When is Country Music Country

Sam White · Post by **Sam White** » 11 Jan 2003 7:05 am

I might be wrong but I don't think so.The other night my Wife and I went to hear this band. We got there and I said to her good a steel player in this band.Well the band played two sets.This woman came over to talk to us .I said when is that guy going to play the steel Guitar? She said he plays it the last song and he plays Last date.Now here is the best part of the whole thing.There is a Sax and a trumpett in this band and it was killing me to sit and listen to that----.I will never go to hear that band again.You could not hear the keyboard player or the lead player.It was all drums,Bass, Sax and trumpett.What a big disapointment that was a nice steel sitting there and not being played. I told my wife i should get up there and play that steel and blast the sax and trumpet play out.Terible terible.
Sam White[This message was edited by Samuel E. White on 11 January 2003 at 07:07 AM.]

ROBERT MYERS · Post by **ROBERT MYERS** » 11 Jan 2003 7:43 am

Sam, Boy do I know what you mean. I just quit the band I've been with for 13 years because of the sax. The band leader hired him 2 years ago for some of the 50's rock that we do. I told him then that it wasn't going to work and everyone else felt the same way but I was the only one with nerve enough to say anything. Well I put up with it for 2 years of that thing blowing all night long in my left ear on every song and even doing my steel breaks. I finally quit and I'll just play at home before I put up with anything like that again. Right now I'm just sitting in with different groups and having fun and no horns.

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Bob Myers Derby SD10 3&4
S10 Emmons p/p Nashville 400

autry andress · Post by **autry andress** » 11 Jan 2003 8:03 am

This was several years ago we were at a Bar-B-Que that was suppost to have a live CW Band. As they were setting up they had no steel & I had a feeling this was going to be country rock or what ever. We just ordered Tea before we ordered any thing elese, & yup I was right It wasn't Country.
I told the waitress we came to hear Country
Music like was advertized & we were disappointed & were leaving. She was sorry
& that the tea was on the house.

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 11 Jan 2003 9:01 am

The average nightclub "goer" cannot differentiate between music and hysteria. This also has spilled over into TV commercials. By far, most TV commercials today have someone "percussioning the holy urine" from a set of drums.

I truly believe that a drummer can even screw up some rock songs.

Drummers and electric bassmen simply do not understand the concept of "change of mood" in performances. It is an everlasting blend of "bang and thud".

Rick

richard burton · Post by **richard burton** » 11 Jan 2003 9:35 am

The definition of a gentleman:

A man that can play the saxophone.....
but doesn't!!

Post by **b0b** » 11 Jan 2003 10:52 am

Moved to the 'Music' section of the Forum (assuming that what Sam heard was, by someone's definition, 'music').

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 11 Jan 2003 11:14 am

as read....

"Drummers and Electric bassmen simply do not understand the concept of "change of mood" in performances. It is an everlasting blend of "bang and thud"."

Rick thats a heck of a pile you put many of us in. I would contend that I , as an Electric Bassman as well as Steel and Guitar, do understand the concept of change of mood.

I would contend all Instruments, whatever they may be, cannot reproduce any sound, mood or feeling, without a musician.

tp
Carter D10
52 RI Tele'
62 RI Fender J Bass/Hartke system

Wayne Morgan · Post by **Wayne Morgan** » 11 Jan 2003 4:20 pm

Hey Tony, see by the sig. your in the Carter business, do you still have the Bud.? and how do you like the Carter?
Take care
Wayne

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 12 Jan 2003 3:44 am

Hey Wayne..I actually am on my second Carter which is a 9+8 . No BCT. This is one Steel I am growing into rather than the other way around.

I horse traded with Joe Smith, I traded him my D10 / 8+5 Carter and a few bucks for the D10/ 9+8. Joe lives across town from me and a few weeks later he sold my former Carter to a guy who lives right up the street from me ..go figure...

Yes I like it just fine. Black mica..you can't beat aged mica for tone...I like the slightly smaller body and lighter weight and the Steel plays and sounds just fine.

I recently sold my D10 Professional and maybe sometime this year I hope to acquire a Super Pro with a similar setup. The Professional sure was a great sounding Steel but it sure was a back breaker...

tp

Sam White · Post by **Sam White** » 12 Jan 2003 8:01 am

OK here is what I think a real country band is. If I'm wrong you tell me and I will try to convince you that I;m right and you are wrong.A country band is a good drummer that does'nt blow your ear drums out.A good bass player that know all the right cords to play a good Lead player and a good steel player. That is what you call a great contry band and play all the good old country and the Allen Jackson country songs.
Sam White

Dave Krute · Post by **Dave Krute** » 12 Jan 2003 11:02 am

Sam. I'd just add a good vocalist and some good harmony back up and I'd be with you all the way.

