The Steel Guitar Forum

Roy Carroll wrote: I believe Willie started in a business suit?

Boy, that kind of puts it in perspective; I remember those hip leisure suits.

Willie can wear T-shirts. Paul can wear slaps. I didn't. It probably helps if you're good or famous.
I liked western shirts even if we didn't play country music. It was in the '70s when the line was blurring, and I wasn't that good.

I prefer to just be myself. Sometimes I look sharp, other times I don't. But I wouldn't wear a uniform (including a tux). Then again, who's hiring me? Nobody.

As a leader, the only thing I ask of my crew is "no shorts with sandals and black socks."

So would Vince wear the same thing if they played at a church, or national TV? I think not, as someone else has mentioned, it depends on what the venue is. I think being neat and clean looking still counts for something. Apparently the "grunge" look has not died yet, it still exists in many forms.

I'm sorry, I can't go for the "don't look like I've taken a bath in 3 days" look with nasty looking clothes full of holes, I don't care how good you are.

Never really a big fan of Willie, his last second "on time" delivery grates my nerves too bad.

Flame on....

At least a shirt with a collar.

If I saw the photo posted by James Sisson and was told that is the crowd that we are going to be playing for, I would be at a loss on how to dress. I would have to go to the dump to find clothes that would be appropriate for that crowd. I just don't own anything that would be shabby enough. I would really feel out of place dressed nice. Dress for the occasion still applies. By not shaving for a few days, not combing my hair, and a trip to the dump, I think I would be ready to rock. Also, the statement that people come to dance doesn't look like it applies here. If so, that is the most packed dance floor I have ever seen and it appears like it might be a mob dance of some sort.

I don't mean to offend anybody. I just think it is great that we can express different opinions without making somebody mad. Without a doubt, there is a generation gap among us and how we feel about how we dress. The first time I went to a Las Vegas show, men wore coats and ties and the ladies wore nice dresses. Now, it's jeans, shorts, tank tops, and T-shirts. I am just old fashioned, but I still think it makes an evening special when you dress up for it. Don't get me started on how I have seen people dressed on formal night on a cruise.

George, I don't totally disagree with you. But those folks have supported that band over 14 years and if you look at the website, there's no shortage of bookings for the future. I wouldn't wear a t-shirt to a job myself, but I also wont dress up like the other players. Personally, I think the whole dress alike thing is dated and had its place and time. I don't mean offense either, just my opinion. And with my opinion and 9 dollars you can get a coffee at Starbucks.

George, every time Jason plays, the dance floor is packed with fans who want to see him. He plays "shows" cause people want to see him.

George Kimery wrote:If I saw the photo posted by James Sisson and was told that is the crowd that we are going to be playing for, I would be at a loss on how to dress. I would have to go to the dump to find clothes that would be appropriate for that crowd. I just don't own anything that would be shabby enough. I would really feel out of place dressed nice. Dress for the occasion still applies. By not shaving for a few days, not combing my hair, and a trip to the dump, I think I would be ready to rock. Also, the statement that people come to dance doesn't look like it applies here. If so, that is the most packed dance floor I have ever seen and it appears like it might be a mob dance of some sort.

Likely that photo was Somewhere Down in Texas, and despite the audience I'm betting the evening included Pearl Snaps. You may think they are No Damn Good, but the Devil Pays In Gold - I bet their money was the same shade of green we're all used to seeing. Those are some Proud Souls, and while to you it may seem like Time In Hell, for them it's just Everyday Life. If players chose to be Up And Gone based on how the audience dresses, you'll be Lonely By Choice with No One Left To Blame. JMHO - Baby That's Just Me.

