The Steel Guitar Forum

Posted: **5 May 2003 1:39 pm**

Well Gary, I'm certainly no authority on the subject. However, I do think that if there were two steelers with equal ability, one looking like Leonardo Di Caprio, and the other looking like Wilford Brimley, some young high-profile artist like Shania would be a lot more likely to hire Leo! Older, more established artists like Ray Price, Willie Nelson, and Jimmy Buffet probably wouldn't care what you looked like. But then again, they don't have image consultants, and multi-million dollar recording contracts, do they?

One only has to watch the various award shows, or the music videos, to see what the "image" is that's in demand right now.

Posted: **5 May 2003 2:23 pm**

I recently did some recording here in West Linn for a local guy. The studio owner/operator was a guy of some note. Nice studio. Easy gig.

Although he didn't brag about it or strike me as the hot air type I'd been told that he did a lot of work on Sheryl Crow's album(s).

I played him that 7th fret G behind the bar I've practiced for so many years, and told him that If he ever saw her again to recommend me. Said I'd even register as a D..... De... Dem..o Well, You know what I mean...

Thanks for all the input. I think I've got a good handle on the scene, especially from Dave D. and a couple others.

It's dog eat dog everywhere. Just got hit with working every day starting tomorrow except Sunday for two weeks besides 9 nites starting Friday. It's either feast or feast, but sometimes it all tastes more like chicken.
Thanks again.

Bobbe. You never know who will walk through the door.. Thanks. I gotta admit that I'm entertaining as hell, there on time every day, and easy to work for, even if I'm not an ideal employee..

We'll see what happens.

Graci

Erico [This message was edited by Eric West on 05 May 2003 at 04:14 PM.]

Posted: **5 May 2003 2:30 pm**

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Well, as i see it,
A plumber has a great responsibility.
Has to know:

Hot, on the left:
Cold, on the right:
$#!t won't run up-hill:
Payday is on Fri.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>you left one off Eric.....the boss is an A$$....

Posted: **5 May 2003 2:58 pm**

I was a local bar owner on Broadway from 1984 until 1998. I always told the newcomers to find them a day gig to eat regularly and get a cheap place to stay. Then they could give whats left of the day to their music. It's chicken today and feathers tomorrow. The pay is $20 on Broadway now and at The Bluegrass Inn (that isn't Bluegrass) it's $15! That's 4 hours and you may get a break after the first two hour set. I know this to be a fact. My wife works at Roberts. Broadway is a great learning ground for anybody that isn't familiar with the way things are done here but I wouldn't try to make a career of it down there.

Posted: **5 May 2003 3:02 pm**

That wasn't a quote from me.

S#t often runs uphill to begin with. I see it all the time. My job in excavation as well as a "plumbers'" is to make it run the right way.

My Bosses inevitably take me for "the ride in the car" and tell me: You know Eric, you're a really hard worker, you're here on time every day, you're entertaining as hell, everybody except ___, _____, and _____, likes the hell out of you and everyones hate them anyhow.

You're polite, and above all, you're easy to work for. The thing that we just realised is that We don't work for You, and after today, You don't work for Us.

I hate when that happens, and it inevitably does..

EJL [This message was edited by Eric West on 05 May 2003 at 04:06 PM.]

Posted: **5 May 2003 3:41 pm**

Eric, you sound like the kind of guy that will make it anywhere. Good Luck in whatever you decide.

For those that want to get rich (like Chip): The Plumbers Forum.

Posted: **5 May 2003 9:35 pm**

Eric! How old were you when your Grandpa gave you the advice?[This message was edited by kyle reid on 05 May 2003 at 10:38 PM.]

Posted: **6 May 2003 4:14 am**

Thanks Joey. I'll bet Eric makes more per
year than I do.

I don't work as hard as I used to. I live within my means. I'm good for about 6 hours
of actual working with the tools per day.

The rest of the time is spent chasing, figuring bids, looking at prospective jobs,

and playing the steel. I work alone, and time to do just what I want, when I want, is
where I'm at.

Sorry...getting off-topic.

Posted: **6 May 2003 5:34 am**

"The cream always rises to the top." Yeah, right, and "s$$t floats."

