Opry Dress Code

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 20 Nov 2004 11:18 am

James Caan. This is my point exactly. Its been my observation that most peole won't do it and they are the very same people who complain about the lack of work in the country music area. If people just took the time to do what you said above they would be successful. My band is booked a year out. I have seen others the same way. I find that I can't talk to the sneakers and ratty blue jeans players about this. They just don't get it. People want to be entertained.[This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 20 November 2004 at 11:20 AM.][This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 20 November 2004 at 11:23 AM.]

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 20 Nov 2004 12:51 pm

I understand where Kevin is coming from. But it's hard to get all musicians on the same bandwagon, unless it's a cohesive all-the-same-players-on-every-gig type band. Around Texas, most all the bands I've seen eschew "uniforms" of any type, except for The Derailers, Jake Hooker and the Outsiders, Bobby Flores' Band, and the older Texas Playboy type bands, who wear either matching yet non-flamboyant shirts/pants/ties, or suits. There are others I'm sure, but most bands are "do your own thing" units.

When a group of musicians come from all over Texas to play a one-nighter somewheres, matching outfits are completely problematic, so individuality reigns supreme.

Bush and the Bandoleros used to wear cool western uniforms when I came on the band, but we went casual/individualistic about 5-6 years ago. Personally, I rarely wear jeans to gigs anymore, unless they're new and pressed, with nice shirts. T-shirts are verboten except ONLY for daytime outdoor gigs in the heat of summer. Mostly I wear slacks, or slacks-type Wrangler Wranchers, or suits at gigs. Quite often I look like the proverbial marshmallow in a raisin box, but I don't give a damn. I project what Herb want to look like onstage. Invariably I get compliments from the audience about how I'm dressed. Sometimes the rest of the band picks up on it, but most of the time Johnny and I are the best dressed onstage. Also with James Hand, James and I are usually the best dressed.

Austin, especially, is a very casually dressed town, in all areas of work, not just music. So audiences usually are very forgiving here.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 20 November 2004 at 12:55 PM.]

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 20 Nov 2004 8:03 pm

"When a group of musicians come from all over Texas to play a one-nighter somewheres, matching outfits are completely problematic, so individuality reigns supreme."
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No dissent there, Herb, but I've shared a stage or two with people who had no clue. I remember one who looked liked he'd just come from doing the cooking at a barbecue.

I think--but don't know--that it was Paul "Bear" Bryant who once said, "When you get to the end zone, don't act as though it were your first time."

SB LDG

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 21 Nov 2004 7:53 pm

Kevin, thanks for your allusory compliment (James Caan); of course, if you could see us side by side, I'd never hear from you by that name again!

jay thompson · Post by **jay thompson** » 22 Nov 2004 4:52 pm

John Steele, Right On!
Regards,
Jay Thompson

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 23 Nov 2004 8:01 am

"I am considered a dual citizen because I have not revoked my Canadian citizenship, and I was born there. I am very proud to be a Canadian, as well as living in a wonderful country like the U.S.A. ... America and Canada have both been very good to me."
I stand corrected. Please say hi to Craig for me.

Ben Slaughter · Post by **Ben Slaughter** » 23 Nov 2004 1:26 pm

David Hasselhoff

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 23 Nov 2004 2:10 pm

James,
Plenty of musicians from the U.S. are much bigger stars overseas than here. Some of them end up imigrating after they find that they can have a much more comfortable and civilized life living in the country that they are popular in.
Or they fall in love with some local honey and decide to live in a country where they can afford to take there kids to the doctor and a good school on musicians pay.

Bob

Dale Bessant · Post by **Dale Bessant** » 24 Nov 2004 8:57 am

Ronnie Hawkins......didnt he originate from Arkansas ? he came to Canada..and American acts have won Canadian country awards, Im sure..we dont have the population up here to support the musicians so if we want to live the life we HAVE to go where it happens, besides we love you guys and gals down there, and love to be with you....

[This message was edited by Dale Bessant on 24 November 2004 at 08:59 AM.]

