Where to live?

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 5 Jul 2006 3:34 pm

Okay Forumites; I got a problem-o.
An aging 70 year old, engineering test driver of heavy diesel trucks/trailers....(MORE than 1.5 MILLION MILES without an accident or moving violation), (Hauling DEAD WEIGHT for testing purposes),
is contemplating a long distance move; my LAST!!! I need to make the little wife, herself aging and frail, happy before my demise.
Where might a DRIVER (such as I) and a wanna-be steel guitar player have the best opportunity to find work in both fields?
My background in music is Western Swing, and HAWAIIAN! Love it! If I could find a place where I could play music, I could give up on the truck driving aspect as my wife so wants me to do. (She's afraid I'll fall out of one of those big high trucks, and hurt myself)
We've given some thought to Las Vegas for the over-all annual weather situation; no floods or tornados.
Currently brousing thro' the listings in Alabama (property taxes are next to nothing compared to the $3,000 per year I have to pay here in Oregon. But, the Hurricanes, tornados, high humidity and temperatures and floods are of some concern to us. So are the bugs and snakes.
TELL ME GUYS.....where is THE BEST PLACE to plant ones feet for the long haul?
I expect Rick Aileo, Jeff Strouse, Bobbe Seymour and others to clue-in this neophyte as to where to move. Okay? I'm hopefully expecting some good, informative responses. YES! Hawaii would be nice but it's too close to sea level and too small to fly around. HELP!

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 5 Jul 2006 3:50 pm

How 'bout the San Francisco Bay Area, We'd love to have you. We love Western Swing too. Lot's of great steel players to check out here. A beautiful place with lots of great weather.

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 5 Jul 2006 4:10 pm

Ray;
Even though I live in Florida , I would recommend Georgia. Not only is housing and taxes much cheaper but there is all kinds of music going on up there.
There is a jam almost every weekend within driving distance and a lot of good musicians to pick with. There may even be some airplanes with big old round engines on them.( A Howard maybe ? )

Bud

John Coffman · Post by **John Coffman** » 5 Jul 2006 4:41 pm

North Houston or between Houston and Austin. Plenty of local haul drivers and steel guitar players are needed and can work full time. I move to Bellville Texas to work and be close to great music and learn to play. Hey Willis hope you can come back and play Jim's Mullen sure enjoyed your play at our SETSGA jam. Hope to see you soon.

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Thomas SD10 3/4,Thomas D10 8/5 and Desert Rose S10 3/4. Beginner

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 5 Jul 2006 5:40 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Okay Forumites; I got a problem-o.
An aging 70 year old...Where might a DRIVER (such as I)...find work...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I kinda agree with your wifey. At 70, you should give up truck drivin'...unless it's an ice cream truck or a sno-ball wagon!

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 5 Jul 2006 5:55 pm

Not St. Louis, gig-wise. Otherwise, a great place to live. JP

Don Barnhardt · Post by **Don Barnhardt** » 5 Jul 2006 6:08 pm

You're already living in one of the nicest areas of this great country why move? If I didn't have so many ties here in North Carolina I'd move back to the Northwest in a heartbeat.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 5 Jul 2006 6:28 pm

Reno.

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 5 Jul 2006 6:53 pm

Bora Bora, maybe the Tonga islands? If that is too exotic, how about between San Antonio and Austin Texas. Ray, there is a place in San Antonio called Windcrest where you can get a great one story brick house with a pool for around $140,000.00. It's right up your alley with lots of retired people living there. You can find it on the internet, my brother is on the city council for some reason.

Pat Carlson · Post by **Pat Carlson** » 5 Jul 2006 7:02 pm

North Platte Nebraska, Lots of drivers needed,low cost of living. And best those real cowboys still love real country music!

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 6 Jul 2006 4:45 am

If your health can take the heat and the humidity, go for Texas. The winters are great, though, so if you can handle 3-4 months of heat, you will be in a great area for music and trucking. Bring your umbrella for hurricane season, though. But we all want to move to Oregon when we retire!

