The Steel Guitar Forum

Shame on all of you "weekend warriors"! According to some, you have "screwed up the industry" for the full-time working musicians.

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The original topic drift towards the "weekend warriors" starts on page 2.

By the way, I'm a banker, but I've enjoyed playing music since the 1960's. No plans to give it up, either!

Lee, from South Texas

Retired now but, was a high pressure pipe welder by trade in N. Canada doing pipelines and natural gas plants. I got tired of laying in the mud and snow and ended up in the technical side of the welding and became a welding engineer. I spent the last twelve years of my career with Mobil Oil (as a construction consultant) in Northern Canada before it amalgamated with Exxon.

Spent four years living off playing music when I was in my early twenties; however, it was a tough way to live so decided to join the real world and enrolled in a trade school.

I'm retired now but for the last fifteen years I was in Law Enforcement. I was a L.E. instructor, F.T.O., S.R.O. and bike officer. I served with municiple departments and finished my career as a Deputy Sheriff here in California due to an injury I had to medical retire. I've been able to work with a lot of great folks over the years.
I forgot to list what I did prior to L.E. After School I worked for a water company, then onto International Paper Company ( print Press Operator) I also grew up pouring concrete with my father and owned a concrete buisness. I put myself through school to get out of construction.
I'm getting ready to go back and do something I can't stand not having a job.

I'm not a weekend player, I just play to the walls and I love it

Chuck Huffman wrote: I'm not a weekend player, I just play to the walls and I love it

(Hello Walls, How Are You Today)

i used to be a steel player. then i got leukemia...then i got throat cancer....now i'm a steel player again!

does playgirl feature 61 yr old steel players? i could use some extra income to fix my teeth!

Good luck to you!

My first paying job was in a metal shop, where I met the foreman and noticed a funny feeling of his hand when we shook. In showing me around, he asked me if I knew anything about metal.

"I had metal shop in junior high," I replied.

Well, that's good," he said, showing me his hand with its three fingertips missing, "but remember: you'll never know more than the metal."

And with that, again, good luck in your career.

career...?? you call this a career..??

we don't need no stinking badges...!!




see what playing steel does for you.....


youngsters beware!!

Austin,

First I would like to 2nd what Mikey D. said.

Second:

I was a field service rep for a cardiac monitor mfg., caught in a downsizing, sold motorcycles for two years after that, back when people were still buying stuff.

I used to work at the old "Steel Guitar World" in Goodlettsville for Bobbe Seymour, did some guitar and amp repair in my garage shop after that.

I am presently between fortunes.

Never played professionally, have no desire to start. Play strictly for my own entertainment, and that of my wifes and my two dogs, none of them have a problem with the occaisonal clinker.

All digits are still intact!

Hate to admit it (since the site was down due to a T1 issue) but I work for a very large telecom company Hint old Ma Bell.

BTW, Bob please don't hold it against me.

Spent 3 years in the Army Air Defense Command, 2 years in a shoe factory, 2 years in a charcoal briquette plant then 39 1/2 years in the printing industry where I was lucky enough to get schooling in several robotics systems. Retired now. Been playing steel from the beginning.

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I am a 13000 hour professional pilot. I manage a fleet of aircraft for a private businessman in Dallas. I currently fly the Citation CJ3, L39 Albatros, King Air GTI 90/200,Piper Meridian, and soon the new Lancair Evolution Turboprop. I hold ratings for all Single and Multi Engine piston, and 19 turboprop aircraft. I am an instructor pilot for 22 different types of Jet Aircraft and hold 9 type specific ratings, When I grow up I would like to add PSG Instructor ratings to my license!!!!

I make a living as professional welder and machinist although I had a nice run of about 15 years as a studio musician playing on film scores, where I played on about 70 of them.

As a welder, I've done everything from I-beams to military aircraft. Spent a few decades in the film business, union on the lots and in particular motion-controlled camera systems. Spent years working on commercials where "normal days" are 18hrs (thank you methamphetamine)until my darling confronted me with, "can't have a relationship with an addict, It goes or I go." It went, along with my ability to keep up with the hours.

Now I build art for artists. I like who I work for, I like the work, I have no complaints.

I'm 61, and Laura's father once asked her what my retirement plan was. Death, most likely.

Wow, saw this thread just this evening. Got so engrossed that I read all 7 pages. Austin you really hit the nail on the head this time.
Kind of embarrasing to put my pittace beside all the accomplishments of my forum co-horts.
Had a bunch of careers in my life just never distinguished myself in any of them. The best opportunities were raising my 3 boys and now doing the same with my first grandboy. I guess next would be my DJ career, (one of the most enjoyable) and my time as a wanna-be 6-string teacher for beginners, also a part-time Fender amp and guitar tech. a roadie and recording engineer for a local big band type orchestra in my home town of Greenville, S.C.
Other than that, I have been mostly a member of the "unseen" labor force. Mostly unglamorouse, but mildly rewarding.
Oh, last but by all means not least, my temporary foree into a nursing home ministry. Not really a career as such (didn't make money doing it, but spent a lot). But altogether, a VERY rewarding and humbling experiance. I can't forget my experience as a motel clerk & manager for Howard Johnson, Travelodge and Golden Eagle !
My hat goes off to all you forum members and your accomplishments from this "Ole' S.E. Georgia redneck !

Kind of embarrasing to put my pittace beside all the accomplishments of my forum co-horts.
Had a bunch of careers in my life just never distinguished myself in any of them. The best opportunities were raising my 3 boys and now doing the same with my first grandboy.

John, you have accomplished more than you give yourself credit. Being a father and grandfather alone is great. I say this from my heart, That's what God put us here to do. My four children and on the way grandchild is my best achievement.

Matt...I thought you were just a pretty face!!

I'm an artist doing t-shirt designs for street rod events and for other folks in the hot rod and biker
industries.

I also play lead guitar for the Weezul Brothers Band
and steel for my walls.

www.jackfrancist-shirts.com

My current work is for The Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs in California. We work to get people sober.

I printed every one of THESE PRINTS and the works of about a dozen other artists. Not the posters. The serigraphs.

Architectural draftsman.
Steel builder.
Steel company manager.
Bowling center manager.
Family entertainment park manager.
Currently a licensed funeral director, and find it the most gratifying work I've had.

20 years 3 months US Air Force
20 years Letter Carrier U S Postal Service
3 years Security Officer Laughin NV Casino
Now full time steel guitar student

Nice work Jon.
I ran Screenprint companies back in the day so I can appreciate your work.
Serigraphs, the process is screenprinting...(no,it's not called silk screening)

Retired pilot...Still at it though.
Now just trying to stay alive long enough to enjoy it all.

Play the occasional gig, but mostly a closet picker now.

I'm an Industrial Designer by education and a toy inventor/designer by trade...and have played pedal steel for 39 years.

The only other toy designer/steeler I've heard of is Winnie Winston...

Oh wait,... on second thought, Sneaky Pete spent a lot of time working with toys animating all those Gumby shows...

I ran a front end loader in a gravel pit most of my life. After 30+ years of that I retired at age 56.
Now, at 62, I am trying to build a pedal steel guitar or 2.

My main "hobby" though, are my 3 lovely grand kids.


Cute, huh?

I'm proud to be a professionsl slacker now. I retired from teaching in August of 2008. Hope to start a part time, antique carpet business in the fall. We lived in Pakistan for five years and still have contacts there. I just old hand-made love carpets as an art form, particularly tribal carpets, from Afghanistan, Iran, and what used to be the southern part of the USSR. steve t