Posted: **6 May 2003 6:31 am**

Ha,ha! Dave thats great.

Posted: **6 May 2003 8:27 am**

Plain ole Eric...."GO FOR IT"! NOW is the RIGHT TIME! If you don't do it now, you never will, most likely. As you continue to get older, that tetesterone (?) will diminish and so will that reckless abandon that you've always cherrised.....or you wouldn't be ridin' a Harley or driving a really BIG TRUCK, right?
Go to NASHVILLE NOW! You've taken on bigger challenges in the past so this should be just another step for you. Once there, your charm and wit, honesty and loyalty, will endear you to everyone, leaders and sidemen alike. That animal magnatism will pull you to virtually all female vocalists
on the current program.
Forget this thing called "security"....it ain't there no more. Wade out into that deep water 'cause that's where the BIG fish are.
You're friends here will not forget you...,' tho' some might weep for a spell, as they'll all be flocking to Nashville to get your autograph and to see you on stage with some big name travel band.
Keep the "hat". That's your signature and don't shave off that mustache and/or buy a new guitar. Go as you are. That's what has made you successful and the greatest.
Failure to act now could well see you in the months ahead, sitting in an old broken down drump truck, staring blankly out the broken and discolored windshield, trying to recall some flicker of your musical past and it will be no more than a hazy, gray memory.
Your future is in YOUR HANDS. Destiny calls.
You only get one chance to be a really great
musical ICON. GO for it!
Some old timers can't play for crap but...
they do have wisdom and I encourage YOU to go for GOLD!

Posted: **6 May 2003 8:37 am**

Every once in a while I think I might move back to the USA, but I can't think of where. Nashville does at least come to mind, because I do play acoustic country, among other styles.
But ah ain't git the reet accent fo thar!

To expect to work regularly there on the circuit... I don't imagine it would just kick into gear on arrival. There's just too many guitar picker's n'Nashville.

I would more likely find a singer songwriter who's voice and tunes I like, and produce an album and pick on it a bit.... then let the hungry youngster flog it around town and wait and see.
Or i just could stay here.
One never knows, do one * Fats W.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 06 May 2003 at 09:38 AM.]

Posted: **6 May 2003 11:50 am**

David, how 'bout the Crescent City or Lafayette ?
this thread has opened my eyes, so if i do make over to NashVile, it'll be to get a Steel from Bobbeee,and offer Smiley a Burger and a Shake (or a beer if he prefers)
thanx Carl, i'll be stickin' to my day job as an electrician and play my lil ol gig at the Casino round here and make a few xtra $$$
playin them one armed banditos !
yeah Eric, go for it
it's now or never !

------------------
Steel what?

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 06 May 2003 at 12:51 PM.][This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 06 May 2003 at 12:52 PM.]

Posted: **6 May 2003 12:48 pm**

Well I don't know Crescent City or Lafayette.
But I do know Nashville is a serious studio town. But it's also like NYC.
If your a one in a million player in NYC,
your one of 10 in that town... and they got the work already.
If there's 100 great players in a million people, there's 1000 there....
Nashville ain't so much smaller, but I high percetage of great pickers.

Still if young strong and smokin' on your horn... take a shot; you got one life, and no time for regrets.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 06 May 2003 at 01:50 PM.]

Posted: **6 May 2003 2:01 pm**

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>The pay is $20 on Broadway now and at The Bluegrass Inn (that isn't Bluegrass) it's $15! That's 4 hours and you may get a break after the first two hour set.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think I'll stay in Michigan.

cheers,
Drew

------------------
www.newslinkassociates.com
www.drewhoward.com

Posted: **6 May 2003 3:25 pm**

Thanks for all the replies, again.

In this order I guess.

Kyle: I was 6 years old, and he had just given me a pair of those "Gene Autry" Cowboy boots with the star on the tops. He was a veteran tank commander from WWII, a Mason, and I usually just followed his advice. That was best with Grandpa Howard.

DD. I think it's usually the "slag" that rises in metalurgy. I'll have to get with Mr Hankey.

