Attendance?

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 18 Sep 2012 2:07 pm

Wow,I'm sorry to hear that but I did notice the depleting crowd in 2011..I hope the Texas Show is not suffering from the attendance loss..I have already made plans with other friends to go..

Doug Childress · Post by **Doug Childress** » 19 Sep 2012 12:57 pm

I've been attending the convention since 1982. This is probably the worst year that I have seen. The convention has been in decline for the last three years at least. My observation is that the vendor rooms were practically empty most of the time, the Jazz Room had about 25 people, the Hawaiian room about the same. Overall not a good year. Lookiing forward to Phoenix and Dallas.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 21 Sep 2012 7:43 am

Ok, so why do you think the attendance was down?

ISGC is the grandfather for every other steel show there is.

Scotty and his family are to be commended for spending their LIFE promoting the Steel Guitar.

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 21 Sep 2012 8:04 am

Bill I am with you on giving thanks to Scotty and Mary and the family for their 40 years of service to the steel community.

I think the economy is a big factor, but with a closer look most players are older, on a fixed income watching their pennies vs 20 years ago when they were still working and maybe even playing in a band generating more income.

Also I think health issues for many could play a factor, either for themselves of their significant others.

The players list is going to change as the years go by. Those who were young 20 years ago are now the troopers carrying the load as the "old timers" of yesterday are no longer available to play, for lots of reasons.

Just a thought or two.

Larry Behm

Danny Hammers · Post by **Danny Hammers** » 21 Sep 2012 8:55 am

Amen
Thanks Bill and Larry

and Thanks Scotty and Mary

Danny

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 21 Sep 2012 8:59 am

I know these factors play a big role in the "WHT"?

However, it really saddens me. I have devoted 35 years to working in the sound booth at the ISGC.

Oh well, good things never last.

Let's just strive to make 2013 a banner year.
Bill

Danny Hammers · Post by **Danny Hammers** » 21 Sep 2012 9:03 am

Again Amen Bill

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 21 Sep 2012 7:27 pm

Another factor is there are steel shows or Gatherings poping up everywhere..Some close and easy to get too almost every month..They are not the big kahuna but some people find it easier to attend them..

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 22 Sep 2012 2:48 am

The ISGC is the grandaddy of all steel shows, or as Buddy Emmons once stated "The mother of all steel shows", and all are offshoots or copies of it. I remember in 1972, when I worked at Little Roy Wiggins' Nashville (lower broadway) music store, Scotty coming in to promote his steel show (it wasn't called the ISGC then).

Not previously mentioned is the Dallas show, which appears to be the "big" show now. There are some vendors (and pickers) that used to go to St Louis now only go to the Dallas show.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 23 Sep 2012 4:19 am

The NTSGA could be a big newcomer..They are growing and have little problem stacking the line-ups..

Chris Caruso · Post by **Chris Caruso** » 23 Sep 2012 11:50 am

Folks used to go to St Louis to buy the latest products. Now they sit at their desk at home, turn on the computer, push a button and that product arrives at the door in a few days. A lot less expensive than the St Louis trip. I go to see my friends from all over the world. But I guess with email and Skype you can do that at your desk too.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 23 Sep 2012 1:12 pm

Chris I like your answer,To see friends all over the worldand friends sometimes one might not ever get to see again..I truthfully have never had any other reason to go other than that..Oh and theres great music too...

Johnny Cox · Post by **Johnny Cox** » 24 Sep 2012 12:15 am

Someone said it's because there was no Buddy Emmons, Hal Rugg, John Hughey, Herbie Wallace. Good reason for that, except for Buddy they have all left us. Their heros used to come to St. Louis too. Jerry Byrd, Leon Macauliff, Roy Wiggins, Don Helms and they left this earth. The crowds kept coming though. So there are new heros now. I'm not one but where are they? Paul F. Sonny G. Robby T. Tommy W. None of these guys who are most definitely heros were there. I'm curious why.
Jay Dee, Burt Rivera, Doug Jernigan, Larry Sasser and many more great players were there. Give the new heros some well deserved respect, come see them.
Just sayin'.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 24 Sep 2012 2:37 am

I think the show is a great show and Scotty will do what is necessary..

Not unlike many events, things are changing, economy, perhaps but I suspect more of a culture thing...people are just doing other things..sure there are new and younger players but the connection to the earlier decades is fading...I hate it....

Vintage Guitar shows are way down, folks just don't care about 1964 Fender amps like they used to...Younger players really don't care about a 60's Tele anymore, the new ones are just fine...

The generations behind many of us want a new I-Phone, not a vintage guitar or amp...

This past weekend we went to the Auto Fair at the Charlotte Speedway, typically the track would be filled with cars for sale, vintage, hot rods..etc...all the way around, the place would be packed to the point you could not walk...not this year..perhaps 1/3 of the track had cars for sale, attendance was in my mind 50% down...Even the car club exhibits were way done...this had always been just a great day to walk around , take pix and take it all in. What was missing was the younger folks, I seriously doubt the younger Gen x and Millenium Gen folks even know what a Big Block 69 Camaro is let alone come out to see one...