Don R Brown wrote:

George Kimery wrote:If I saw the photo posted by James Sisson and was told that is the crowd that we are going to be playing for, I would be at a loss on how to dress. I would have to go to the dump to find clothes that would be appropriate for that crowd. I just don't own anything that would be shabby enough. I would really feel out of place dressed nice. Dress for the occasion still applies. By not shaving for a few days, not combing my hair, and a trip to the dump, I think I would be ready to rock. Also, the statement that people come to dance doesn't look like it applies here. If so, that is the most packed dance floor I have ever seen and it appears like it might be a mob dance of some sort.

Likely that photo was Somewhere Down in Texas, and despite the audience I'm betting the evening included Pearl Snaps. You may think they are No Damn Good, but the Devil Pays In Gold - I bet their money was the same shade of green we're all used to seeing. Those are some Proud Souls, and while to you it may seem like Time In Hell, for them it's just Everyday Life. If players chose to be Up And Gone based on how the audience dresses, you'll be Lonely By Choice with No One Left To Blame. JMHO - Baby That's Just Me

Ineed.

Black Tee
Black Jeans
Whatever colour boots.

That's just perfect you dig. That's modern day Cool.

Normally I dress in a nice pair of jeans and a nice shirt. I used to wear cowboy boots however, with my left knee in the condition that it is in. That is out so, I wear a pair of sneakers. The riding heel feels like it jams my knee and causes unbearable pain.

And down here in South Louisiana, where we have two seasons HOT AND HOTTER, It's a good thing to dress as comfortable as possible. It really depends on the venue. Sometimes I will wear a nice pair of jeans and a T-shirt with a shirt covering it, opened up down the front.
I was in this one band where the bandleader would tell us to wear nice earth tone colors. And the boots. I had a black guitar, at the time and it was not a good idea to wear all black, because that was too much black.

Saw the Time Jumpers at 3rd and Lindsley back in 2014. Vince came onstage in Bermuda shorts, flip-flops, and a polo shirt. I wasn't offended because I wasn't dressed that much better, but it did give me pause, shall I say? The Jumpers must be Vince's relaxation gig.

The Jumpers must be Vince's relaxation gig.

Indeed. I think the Jumpers are happy to have him no matter how he dresses..

Barry Blackwood wrote:

The Jumpers must be Vince's relaxation gig.

Indeed. I think the Jumpers are happy to have him no matter how he dresses..

You got that right. Aside from his great musical contributions, his presence kicked the band into a whole 'nuther level dollar-wise. They were already musically at the peak before Vince.

Get a cowboy hat, stomp on it, and it wouldn't hurt it you run over it with your truck a time or two. However you choose to get it smashed just make sure you give it that totally trashed look. Next, make sure everyone in the band has the most faded ripped up jeans you can find, (check local thrift store). Let your beard grow for about two weeks, (even the girls). Make sure everyone bathes no more than once a week, be sure to you go to every interview with booze on your breath and the smell of smoke on your clothing. Above all don't brush your teeth ever and wha la, the next thing you know, you'll be on the Grand Ole Opry. You don't need to know how to play or even tune... Who knew it was so easy?

I was talking with Tom T. Hall once about "Clayton Delaney". Tom said that Clayton was really successful in the eyes of the local boys because he played in a band that had matching shirts.

Jack Aldrich wrote:I was talking with Tom T. Hall once about "Clayton Delaney". Tom said that Clayton was really successful in the eyes of the local boys because he played in a band that had matching shirts.

Time marches on. Time marches on.

I haven't read all the responses, but my take would be as follows. The gig is king. Be that, what is asked by the promoter and the "gig" being the job as a part of a particular group. The band I work with performs in clean, cool tshirts and jeans all around. When called for or the moment strikes, a given person or the group will wear a pearl snap shirt. I think it's really a case by case thing as far as specifics as a theater performance band will have a different appropriate appearance than a rock band playing in a club under street level. But, if "how important is appearance" is the question, I would say very important. Insofar as your appearance is appropriate. If you are the worst dressed guy on stage, maybe bump it a notch for night two. And a button up in the car takes less space than the pack seat we all cling to!