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David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 12 Jan 2003 12:22 pm

Sam & Bob, here's how I solved your horn problem. For the blues, rock or jazz stuff, I play tenor sax. But for country or country-rock, I sit down at my pedal steel, or grab my dobro if it's bluegrass. Couldn't live without any of it. And I can butcher any kind of music on almost any instrument.

David Krute, thanks for the Emmons, I'm still working on getting parts for it.

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Student of the Steel, and cheap instrument connoisseur: customized 1970 Sho-Bud Maverick, Fessy S12U, Emmons S12 E9 P/P, Nashville 400, Fender Squire, Peavey Transtube Supreme into JBL 15", 1968 Gibson J50, '60s Kay arch-top, 7-string Raybro, customized Korean Regal square-neck, roundneck Dobro 90C, 1938 Conn Chu Berry tenor sax, '50s Berg mouthpiece, Hamilton upright piano. You make it, I'll play it (more or less)

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 12 Jan 2003 12:49 pm

Some lead players are good and play what's required, but for me, it's twin fiddles and pedal steel.

We don't need no stinkin' lead guitar!

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 12 Jan 2003 2:48 pm

I once had a band without a Lead guitar player.

But that is because I had a helluva Steelplayer by the same name as the poster above..Come to think of it, It's him.

PS if I remember right he also brought and played a tele to the jobs.Ole Jim was thinking multi instrument pay I think.

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CJC

[This message was edited by Joe Casey on 12 January 2003 at 02:53 PM.]

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 12 Jan 2003 3:00 pm

Yeah, Jim. I have a feeling most folks from other less-blessed parts have trouble imagining such a thing. Not that it's the norm here, but fiddle/steel lead sections do happen. Jim Snider will be sporting that four-piece configuration next Wednesday and Thursday at Borrowed Money.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 12 Jan 2003 8:26 pm

My favorite gigs are with Steve Solomon (brother of Ricky and son of Vernon Solomon) on one side of me and Dale Morris (of Ray Price fame) on the other side.

Twin fiddles in stereo -- can't beat it!

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 12 Jan 2003 11:55 pm

To me, the archetypal country band would have acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums, piano, fiddle, pedal steel, lead vocalist, and three or four background vocalists. Sort of like what many of us have been accustomed to seeing on the Grand Ole Opry. Think Charley Pride or Connie Smith. Ah, the good ol' days.

Where I live, the typical weekend country band has an acoustic guitar, electric guitar(usually a Tele or a Strat), bass, and drums. And it usually comes off sounding like a rock 'n' roll band with cowboy harmonies.

So instead of wanting to get into a country band just so I can play steel, I try to use it wherever I can in a rock band. With the way things are going with country music these days, rock 'n' roll seems more accommodating to me.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 13 Jan 2003 3:53 am

Fine Male and Female vocalists that can actually sing harmony , A kick butt stage savy Telecaster player, solid Bass player who likes playing 1/2 notes under the 5th fret, a drummer who can spell " METER", someone who owns and can play an old Wurlitzer Electric and of course a stage savy Steel player. Oh yes..all of the musicians can sing up front if need be and they can all sing a harmony part. And if the Piano player can double on fiddle then for me we've got lift off...

tp

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 13 Jan 2003 7:33 am

Myron..sure the gig is yours..but which part of the band are you looking to fill ?

Male Singer
Female Singer
Stage Savy Tele' dude
Bass Player who knows the notes below fret 5
Drummer who can spell METER
Wurlitzer dude who doubles on fiddle

did I leave anyone out...

oh yes...

The D10 Zither player....

We will practice every night and gig every weekend for the door..or less...

or maybe we won't...

Don't be late...

tp

PS..You bring the sound system..please have it set up and tested 1 hour early.

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 13 Jan 2003 10:30 am

A step in the right direction might be to give that sax player a copy of Merle Haggard's Live At Billy Bob's TX. Then he can see how Don Markam does it with Norm Hamlet and Redd Volkhert.

Every song on that album -- all old hits except for Motorcycle Cowboy -- beats the earlier recordings. There's a ton of great brass work by Don, and Merle just let the guys play, and play.

(I know I post this story every month or so, but it seems like there's at least a few who haven't heard that CD. )

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HagFan