How many steeler's in L.A. ?

Harry Hess · Post by **Harry Hess** » 31 Oct 2001 2:29 am

Who are all you guy's (or gal's) playing pedal steel out there in L.A. ?

How are you doing for gigs?

How many per month?

Pay scale?

I remember some time back, a similar thread kinda turned into a discussion about how good things used to be in the 50's, 60's, 70's, etc.

I'm interested in the current situation, so please let's keep it there.

Regards,
HH

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 31 Oct 2001 4:08 am

Harry..... I'm not in LA so I can't answer your question directly, but I'm doing a gig this weekend out here in middle America with a band from LA that is bringing everything with them BUT a steel player!

www.genejones.com [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 31 October 2001 at 04:10 AM.]

Charlie Hunter · Post by **Charlie Hunter** » 31 Oct 2001 7:26 am

I,am close to anaheim and am unemployed. Alot of the bars I used to play have gone to Mexican music. Guess I better learn to play the accordion??

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Swampwater Smyth

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 31 Oct 2001 11:09 am

I'm playing coffee house's in the San Fernando valley area of LA with the band Shelter (folk/rock).
We do all originals for 0$'s about 3 or 4 gigs per month.
I'm doing the gig just to be able to get out and play live music SOMEPLACE IN LA!

JE:-)>

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 31 Oct 2001 11:38 am

Harry...You gotta remember that "LA" is a BIG place! I make my living as a musician in the "Inland Empire" part mostly. (aka the "Inbred Empire" by a few "area code snobs"

) The club scene here is pretty bad like everybody says, but so far I've been able to keep myself fairly busy anyway.
The key is versatility. It's good to have alot of bags to draw from. Doubling is a must. Singing is important too.
There's no way to make a living strictly playing country shuffles or western swing here, but it's amazing how much of that stuff I actually do get to play!

This saturday afternoon I'm playing bass and singing with a fiddle oriented band where I have to supply the PA. Then I have to RUN to a gig a 100 miles away, put on a tux, set up my steel and midi guitar rig and play standards for a bunch of very happily retired 70-90 year olds at a swanky country club in Palm Springs. I'll make about $375 for both gigs after I pay for gas. Next night I'm playing for $50 at a total sh*t hole for chain smoking drunken truckers and the women who love 'em. Ahh Sho-biz!

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 31 Oct 2001 11:43 am

Well, let's see here, did 3 sets a week ago Sunday at Liquid Kitty with the Rolling Blackout Revue, standards from the '30s and '40s, the gig before that one was at the end of August and the ones before that were at the Autry Museum in January and October, so that makes 4 gigs in a year. The museum gigs were free, the Kitty pays $30/player.

Cut a couple tunes for 'source music' for an upcoming lo-budget film with the Radio Ranch Straight Shooters Monday night. The film makers didn't want to spend any money for licencing so we did our version of what they were looking for and cut an instrumental made up on the spot. It won't pay much, and that's the nature of lo budget.

Played on a couple of demo CDs this last spring and got a couple of days recording for the movie K-PAX that's out now.

So, I've found that 'Year at a Glance' works just fine as a gig book.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 31 Oct 2001 12:08 pm

Chas,
I saw K-Pax last weekend and didn't catch the steel.
Do you know wich part of the movie had steel in it?
-pete

Greg Vincent · Post by **Greg Vincent** » 31 Oct 2001 12:34 pm

Harry,

I work a full time day gig but I still managed to play 75 "straight ahead country" shows here in Southern California last year. Haven't counted this year yet, but I have more gigs than I want --not because I'm good, but because there ARE places to play here if you're willing to drive a TON in HEAVY traffic and get $60-$80 for four sets.

Frankly, I'm exhausted!

PS--Chas I wish you would have told us about that Liquid Kitty gig --I would have liked to have caught that!

GV[This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 31 October 2001 at 12:35 PM.][This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 31 October 2001 at 12:37 PM.][This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 31 October 2001 at 01:38 PM.]

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 31 Oct 2001 4:28 pm

Pete, that's the point, it has to blend in and be unobtrusive. Whenever the 'melody lines' are 'hovering', in fact, the first line you hear, is me, and it does not sound like a steel guitar. As it turns out, a lot of what was recorded didn't make it to the final and the highs of the tone of the guitar got rolled off.
Greg, I'm not comfortable playing that stuff yet and I'm really a lot more uncomfortable with self-promotion than it appears.