We are in a place where the stuff we love is taking a backseat to the Social Media generations...these people spend the day texting rather than paying attention to the life around them.

I think the economy is the smallest part of the issue, 80% of America is paying monthly fee's for cell phones, TV, Internet etc...that cash is already spoken for,already spent...if the economy was the issue that stuff would go away and fast....It's a cultural change in my view...folks would rather pay a monthly fee for 200 TV channels and a cell phone where they can watch movies, email and text away till doomsday then come out to see whats going on around them...for many, that small 3x4 piece of plastic is their life..

I am sure Scotty will get this figured out .

Keith Hilton · Post by **Keith Hilton** » 24 Sep 2012 7:59 am

Well written Tony. Your description of society applies to many things happening.
As the song goes-"Time Changes Everything". One of the biggest examples of what you are talking about is actual music playing jobs. Due to drinking and driving laws, and non-smoking in public places, music playing jobs in clubs has changed dramatically. Due to the vast choices of musical types, vast choices in where and how people can access music, and vast differences in listener ages--the music scene is difficult to figure out. More than any time in history, music listeners are polarized into ruts, and age groups. When I grew up there were two raido stations, one country and one rock. Now days there are many types of country music, and many types of rock. I am very fortunate to be playing in a band that plays 2 paying jobs a week. If you want to play, you must pick an age group, and the age group needs to be one that relates to the music you play. That is very difficult, and that is why many steel players are now only playing in their back bedroom.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 24 Sep 2012 9:58 am

Keith..agreed....spot on with the band gig assessment...

Things have changed and we have to change with them...well, we don't have to but we should...

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 28 Sep 2012 8:07 am

Social media, huh? While I agree it's partly the economy, I think reaching the next generation will require a Facebook page and Twitter feeds for starters.

Sid Hudson · Post by **Sid Hudson** » 28 Sep 2012 11:22 am

Economy? Maybe and maybe not.

I compare the mindset of musician’s today verses the ones from 30 years ago.

What I see is the absence of passion. Why?

I don’t know.

I set on that stage and played guitar with many of the great Steel players and I remember thinking to myself, “There is something very different going on here”.

I didn’t see passion in the faces of the audience or the players on the stage.

I hope I never lose it. I love the way it makes me feel.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 29 Sep 2012 4:23 am

Ron Page wrote:Social media, huh? While I agree it's partly the economy, I think reaching the next generation will require a Facebook page and Twitter feeds for starters.

it will require people who READ those things to have an interest...

IT's not just Steel playing/players..the newest wave of guitar players are not really focused on become excellent musicians, to me , learning to play is just one more thing they are doing..in-between Facebook and tweeting.. I believe the bar is lowered....

When I was growing up, learning how to play..I wasn't even allowed to use the 1 phone we had in the house ! IT was either playing baseball outside with the neighborhood kids or in the house playing guitar...not much in-between...

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 29 Sep 2012 5:13 am

Tony Prior wrote:...the newest wave of guitar players are not really focused on become excellent musicians, to me , learning to play is just one more thing they are doing..in-between Facebook and tweeting.. I believe the bar is lowered....

But Tony, don't you think there have always been 98% hack guitarists for every 2% who were serious about becoming excellent musicians? Lord knows how many times, coming up, I had to play with, or listen to, guitarists who couldn't even tune their guitars reasonably. Guys like that are still in the majority, but there's always been and, I suspect, always will be, a serious minority of dedicated music students.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 29 Sep 2012 5:14 am

We are in a place where the stuff we love is taking a backseat to the Social Media generations...these people spend the day texting rather than paying attention to the life around them.

...for many, that small 3x4 piece of plastic is their life..

Yes, I'm already tired of phone zombies bumping into me or having nonessential conversations at the top of their lungs somewhere right behind me as they stroll along completely oblivious to life around them. As you can tell, I'm not of this generation…
$:\$

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 29 Sep 2012 2:22 pm

we're living in the 3rd way now

1st was tribal
2nd was in society
3rd is now virtual

BOBBY JACKS · Post by **BOBBY JACKS** » 29 Sep 2012 6:48 pm

If Everybody is waiting for the Heros' we've lost you'll be waiting a LONG Time folks there NOT Coming Back, But we have plenty of new ones to take their places and YES Johnny Cox your one of them, This happens all the time I built Race engines for Dale Earnhardt SR, and he's gone but I still watch Racing and we now have new Hero's, It Happens ALL the time, sorta changing of the Gaurd so to speak, If your attitude is your Not going because say Buddy's Not there, I guess the question would Be Do YOU really like Steel Guitar's???

Danny Hammers · Post by **Danny Hammers** » 29 Sep 2012 9:02 pm

Thanks Bobby
Well said

Danny

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 1 Oct 2012 8:37 am

I'm with Barry on the "phone zombies".