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 25 Nov 2004 5:13 am

Many, many jazz artists from here ended up moving to Europe where it was easier to make a living, and their music was even appreciated more. I guess Dexter Gordon would be near the top of list, followed by Bud Powell, Johnny Griffin, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Lord knows how many others I can't think of right now.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 25 Nov 2004 10:40 am

Now I am SURE y'all see or get to the Opry more than me.
But I WAS there one night in Sept.

My impression was a totally profesional show,
but also an anacronistic museum to the past.
A lovely one, but still I got the sense of a museum.

Now that in itself isn't a bad thing.

But museums DO change over time also, even the MMA in NYC or the Louve in Paris.

So we can't expect the Opry to always be as it was.

I thought thet whole show was in excelent taste, and some people were dressed to the nines (Porter & RIders In The Sky), others more like someone you might meet on a night out.
Tommy White was quite stylish.

But maybe that night was a pretty clean cut night.

The only thing that REALLY bothered me was why no one but ME,
gave Mandy Barnett a standing ovation.

I quite happilly stood up and gave her what she was due.
And she was dressed impecably I might add.

Bill cole · Post by **Bill cole** » 27 Nov 2004 10:33 am

What's the diffrence what they dress like most of them can't sing

John Rosett · Post by **John Rosett** » 28 Nov 2004 8:41 am

i just read this thread for the first time. i thought that we had all agreed to leave our politics at the door...
john

kyle reid · Post by **kyle reid** » 29 Nov 2004 5:27 pm

What does a Dorky looking guy with his sleeves torn off & unfortunately appearing on the Opry, have to do with Politics?

John Steele · Post by **John Steele** » 29 Nov 2004 8:27 pm

Kyle, it's constitutional, near as I can figure.
Don't you cats have the right to assemble in bare arms ?
That's the way I heard it.
-John

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 30 Nov 2004 12:16 am

I heard we had the right to bear arms, or arm bears I can't remember which.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 30 Nov 2004 10:25 am

Hmmm...I'm obviously outnumbered. Still, I think it's somewhat strange that steelers (who are so damn finicky about having a shiny, new, polished-to-the-hilt steel, without so much as a fingerprint on the endplate) insist on dressing like the guy at the car-wash.

It's an overall look that's incongruous, somewhat like seeing a street-person driving a limousine.

(But, if their steel looked like one of Stevie Ray Vaughn's beat up Tele's, I probably wouldn't mind.)

kyle reid · Post by **kyle reid** » 30 Nov 2004 10:37 am

Bare arms on the Opry are Tacky, It could lead to No shirt on the Awards! Oh Oh Too late!

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 30 Nov 2004 7:24 pm

I Always though Dress Like Back In The 50's & 60's Was Half Of The Show. I Still Dress Right When I Play Every SAT, Night. I Play Steel. SONNY.

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Todd Weger · Post by **Todd Weger** » 6 Dec 2004 3:28 pm

Or they fall in love with some local honey and decide to live in a country where they can afford to take there kids to the doctor and a good school on musicians pay.

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 7 Dec 2004 9:10 pm

As a reformed rock-n-roller,I kind of like George Strait's look. George is a class act all the way. Come to think about it,I have never seen anoyone in his band dressed like a bumb though. I think country artists should try to set themselves apart from the rock crowd. That is part of why I got out of rock and roll. Bad music and you have to look like a dirtbag these days. I refuse to get my lip and eyebrows pierced,not to mention un-named regions of the body. When I was a teen age rock star wanna be,my band had stage clothes AND our long hair was always brushed,styled,and sprayed.

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D.S. Rigsby
Wilcox SD10 3&5

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 8 Dec 2004 5:01 pm

For what it's worth, we wear levi's and shirts alike most of the time, and maybe some nights we will just tell every body wear black of their choice. The old school as I recall used to say if you look like a musicion you have half the battle won. If you don't look like a musicion you have to prove yourself. I realize that the younger musicions have a different impression of what a proffesional musicion should look like than the older ones. I guess I just confused myself. Hey Dale, Ronnie Hawkins was a class act. A band I was with way back worked the Edison Hotel in Toronto and Ronnie Hawkins was working right next door. We stole everything we could from his act.