Mike Bagwell · Post by **Mike Bagwell** » 31 Oct 2001 6:10 pm

Chas wrote:
" Im really alot more uncomfortable with self promotion than it appears."

I just read a very interesting one page article about Chas in the March 2001 issue of a British magazine called the Wire. Folks this guy does a bunch of stuff he ain't telling us about. After reading the article and seeing a photo of a instrument that he designed and built and reading about his musical role in some top films my interest is way up.
Chas could you me tell and the other Forum members where to buy your CD's?

Thanks
Mike[This message was edited by Mike Bagwell on 31 October 2001 at 07:08 PM.]

Harry Hess · Post by **Harry Hess** » 31 Oct 2001 8:38 pm

Guy's,

I'm finding your replies interesting and hopefull.

Please keep 'em coming.

Regards,
HH

Jim Ashton · Post by **Jim Ashton** » 1 Nov 2001 4:55 am

I have not been their in a lot of years. Is the Palomino Club still there? (North Hollywood) and who is playing there if it is still open?

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 1 Nov 2001 11:35 am

The Palomino is history. Viva Fresh and Crazy Jack's in Burbank and the Cowboy Palace in Chatsworth are about it as far as I know for country music in the Valley. Doug Livingston and Michael Johnstone play on occasion at Viva Fresh and regularly in Long Beach. Marty Rifkin is a regular at the Barn Dance at Crazy Jack's.

Mike, what are you doing reading those kinds of magazines. I'm on Cold Blue Records and Amazon.com is supposed to have them. They are not country music. I just looked up myself on Amazon and it appears I'm not there any more, boy that makes me feel important. This is the cold Blue website: http://www.coldbluemusic.com/ [This message was edited by chas smith on 02 November 2001 at 12:27 PM.]

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 1 Nov 2001 12:07 pm

Chas's music is actually 'pop' music for the 22nd century. In a hundred years or so, if man continues to evolve, there'll be a lot of people like Chas walking around.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 1 Nov 2001 12:25 pm

I was talking with Larry Scott (who, along with Eddie Stubbs, Bill Mack, Big John Trimble, Billy Parker, Dugg Collins, and a few others, the greatest living DJ to ever promote real country music IMHO) about this situation just recently at the Western Swing festival in Wichita Falls. He and I were both out in LA in the 60's, knew each other, and were reminiscing about the all the clubs, all the radio stations, all the DJ's, and all the fans we once used to play for and make our livings from. I asked him, "Larry, where did it all go? Surely not our leaving caused the scene to crumble.

"

He said to me, "Only partially.

Herb, back in the 1960s and early 70s, there were still a lot of first generation transplants from the south, Texas, and Oklahoma. Those folks are now in their late 60's to 80's, and the club scene is not their bag. And their kids are not into our music anymore."

Of course, this was obvious. But it was a great time when the clubs were hopping every night and the Sunday afternoon all-day jam sessions. Look for it in the history books.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Derek Duplessie · Post by **Derek Duplessie** » 1 Nov 2001 9:34 pm

Is the ace club still up there? Jay Dee
played for a while over there but that was around the time of sweetheart of the rodeo. He still plays up around there occasionaly but he's pretty buisy with vince gill right now.
-Derek

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 2 Nov 2001 12:16 pm

I was going to comment on how much 'pop' music has degenerated in the past 60 years, so Rich, you might be right. Fortunately, I won't be around then.

Kenneth Rollans · Post by **Kenneth Rollans** » 12 Nov 2001 7:29 pm

mr billy woo. playes at bronco billies. he will be setting one of my pro 1 sidekick seats before this week is over.ordered it last week and was shipped out the same day.looking forward to see and hear him at the club some day. thanks kenny rollans steelers choice.

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Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 13 Nov 2001 3:53 pm

There are gigs all over Southern California if you're willing to scratch around for them.I would say the gig scene is no better than anywhere else - it's just that L.A.is such a big place that a good player could work quite a bit if he wanted to.Now the money varies all the way from dick to $300 or more a night for private affairs,corporates,casuals,etc. Average beer joint money is $50-$75. The trick for me has been to have a good set of tires,a tuxedo,be willing to play duos and trios and be able to play music other than country.Also it helps to have ears enough to walk in and play 3 or 4 sets of strange songs in odd keys with complete strangers w/no rehearsal and have them ask you back.
I've lucked out recently and am presently playing a steady 2 to 4 nights a week w/Cody Bryant down at Viva Fresh about 20 minutes from home. Only 3 sets plus free food & booze - you gotta love that. -MJ-