DKD. I think the number in '70 was 16,052 guitar pickers in Nashville. By now, there's a damn sight more I reckon...

Ray: Thanks for the kind words as always. Deserved or otherwise. Wondered where you went.

The "months ahead" are filled up with local playing, 7 nites at Jubitz starting this Fri ending with sun-thurs and the next fri-sat up in Sandy), every weekend that Jason Snell and Monty Moss, has at Jubitz, every sun-thurs that Monty has, every thurs that Jason has, and every weekend that SBD has that doesn't conflict. The 10-12 Jul or something like that I'll be at the Silver Spur in Boise and a weekend at Chinook Winds, sometime in June with Jason. a couple Rose Festival dates in early June, days, a Hayride in Scapoose I've done for 12 years straight on the 15-16Aug, with a quick trip up to Stevenson on the 16thAug for a Fair gig.

I have taken great pains to not double book anything, as my reputation for not doing that is probably as important as my floppy old hat and bush whipped Sho~Bud for "getting work". A couple things, I'l still have to juggle.

Hell. I remember in 82-87 having five niters for months straight at Jubitz, and doing off nites somewhere else for months at a time, and the only time I got off at all was the two off days on "road gigs". That was when there were TWENTY clubs around going 7 nites a week, and Jubitz paid 100$ per human on the OFF nites for the bands I was in, and booked two month gigs there. BOY did things ever change. I've destroyed about thirty bands there over the years.

I got my first good day job in 91 and kept doing as many 5 niters etc as I could. I was 38 and it was getting harder to get by on 3hrs of sleep a nite split in two hour and a half shifts...

Now, at 50 ( on 23May) I need about 5..

Now, that all said, I'm going to be paving every day but this and next sunday from 7 til 5 about every day, and it's gonna take off from there.. Here I go again..

Here's my "day job pic"..

And my girl friend. Ovia Beasley, at work with the new dress I bought her sometime on the Max job last summer. I don't have to shovel, I just haul the pavers and the mix.

Did I mention a Big Electric Fan to keep me cool when I sleep.... ( or rather "if")

You might say that just music alone will keep me pretty busy....

I'm planning on taking a trip to Nvl when paving slows down and I can taper the gigs off around October and see what I find.

I'll just poke around and act like some stupid Northerner.. I think that'll be the easy part.

Sounds like it's about the same everywhere.

Thanks again everybody.

Eric West. [This message was edited by Eric West on 06 May 2003 at 08:51 PM.]

Posted: **6 May 2003 5:33 pm**

I'll just poke around and act like some stupid Northerner.. I think that'll be the easy part.
_____________________________________________
UUUUUUHHHHH, Eric, man, I'd, ah, be kind of careful. The redundancy police are out in full force.

Posted: **11 May 2003 10:22 am**

It's never too late to be what you might have been. The only way to be sure you'll never do it...is not to try.

Posted: **11 May 2003 12:00 pm**

Eric,

Don't let anyone discourage you from following your dreams. If you want it bad enough and you can play it can happen. I hate to see people [that don't live here and don't know how well the person they're talking to plays]not to do this. I appriciate the build-up and being called a monster player but compared to some I'm not at all. I just know what my niche is and that is a commercial country player who knows how to back a singer.
Eric, you email me and stay in touch and when you come to visit we'll try to get together and have a cup of coffee.

Mike Sweeney

Posted: **11 May 2003 3:09 pm**

Eric my friend, lots of opinions to contemplate herein!

For what it's worth (and it ain't much) I faced the decision to turn "left or right at Oak street", and elected to go for the "security" of a day job with music as an avocation rather than an occupation.

It may not have been correct for everyone, but I made the right decision for me, and I have never regretted it!

Gene
www.genejones.com

Posted: **12 May 2003 2:06 pm**

I suppose it's my greed as much as anything else.

I should have moved to Vegas in 89, but my best old dog was dying and I couldn't leave him with friends. I know it's a stupid sounding reason, but I don't regret it for a second. Dog people understand....

I was for a couple years letting music take a total back seat to making money in construction. There were a couple years in the 90s when I, out of disgust mostly, dove into a critter club band, and just worked weekends besides full time asphalt work at PDX and freeways around Portland..

