Things that could get a steel player fired....

Harley Morris · Post by **Harley Morris** » 25 May 2004 4:09 pm

1. Not tuning to a-440
2. Playing one cent sharp, or one cent flat
3. Playing substitute chords
4. Playing behind (or ahead) of the beat
5. Trying to, but failing to sound like Buddy Emmons
6. Not getting band-leaders permission to kick off a tune
7. Playing a diminished...HIT A DIMINISHED, AND YOU'RE FINISHED.
8. Not engaging pedals, or knee levers all the way
9. Setting volume knob on over two (2) (25 watt amp)
10. Cannot count to 4, or to 8
11. Using harmonics (palm or otherwise)
12. Playing ANY instrumental in C#, or F#, while fiddler is on the bandstand
13. Using reverb, echo, trble, or bass
14. Changing strings on or off the bandstand
15. Leaving amp on during the break
16. No more than six beers, or three double shots while on break
17. No passing chords, or passing gas on bandstand
18. Playing more than 7 chords in "Waltz Across Texas"
19. Excessive talking on the bandstand
20. Continually playing on more than three strings
21. Playing a "slide lick" of over three frets in length
22. Not paying band-leader $5.00 for playing a wrong note
23. Not paying band-leader $20.00 for right chord in wrong place
24. Continually "playing on" other lead instruments
25. Flirting with the opposite sex (or even sane sex)

Written by Dave Knight- Steel player, and Harley Morris- Wannabe steel player, but pretty fair fiddle player.

Post by **Joey Ace** » 25 May 2004 4:27 pm

This isn't an Event or Announcement so I'm moving it to Pedal Steel.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 25 May 2004 5:04 pm

I've only been successfully fired twice that I remember in more than two thousand gigs.

Same reason for both:

How I answered a question.

EJL

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 25 May 2004 5:13 pm

you forgot basically just showing up to the gig

Peter · Post by **Peter** » 26 May 2004 9:08 am

They ask Questions???

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Peter den Hartogh
Emmons 1978 S10-Fender Artist S10-Remington U12
Hilton Volume Pedal-Gibson BR4-Guya "Stringmaster"
MusicMan112RP-Peavy Rage158
My Animation College in South Africa

Kenny Dail · Post by **Kenny Dail** » 26 May 2004 12:58 pm

Add to the list;

Playing Tele licks on "Working Man Blues."
Playing the Travis/Atkins style on anything.
Playing Steel Guitar Rag or Sleepwalk
Playing Banjo licks (Blugrass only)

any songs with more than 3 chords.

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kd...and the beat goes on...

Harley Morris · Post by **Harley Morris** » 26 May 2004 3:58 pm

Eric: About how did you answer the questions, and what were the questions???

And, Kenny: We totally forgot about the Steel Guitar Rag, and Sleepwalk. Thanks, and I agree...

Bill C. Buntin · Post by **Bill C. Buntin** » 27 May 2004 9:27 am

Being better looking than the artist you work for. That'll do it every time.

Emulating what the lead guitarist plays exactly when he thought he was not copyable.
That also will do it every time.

AND THE BIG ONE

Playing just like the record.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 27 May 2004 4:43 pm

Funny thread.
Sane Sex... must e a song there somewhere...

Tonight I just played a gig with the last guy to say I was fired...
I was asked to come play too. And on the instruments of my choice to boot.
Can't complain.

In this case I was fired for not being drunk enough (stone sober) to give a false, BS. answer to a reasonable question...
"How was the gig for you tonight." " Not enough steel time."

Ask a direct question to a sober dude at 6 am, expect to get a direct answer; why not?

In the long run the right answer was right... jest took a bit longer to sink in I guess. About 9 months! LOL.

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 27 May 2004 5:00 pm

Not playing SGR.

Seems to be a condition of employment.

t

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 27 May 2004 8:50 pm

Well, here's a few reasons from a form you have to fill out to work for The Autioneer. Leroy VanDyke application for work. This is just a short excerpt from 4 (four) pages that you have to fill out to work with an artist who hasn't had a hit since Sho~Bud fingertips were the rage.

Oh, yeah, and if you wanted the gig with Tommy Cash you couldn't be any taller that 5'10" (his height). But that might not apply to steel players.

Leroy link updated 5/29/04 to include the document in its entirety.