Bill Mayville · Post by **Bill Mayville** » 6 Jul 2006 4:49 am

Here in Vegas we have four seasons.Honest.
Spring lasts for two weeks.Also does fall.The others are Very very warm,and cold around the fiftys.Wind equals rain.Maybe two or three times a year.7,000 people move here a month.A lttle more than 7,000.But.All housing has doubled in price,and their isn't any demand for country music.They havn't been using opening bands.Our band use to open for Hank Thompson.Out at prim, miss Lynn did a show,sitting down for 15 minutes,and havn't seen her since.
This place goes country in the end of November,thru December.The rodeo is in town.
But ,you could come here and teach,like I do.I have about two flyin's a month.Plus all the Cd's I make ,I keep quite busy.
Come take a look.I'll put the coffee on
Bill(incoming Jackson)

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 6 Jul 2006 4:54 am

Gervais. Lots of Truck driving jobs, and more music than the steel players can handle.

EJL

Bill Mayville · Post by **Bill Mayville** » 6 Jul 2006 5:38 am

Hi Eric
Where is Gervais???????????

Bill

Bill Mayville · Post by **Bill Mayville** » 6 Jul 2006 7:19 am

Found Gervais.

Bill

john lemay · Post by **john lemay** » 6 Jul 2006 7:27 am

Tucson! Friendly people, western swing, lots of work, climate is really decent!

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Carter D-10, 8+5

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 6 Jul 2006 9:05 am

Anywhere there's a warm climate and a large body of salt water.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 6 Jul 2006 9:12 am

Ray-Sierra vista, AZ , Cochise County,70 miles SE of Tucson at 4500 feet El. is just perfect weather year around and not too hot in the summer.(summer thunder boomers)

There is a Hi-Tech Army base there at Fort Huachuca about 6000 and the whole town is about 15 to 18 000. They like country music, and there is a big club there that has Country Bands 6 nights a week.

I spent a couple of winters there in around 1991-92. If it wasn't for all my family loved ones here in Michigan, I would have stayed there....al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 6 Jul 2006 9:16 am

Billy lobbied for Ray to come to the Bay Area, and we'd love to have him...but if he's bummed out about $3,000 in property taxes-he's not going to be happy here.

Taxes are higher in Oregon (but there is no sales tax). It's ballpark 1% of the property value here, and $500,000 will get you a small home that needs work, and that would be on the outskirts of the Bay Area. I think the median price is in the $675,000 range.

Ray is already living in one of the most desirable areas in the country in Portland, I love it there and get up there a couple times a year on business. Even though it has gotten a lot more expensive in the past 10 plus years, it's still quite a bit cheaper than the Bay Area.

Bobby's recommendation of Reno is a good one though.

A good friend of mine moved last fall from here in Sonoma County to the Nashville area (Franklin) and he loves it. He says the weather is decent, the region is beautiful, and he really enjoys the people.

This is from a guy who spent most of his life in San Diego County, which in terms of weather-might be the best area in the country.

Oh yeah-there is the occasional tornado and flooding near Nashville...but he says he wishes he had moved there 20 years ago.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 6 Jul 2006 9:46 am

Double Post-sorry...al
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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 11 July 2006 at 09:01 AM.]

Larry W. Jones · Post by **Larry W. Jones** » 6 Jul 2006 12:02 pm

Round Rock, Texas - 15 miles from Austin. Inexpensive. A "festival town". Easy driving to Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas. and... Texas bluebonnets!
http://www.city-data.com/city/Round-Rock-Texas.html#top

Jerry Malvern · Post by **Jerry Malvern** » 6 Jul 2006 12:09 pm

Besides great weather and plenty of work, some place close to a hospital has it's advantages as we get older

Tim Kauffroath · Post by **Tim Kauffroath** » 6 Jul 2006 12:11 pm

Ray,
Consider central Pennsylvania --beautiful scenery great peope,and we could develop the highest per capita concentration of Bigsby Steels in the world! And hot music to boot

David Wren · Post by **David Wren** » 6 Jul 2006 12:16 pm

I go along with the folks suggesting AZ cities. With your experience playing swing, I bet you could work anywhere. Best of luck whereever you land.

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Dave Wren
'96 Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Twin Session 500s; Hilton Pedal; Black Box
www.ameechapman.com

Colby Tipton · Post by **Colby Tipton** » 7 Jul 2006 7:08 am

Anywhere in the Texas hill country from Leaky up to Austin.