The Steel Guitar Forum

after almost 20 years of full time pickin`, these days I drive a metro bus in Nashville, decent pay,secure job and benefits I could never afford as a musician.It was a fun ride but family is here now and priorities changed.



the best job I ever had, spending time with my kids...

Db

I type and attend meetings.

After a career as a radio announcer, I moved into advertising. I moved to the UK from Canada almost 5 years ago, and after working as a copywriter for ad agencies here I now work on the client-side. I'm a copywriter for Betfair (a large international gambling company).
I'd go back to being an announcer in a minute though. I miss it.

I've worked in commercial radio and television for about 35 years and I am currently an Account Executive (advertising sales) for an ABC network television affiliate station in our region. Which also includes "voice over" and "on camera commercial talent" duties too.

I worked in the telephone business for thirty some years. I've been retired for near four years now and loving it.....more time to do what I like:
Trying to play music and being a house husband.
Poor "Mama" is still teaching the chillens in high school.

In 1964 I left full-time music for a career job with the Oklahoma City Fire Department. In 1984, I retired with the position of Assistant Chief of the OKC Fire Dept and I give thanks to the good Lord that I am now retired with a good pension and health insurance with no financial problems. I am blessed that I realized early that the only performers who profit in the music business are those whose name is on the bus.

Having said that, I must also say that my years in the music business as a side-man have given me many memories to sustain me in my early morning hours when I have awakened and comptemplate the associations of my past. I may not have done anything important, but, I have associated with those who have!

That's the best that I can acknowledge for my life.

Gene Jones

Hmmm, let me see....

Worked as a printer for a couple of years, then did ten years in the merchant navy as a Radio Officer, was made redundant in 1992, became a freelance cameraman and sound-recordist, also did several years as a skydiving cameraman plus some casual master-control work at the local TV station. Somehow I got involved with microwave links, then got into satellite uplinking, and now I work as a flying instructor with the occasional satellite job just to keep my hand in. Hoping to start gigging with a couple of bands with the steel too, just for a bit of added zest.

Funny where your life takes you, isn't it?

I work as a firefighter on a full-time basis.... but I really, really love my part-time job as steel player for a local classic country group. I truly envy you guys who play for a living.

Hmm...after college I

Worked at Coffee Shop 1 year
Did research for a Govt Lab 1.5 years
PA work on TV and Movies for a few years 3 years
Internet Marketing PPC Management 5 Years
Made a living playing steel for 8 months last year Paid about the same as the coffee shop, but my satisfying job so far.

Gordon

I was going to be a career Marine but was put out to pasture after being twice wounded in Vietnam. I had a total of ten years in the Marines. But with a 100% V.A. and Social Security I get along very well. Now I build Pedal Steel Guitars . I am someone who cant sit more than 10 minutes at a time. I really enjoy building steels. Martin.

Used to be a truck mechanic. Went to work for a John Deere dealership bout a year and a half ago workin on tractors and sometimes I enjoy it.

gigs, sessions, webmaster

Gosh--I don't know what I want to do when I grow up! At 59 years old though, I s'pose I've still got time to decide. Truth be known, after many "jobs", I work for the "City Utilities Department" of Bloomington, Indiana and I LOVE it!!! Jimmie

Martin Weenick wrote: Now I build Pedal Steel Guitars . I am someone who cant sit more than 10 minutes at a time. I really enjoy building steels. Martin.

Hehe Martin, That's not quite right. I have had you sittin for an hour and a half when you've been coaching me on the phone, in the art of steel building!

Yes, you do enjoy it don't you? It shows in your work. You put out some beautiful pieces.

I'm a Mechanical Engineer specializing in rock trenchers. My Momma told me if I didn't do my homework, I would grow up to be a ditch digger, boy she was right. But this profession has been very good to me. Here's the kind of stuff I design and build. This one weighs over 500,000Lbs, has 1500HP, and digs 8'wide and and up to 35 feet deep in solid rock.

6 years in the USAF, 30 Years I Owned a Used car Lot,Now I Play 3 to 4 times a Week and Watch TV,and Practice During The Day, Buy and sell amps and steels, Darvin How Many Pedals and Levers on that Baby?

Randy, no pedals, but about 20 levers, it sure makes beautiful music though when it's working, to the tune of about $15,000 a day. We have three of these baby's in our fleet of around 120 trenching machines.

I'm sort of retired. 21 Years USAF gave me that retirement after which I worked for the Air Force Space Command as a technical editor. After that I was one of two primary software testers for the SUN AdminSuite product which was integrated into Solaris 6. After SUN moved from Colorado Springs I performed build, release, and UNIX install work for HP's WEBES and StorageWorks products. Went to Las Vegas where I mainly played poker but also worked at the Silverton Hotel's mid shift cleanup crew. Now I work at a large hotel and spa here in Colorado Springs where we are working six days a week. Recession has not hit here yet but not enough time for the guitar. Everytime I get a chance to sit down at the steel it is like starting over again.

Sherman

Currently fire chief for a small city of 6,000. Gene Jones knows what its like to drag a hose in the middle of the night . Been a police chief for 7 years, EMT on local ambulance for 6 years. Just can't seem to get away from those lights & sirens

been retired for two years before that was head of maintance dept a local school dist. was full time steel player for 5 years but, got to eat and paid bills now, with a part time band in wisconsin

p.w
www.countyoutlaws.com

Well, I've had many odd and crummy jobs, but I'm trying to make a go playing music. It's been about 2 years since I've had a proper job, about one since I worked VERY sporadically, so far so good, I guess. I'm not getting rich, but I am alive, and really like what I do. It's been a little tenuous at times, as it is now, but it beats everything else I've done by a mile.

Gabriel

Retired as a police Lt. at the age of 41 nearly 16 years ago and have worked for the MT Dept of Justice ever since specializing in health care fraud. Retired from the USAF OSI Reserves. I've got to find a way to get a county retirement. Been a weekend warrior the entire time.

I am a retired electrician, hvac tech. I collect old 45 rpm records of the 50's & 60's for resale to help the income I once had. I love pedal steel but there is no work at all here for it.

Right now I'm a full-time husband to a veterinarian. It's a good job.

My boss...


I've been a professional steel player all my life, but I've done other things... was a classified advertising manager for a newspaper for 10 years, sold mutual funds for an investment company for awhile, worked in a music store, that sort of stuff.

Jobs I've turned down have been many. I was offered a job in a furniture factory as a stool softener. I passed on that. Then got an offer from the City of Austin Power Company as a voltage regulator... that didn't sound good either. The National Bank of Italy offered a position as the Loan Arranger, but I didn't want to relocate, besides, I'm allergic to horse dandruff.

I was lucky and did win the Texas Lottery. So I'm gonna keep being a steel player until the money runs out.

After my discharge from the U.S. Army, Two Years, I worked for about 6 years as a mechanic(Fixer) in a Hosiery Mill. During that time, I went to school and got a mechinest certification.

I then spent 25 years at our local Police Department, and retired as a Sergeant.

Worked for almost 18 years as a Bank Security Supervisor, then got Displaced due to a Buy-Out. When my severance ran out. I retired from there.

I currently work part time for the YMCA as a Fitness Specialist, and trainer. Also work Part time for the American Red Cross, as an Instructor.

I was playing one to three nights a week, until I had to have Surgery to repair a tear in my colon. Recovering nicely, and hope to get back to work, and picking very soon.

George...