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Cal's Corral[[This message was edited by Cal Sharp on 28 May 2004 at 05:50 AM.][This message was edited by Cal Sharp on 29 May 2004 at 10:09 AM.]

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 27 May 2004 9:12 pm

Harley. They asked me what I thought. The answers were unstoppable at the time.

Over the years I was reminded that my answers were rather harsh, and I asked if they wanted me to repeat them as they hadn't changed.

Anymore, I try to change the subject..

EJL

Scott Henderson · Post by **Scott Henderson** » 28 May 2004 7:08 am

I think you are a loose cannon and I am sorry to say you are fired!!!!(donald trump voice) hehehhehehe

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Steelin' away in the ozarks and life,
Scott
www.scottyhenderson.com

Rex Wiseman · Post by **Rex Wiseman** » 28 May 2004 7:38 am

I had a really good friend (a bass player) who lost out on a gig with Tommy Cash because he couldn't fit in the old bass player's suit. He went on to work with a lot of other artists. Tommy lost out on a really good employee. Artists, ya gotta love 'em !!

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 28 May 2004 9:51 am

I would be fired long before I did any any of the reasons listed by the author. I would be told "you're fired" when I played the first note.

Some got it. some don't! I don't, but I love all of you that do. Come to think about it I would love any of you who don't jest as much. Course I am sure all of you got it. Never met a steel player in my life that wasn't infinitely more talented (musically) than I.

carl

Post by **b0b** » 28 May 2004 2:35 pm

Moved to 'Steel Players' section.

How about this one:
Telling the piano player that you don't tune all of your strings straight up on the tuning meter, because "it sounds better".

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<img align=left src="http://picturehost.net/b0b/ManzBob2.jpg" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
System Administrator

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 28 May 2004 4:40 pm

Having more CD's for sale than the "star".

Getting more attention than the "star".

Being more talented than the "star".

Having more hair than the "star".

Being younger or better looking than the "star".

Bob Wood · Post by **Bob Wood** » 28 May 2004 9:31 pm

How bout taking too many valiums before you play a gig, and then wake up in the middle of the first set with your nose in-between the "E" and "B" string on your E9th neck while the bandleader is calling you to play the ride on the song; "Together Again"?[This message was edited by Bob Wood on 28 May 2004 at 10:36 PM.]

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 29 May 2004 3:03 am

SELLING more Cd's than the star...
and they're all steel solos![This message was edited by David L. Donald on 29 May 2004 at 04:04 AM.]

Bill Monk · Post by **Bill Monk** » 29 May 2004 7:24 am

Cal -

From the "Leroy VanDyke application for work"

->welt-defined guidelines

Wow, that sounds pretty rough...

Harley Morris · Post by **Harley Morris** » 30 May 2004 10:05 am

bOb-- What piano player???

Harley Morris · Post by **Harley Morris** » 30 May 2004 10:17 am

Mr. Carl Dixon: C'mon, don't be so tough on youself, here..... That is, if indeed, in fact, that your steel playing REALLY,
REALLY sucks.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 30 May 2004 11:02 am

I didn't get fired but auditioned for the lead guitar position for a guy back in the mid 80's in Reno....The bass player and drummer took me aside on a break and said that since I wasn't younger that the singer (we were both about 43) I would not get the gig.....they stuck up for hiring me but he said that I...
"Wasn't exactly what he was looking for"

I lived through the rejection..

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 30 May 2004 11:30 pm

a promoter contacted me for a gig w: an American trio that was comin' over to Europa.
i drove 150 kms and we all met around a nice lunch. At one point i was asked if i was a Christian and if i still practised my Faith. i replied that i had been born a Christian and baptized but had nevertheless been brought up along the ways of my Iroquois ancestors. i did mention that i had some respect towards Buddha and his teachings. i also mentioned (uh oh) that i found the Dalai Lama to be much more interesting and credible than the Pope.
Well i did'nt get the gig !
the promoter was brought down about this and considering that he was a man of his word, he paid me anyway !
since then my religion is stricly ShoBuddhism and keepin' my trap shut !

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 31 May 2004 at 12:30 AM.]

Emmett Roch · Post by **Emmett Roch** » 30 May 2004 11:52 pm

Knowing the music better than the young singer does can getcha run off:

"Hey kid, the lyrics are 'set 'em up, my friend', not 'fill it up again'".

"How could you already know the new Alan Jackson song???"

"Because it's an old Jim Ed Brown song".

"Jim Ed who?"