I've been watching this thread with interest and a bit of amusement. Lots of wisdom here and it seems to me that a distillation of some of that is simply that the gig ought to dictate the attire every bit as much as the music selection does.

Know what your audience wants and expects and there's your answer. Vince may be able to be the exception to that rule but I'll stick my neck out and guess that few of us on this forum can claim his level of influence...

Given the choice, I'd probably play in shorts and tee-shirts every night that the temperature allowed it. Since I actually like to work as much as my schedule allows, though, I don't do that outside of studio work. Unless the shorts-and-tee-shirt look happens to be right for the band and the venue - which, thankfully, it is at least now and then - I'm wearing whatever the gig happens to call for.

As just one example, I certainly wouldn't normally wear a western hat to play in since it's my longstanding belief that that no one will ever look goofier in a hat of any kind than me. But one of the bands I play in wears hats and vintage western wear; it's simply part of the price of admission to playing in a band I love. I think of it as a costume rather than a uniform and I'm fine with that. (Now, like Mike N., I might well draw the line at wearing a uniform but that's not been asked of me in decades so I guess, if I'm honest, that's actually untested.)

The only genre I can think of these days where you see a band in cut-offs and tee-shirts followed by a band in suits and ties, followed by a band in nice/casual streetwear - and you only rarely hear grumbling about what any of them are wearing - is bluegrass. Otherwise, if you know who your audience is, you probably know what you can (or ought to) be wearing just like you presumably know what you ought to be playing.

There is, of course, no reason to feel bound by any dress guidelines whatsoever. However, after a point - unless your audience expects the unexpected - it's gonna affect how much you work. (And, I'd argue, if your audience does expect the unexpected, then you're back to knowing what your audience wants and expects anyhow. You'll be fine. )

I thought of this thread while watching the pre-race festivities for the Indy 500. The National Anthem was performed by Darius Rucker, who some people consider a country artist.

He was wearing a dark T-shirt and Levis. My first thought was he's singing live to hundreds of thousands, and via TV to millions more, and that's how he dressed? My second thought was maybe he wanted it to be about the song and the remembrance of the day, rather than about a "performance" per se.

I have no idea how he selected his apparel, but as I say it did make me think of this thread.

It took a long time for grunge wear to become popular; it seemed to be rebellion about uniform clothes, wanting to be about performance rather than appearance.

In hi school, my band had matching 'Beatle' jackets; I don't remember bands who didn't.
In those days, people still wore suits to church. There are congregations that still do,
but many in which a musician dressed in clean clothes (nothing from the dump) could play comfortably.

Times change; people don't, but customs do.

Who cares?

This thread has me also thinking.

Here are some pictures of bands looking well.

The gospel plowboys.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UWChaPkHl6k/U ... C_9932.JPG


Bill Monroe and staff in riding pants.
http://static.newworldencyclopedia.org/ ... d-Band.jpg

I played in a folk band winning a traditional competition in 2014.
We all wear red ties, but each one has his own character.

Herb Steiner wrote:Saw the Time Jumpers at 3rd and Lindsley back in 2014. Vince came onstage in Bermuda shorts, flip-flops, and a polo shirt. I wasn't offended because I wasn't dressed that much better, but it did give me pause, shall I say? The Jumpers must be Vince's relaxation gig.

I think Vince, or anyone, should dress consistent with the rest of the band, if they are going to be on stage with them the whole time. What you describe gives me the impression that he wasn't taking the gig seriously. While it might be just a fun/jam to him, I think he should respect the band that allowed him to be there and dress accordingly. Don't read this wrong, I love Vince's music, but that's not what this thread is about.

RC

I saw an interview with Marty Stuart and he was asked why he wore all those suits and had such flashy clothes. He simply said" Well it is called show business!"

Our band below and two other groups played for over 200 people this past Friday. People applaud, danced and enjoyed themselves in spite of the very casual attire of each of the three groups. Perhaps reflective of what Charlie said above.