbing. I have a couple of projects I work with, and that's gonna have to be enough for now.

"If you've got the money,honey
I've got the time".

Yeah, buddy - that's the melodic-mantra of a bass-playing friend of mine. Of course, perhaps less diplomatic but probably equally fun when aimed at the right puffed-up persona is, "Tell you what - you learn to sing the tunes, I'll learn to play 'em."

(No, I've never used it, but I was tempted a couple of times.)

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 28 Sep 2010 11:47 pm

See Bill, you've got us thinking of witty repartee, just like you were.

Here's one line from Crossroads:
Just smile (like good old Jack Butler's boss downstairs) and say,
"Of course, If you had something to offer.....how bout' cuttin' heads?"

The thread now reminds me of the title of a comic I enjoyed in my youth by a MAD magazine writer named Al Jaffe, entitled Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions

Clete