For whose pleasure do we play?

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 8 Sep 2001 7:02 am

How do we wish to convey our achievements? Why is it more pleasurable to perform for appreciative
and attentive audiences? Do we practice
for the sake of others, or for our own
personal interest? B.H.[This message was edited by Bill Hankey on 08 September 2001 at 10:45 PM.]

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 8 Sep 2001 7:58 am

I once heard Curly Chalker remark that he played for his own pleasure and hoped that others liked what he played. He said, "After all I am not a jukebox."

Roger

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 8 Sep 2001 8:50 am

My good buddy "Chuck" related a steel
guitar players determination to play when
the mood strikes. The steel guitarist sat
in near the end of the last set. When
the closing hour signaled the performers,
he continued to play. The owner of the
club threw a sheet over his head. This rude gesture was met by one steadfast
individual, who continued to play under
the sheet. That man was none other than
the late, and great Jimmy Day. B.H.

Rick Garrett · Post by **Rick Garrett** » 8 Sep 2001 10:32 am

Right now I play for me but I hope someday to let others hear what I feel in my heart when I play. Best of licks!

Rick

Bob Hayes · Post by **Bob Hayes** » 8 Sep 2001 10:49 am

Bill,
I think we play for ourselves, and hope that someone will find it entertaining..and if & when they do.. we will be all the more satisfied..By the way..did you find my "Sticky note" that I left on your front door window..(the door near the mail box) I was there last week!..You're old pickin' buddy...Bob the Grouchyvet

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 8 Sep 2001 12:02 pm

Bob Hayes,

I tried several times to reach you by
phone, after finding the note, only to
be met by defeat. That number was
misquoted by the lady reciting it to
you. I switched the numerals around a
few times, but no luck. My steel was
setup, and we could have jammed, and
traded a few ideas. Be sure to give me
your location, should you pass this
way again. Thanks for your input, and
it's good to know that you've made a
lot of progress since your hospital
visit. Best regards, Bill

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 8 Sep 2001 2:20 pm

I play because I can't not play. It's an addiction. I do enjoy having an audience, though.

Wayne Baker · Post by **Wayne Baker** » 8 Sep 2001 2:34 pm

I was born with "it" in my blood, so i must play my steel as much as possible. I don't know why, I don't know what the draw is, but as long as I can remember, I've wanted to play. If someone is watchin, great. If its me, in my basement, great. As, long as I get to play, its all good. Maybe I should write a book.

later my friends,
wayne

P.S. Bobby Lee, this is the most awsome thing ever thought of for the steel guitar family. I salute you for your inovation.

------------------
Emmons Legrande d-10 w/8&5 Nashville 400, peavey ultraverb II.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 8 Sep 2001 5:32 pm

a selfish reply would be:
for my own pleasure, cause i've been puttin' up w: learnin' how to play the darn thing !
when it pays off, i'm pleased !
but as a musician it would be for the listeners pleasure. if they're diggin'it, i'm pleased !
Sheer Steel Pleasure Dome Syndrome

Bob Carlson · Post by **Bob Carlson** » 8 Sep 2001 9:49 pm

I now play for myself, but mext May when we get moved down to Surprise Arizona (northwest Phoenix area) I hope to find someone to play with. I've never played the steel with anyone and I'm looking forward to It.

Bob Carlson

Carl West · Post by **Carl West** » 9 Sep 2001 5:04 am

I agree with Wayne's statement: "It's in your Blood". I did'nt realize just how much I missed the instrument. It gives me a way to think, relax and gets me away from the everyday things we all encounter.I stayed away too darn long and didn't realize what a great release playing is.

Carl West
Emmons D-10 LaGrande 3
Fender 2000 D-10

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 9 Sep 2001 5:58 am

Hey Carl Welcome to the Forum. Lot of the old SO-Cal guys come on from time to time.JC

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CJC

Jerry Hedge · Post by **Jerry Hedge** » 9 Sep 2001 8:34 am

I tend to try to please the bandleader and/or his management people. I find I keep a lot of gigs that way!!! Retcop is right, if you're not connecting with your fellow musicians and/or the audience you might as well be playing at home.