Then came the Old Panhead in 99.

I took a job for over a year with Larry Jeffers ( says he knows you from OK, and spoke of you in the highest regard.( said I reminded him of you, hopefully for the good,,).) and really enjoyed playing all those old shuffles, and swing tunes. We worked a lot of three to five niters. Just after I got the bike, I quit and actually took two months off and tore it down. I'd made enough playing that couple years to pay for the hull.

When I realised how much it was going to cost to rebuild the lower end, and do all new sheet metal, and paint ( which I did myself too (coughs..)) I decided to get work full time besides working 40-50 hrs driving lowboy and end dump. At that time my wages were over 45k a year, and I used the music money for the bike. Including the hull, about 15 grand.

About the time I got it all finished, 8000miles ago ( how I measure time now), Construction turned down drastically. Took a year long job paving on a Light Rail project and played weekends and a few 7s.

This year, paving has taken a dump as well. About one day pr two days a week til this week.

I've picked up as much music as I could, which is every weekend and one or two off nite 5 niters besides per month til at least Sept.

Paving will inevitably be 60 hrs again, and it will quit before the snow flies.

I have to make a decision. I guess you can sit on a horse (or bike) any way you please at a walk, but when you hit the on ramp and get out of a trot, or into third gear you have to figure out which way to sit...

I'm using the opportunity to get my chops back and better, and buying the two Franklin CDs is actually the first REAL effort I've been willing to put out since the BC lessons (and 25 years of combat bar bands).

I'm seeing Nashville more as a "junction" for what's going on nationwide, and tour wise. I've decided to go there with a local producer in Oct and check it out. Might bring my picks and bar, but who knows.. By then, given the resurgence of the "Country Thing", I might find something that appeals to both me and my lust for money. Maybe even a tour bus with a bike rack on it..

Stranger things have happened..

Here's what I did Sunday before my gig..

I can't imagine something like molecular biology would be any funner....

EJL [This message was edited by Eric West on 12 May 2003 at 03:24 PM.]

Posted: **12 May 2003 2:31 pm**

.....(Eric)By then, given the resurgence of the "Country Thing", I might find something that appeals to both me and my lust for money. Maybe even a tour bus with a bike rack on it.......

That ought to work for you Eric. The last time I was in Daytona Beach, Hoyt Axton and his band was staying at the same hotel where I was, and they were pulling a trailor with six Harleys behind their band bus! They were performing at night and ridin' those Harleys in the Florida sunshine during the day!

Of course ole Hoyt was kind of an outlaw and is gone now, but I'll bet there are other touring bands out there doing the same thing!

(My wife standing in front of Hoyt during a photo-op to hide the bar-B-Que sauce spilled on the front of his shirt!)

Gene
www.genejones.com [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 12 May 2003 at 03:48 PM.]

Posted: **12 May 2003 3:10 pm**

Gene. No doubt as to what's kept you out of tour busses!.

My wife's only half Cherokee from the Jones/Humpheys out of Dewey/Nowata, but I'm thinking she got a couple extra "mean genes".. She actually has a pretty full life here at the Dog/Cat/Rabbit/Orchard Bee Farm, and gets tired of cleaning up after me..

Going "out" for a few months wouldn't make things anything but better

. at least from her perspective..

I can take other women riding whenever I like, and she says I could bring them home as long as they're willing to clean up after me...

Somehow I don't think that'd work out real great...

EJL

Posted: **28 May 2003 8:46 am**

....(Eric)Kyle: I was 6 years old, and he had just given me a pair of those "Gene Autry" Cowboy boots with the star on the tops. He was a veteran tank commander from WWII....

Eric you were fortunate getting those Gene Autry boots...when I was 10 years old my Combat-Infantry sharpshooter uncle brought me a "Bull-Durham" sack full of gold teeth from the Pacific! (I don't want to even think about how he came to have them)....but he didn't let me keep 'em, because he traded them for a 1939 Cord Convertible).

Eric, that's a sweetheart sittin' on the bike.

Posted: **28 May 2003 8:47 am**

deleted duplicate......[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 28 May 2003 at 09:49 AM.]

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