Hank Mann · Post by **Hank Mann** » 14 Nov 2001 10:18 pm

Hey,Aloha to all. Saw this topic and had to chime in.My advise is to "specialize" .We do 40 to 50 corperate luau parties a year, all within in a fifty mile radius of downtown L.A. These gigs average $2100 depending on how many Hula girls they want and/or fireknife dancers. Things are good for the Hula Monsters.,but we have done every major club in Los Angeles,including House of blues, Jacks sugar shack,the Viper room Lava lounge. .None of them paid "Bo diddly".But specialty gigs ..now thats where its all at.You can almost name your price(within reason).some examples are,the Playboy Mansion, finishline- L.A.Marithon,lotus festival, numerous pier gigs.Universal studios,and Festivals wow!! get with a festival promoter ,if you have any kind of specialty band they will keep you busy all year long.P.S. from the bummer file,The Sept,11disaster has caused some cancellations from some large event companies,I hope its not the new trend P.S.S I live in Santa Monica, any steel pickers over here by the beach? thehulamonsters.com

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Billy Woo · Post by **Billy Woo** » 15 Nov 2001 7:15 am

Hi Harry, as Mike Johnstone stated there are gigs but it's a big city and you gotta look around but anyway as Ken Rollans also stated My group "Bronco Billy" plays quite a bit in West L.A. at places like "The Scarlet Lady", "The Arsenal", "Tattletale", Eagles Lodge, and the American Legion where we are currently playing this Friday, All local Steelers are welcome to attend and play. This month we are playing every Friday Night and had a couple of Saturdays booked but can't do too much cuz it's a pain to move the P.A. all over for mebbe $50-60. a night
The weather is great here for the most part but Gigging is not the same as compared to the East Coast. I originally come from the Washington D.C. area and was playing in bands six nights a week making $600-1000 per man but that was also travelling to other states and working with an Booking Agent.Anyway as once put by another steeler, It's gotten to be a Labor of Love and whenever you can play in front of people and make em smile and dance, That's where the real payoff is.

Bill Tauson · Post by **Bill Tauson** » 16 Nov 2001 9:14 pm

I get a gig once in a while. Playing Cowboy Country at the end of the month. More good bands than places to play.

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 16 Nov 2001 11:03 pm

The driving conditions out here are SO ridiculous that a person could rightly contemplate quitting music, just for the stress of getting to the gigs. You've got to leave very early in case there's trouble on the freeway. And then if you happen to hit a warp in the universe where you don't hit any traffic, you wind up getting to the gigs way early. This L.A. traffic really, really SUCKS! Other than that, it's terrific

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 17 Nov 2001 8:21 am

one........jaydee

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 17 Nov 2001 10:06 am

one........jaydee

All together now..."OH YEAH?!?!?!?!"

Man, I can sure appreciate the fact that Jay Dee is a great steel player, and I don't begrdudge Chris using this topic to announce his admiration of Jay Dee. I've known Jay Dee and envied his talent for 32 years. Chris could have said "Jay Dee is my personal favorite," and there would be a general round of agreement.

But somehow I feel that by saying, in effect "there is only one steel player in LA and his name is Jay Dee," the talents of Doug Livingston, Michael Johnstone, Marty Rifkin, Chas Smith, and the other fine musicians I know residing and working in LA are really unfairly discounted. Some of these guys are close friends of mine and I want to rise to their defense and point out the music they make will hold its own in any situation, regardless of how good Jay Dee Maness (who is also my friend) is.

The only dog I have in this hunt is the fact that I really admire some of the guys I mentioned above. All the steel players that were in my generation in LA, with the exception of Blackie, Jay Dee and Al Vescovo, no longer are at it to my knowledge. Ed Black, Jimmy Anderson, Gene Fields, James O'Rafferty, Rex Endicott, Red Rhodes, Jerry Stevenson, Al Petty, Noel Boggs... all moved away or passed away. Carl Walden, Johnny Davis, and Dave Zeigler might still be doing it, but I've lost track of those boys.

BTW, at one time, many guys would have said "there's only one steel player in LA, and his name is Johnny Davis." Monster on standard guitar also. Ask some of the old-timers like Jim Bob Sedgewick or Jerry Hayes. They'll tell ya I'm not lying.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 17 November 2001 at 10:07 AM.]