Dirk B · Post by **Dirk B** » 9 Sep 2001 12:28 pm

"I think we play for ourselves, and hope that someone will find it entertaining..and if & when they do.. we will be all the more satisfied.."

"I once heard Curly Chalker remark that he played for his own pleasure and hoped that others liked what he played. He said, 'After all I am not a jukebox.'"

Right on. This topic brings up a larger question about why we play and like music at all, and why performers perform.

No good player plays just to listen to themselves in the basement. Music is a form of art & communication; sometimes folks who can't convey their feelings by words or actions do it best in music (sometimes such people are called artists). It's the same for writing, visual arts, or any art form.

Sometimes, by the nature of an artist's involvement in their work, they create forms that are not understood by the public -- Van Gogh, Monet, and Charlie Parker were not understood by all of their contemporaries and were sometimes scorned by them.

Some convention I'd like to hear some of our creative younger players stike out on their own and give us a solid set of what they want to do intstead of throwing in the obligatory Ray Price tune every 4-5 songs to keep us happy. I'd like to hear them get out there into the ozone and bring us along for the ride, if we dare to join; or at least take us on a personal journey to share what they love. I heard the latter in Tom Morrell's set this year. [This message was edited by Dirk B on 09 September 2001 at 01:29 PM.]

Bob Hayes · Post by **Bob Hayes** » 9 Sep 2001 2:05 pm

Here I am again..just great post again!!!I guess FORMALLY..we ARE Artist. I just prefere to be just a picker...But as someone who playes with a kind of thrown togeter bad..(because from week to week..the members change..or someone else sits in due to illness, vacation or what ever..(we're all older guys pickin for an older crowd..ussually..a crowd that loves to dance. So NO PRACTICE..strictly off the cuff and playing some songs that are old enough that even I don't know them..so WE ARE artistic when someone calles the Key and starts singing..and you have to either remember the tune instanteneous...or learn it just as fast...so all of those licks that we struggled through to learn..or wish we could learn..come through..pressure...but satisfaction when we GET IT DONE..with an acknowlegment from the audience..That's what it is all about..And when your counterparts and coplayers give you a KUDU...that's the reward!!!..I played Friday to a full house and Saturday to a near empty house...But strangley ..the applause seemed the same.
So I guess we play for the satisfaction OF PLAYING and the enjoyment out playing brings to others!!
Grouchyvet

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 10 Sep 2001 6:34 am

Would the super pickers continue to
play, with the realization that their
music would fall upon deaf ears?
Is there some sort of hidden egoism involved in one's desire to advance to greater levels of playing the steel
guitar? Why do the majority of steel oriented musicians struggle to reach
mediocrity + levels, by practicing for
hours, in their homes? Would drastic
environmental changes alter one's
outpouring of musical energy? Are we
like songbirds, with instincts carried
through the generations? How long would
a bird sing, if it suddenly found itself
on a lifeless planet? The same question
would be fitting to pose to a steel
guitarist. Bill H. [This message was edited by Bill Hankey on 10 September 2001 at 08:04 AM.][This message was edited by Bill Hankey on 11 September 2001 at 05:15 AM.]

randy · Post by **randy** » 10 Sep 2001 8:10 am

I play for me at home. When I'm playing out, I play according to what is expected in that venue, (is that the correct use of that word Bobbe?).

Whenever I'm tempted to ignor the crowd, I think back to a time I was playing a dance and decided, late in the show, to play JD's version of "I Love You Because". I knocked myself out and felt so good about the sound I had gotten and then some guy quietly walks over to me and and says, "when ya gonna play something we can dance to?"

Steve Frost · Post by **Steve Frost** » 10 Sep 2001 6:36 pm

Bill- sounds to me like you're not getting enough sleep!

Although, personally, I play because I'm trying to save the planet.... the jury's still out on that, though..

Sam White · Post by **Sam White** » 10 Sep 2001 7:00 pm

Hey Bill I think we all play for our Pleasure and If some off thous people like good old country music they will listen to us.But I hope they don't listen to me as I'm no where near good yet and have a way to go but I keep Practicing 2 to 3 hours a day.Hope to see you at the R.I. Steel Show.
Sam White