The Steel Guitar Forum

I started out of school as a full time top 40 rock guitar player working as many nights of the week as I could around Tidewater,Va.I did that for about 12 years eventually getting a day job as a guitar repairman for a Norfolk music store.I started playing steel in 1971 and then after moving to California,I started working for another fella manufacturing recording consoles under the marque "Speck Electronics".That led to doing recording studio maintaince and eventually gigs as recording engineer,record producer and video editor.I got tired of being somebody's pissboy so in 1985 I built my own recording studio and have operated Class Act Audio/Video ever since.Of course over all those years I've done stints as carpenter,electrician,painter,car mechanic and full time steel guitar player. -MJ-<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Michael Johnstone on 31 July 2002 at 08:45 AM.]</p></FONT>

I'm an Education Coordinator in a hospital where I've been employed for 26+ years.

However, it was the divorce in 1998, and my marriage to my darling second wife, that allowed my finances to improve to the point where I could buy a steel guitar.

Tony<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Tony Orth on 31 July 2002 at 09:36 AM.]</p></FONT>

Petrochemical Plant Supervision, Mangement, Consultant,and now VP of a Technical Services Company. Always played music and fronted a band on weekends until a few years ago. After taking up the steel guitar, I spend most of my spare time woodshedding.

I'm a Funeral Director and the proprietor of the McPhail & Perkins Funeral Home in Renfrew, Ontario, Canada.
-John

I walked out of a pretty big corporate career about 5 years ago to focus on steel guitar, and now make a living part-time as a marketing consultant, mostly doing marketing research studies. Now I set my own schedule, and pretty much work when I want to (which is when gigs are slow and my kid doesn't have a ballgame). It took me 44 years and a health-scare to get my priorities straight.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 31 July 2002 at 10:34 AM.]</p></FONT>

My wife has a good job too!

gary Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I graduated high school Hagerstown Md to Trade school in Danville, Va (Auto-Mechanics)to City Policeman to Supervisor and Night Superintendent At Goodyear Tire & Rubber Manufacturing Co for 30 years. Retired to take up Steelguitar at 55 years old and Love it totally!. Just a little hard to learn at this late age but still enjoying it.
Ken

I was a fourth generation railroader (i.e. "lifer") for Canadian National Railways but in 1992 they got rid of the caboose and with it eliminated the brakeman position; even though I was working in yard service at the time I was eligible for a buyout, which I took. After a few years of odd jobs I rose up the "techno-peasant" food-chain and I now work for a telecom as a business analyst providing support for an "enterprise planning system" known as SAP. It thankfully pays the bills, along with misc. steel related expenditures

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Greg Simmons
Custodian of the Official Sho~Bud Pedal Steel Guitar Website
shobud.cjb.net


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Greg Simmons on 31 July 2002 at 11:12 AM.]</p></FONT>

<SMALL>It took me 44 years and a health-scare to get my priorities straight.</SMALL>

It took me 53 years to figure out that if I didn't buy things I couldn't afford, I didn't have to work for people I didn't like. That was last year.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by chas smith on 31 July 2002 at 11:26 AM.]</p></FONT>

Tony Orth,
I need to take a lesson or two from you on divorces. I've had a "goodly" number of them and never came out ahead. !!!!!
I've done a lot of things in the work world for the last 50 years from bailing and stacking hay to dairy farming to policeing to sales and management, none of which I ever let get in the way of picking (at least not for very long). Somewhere in there I found time to be a road musician and bonifided dope head. (I've been "clean" for 12 years now, thanks to The Creator of The Universe).
During all of this, from the time I was about 8 or 9 years old when I first rigged up a 1X6 plank board lap steel, (I actually started playing/strumming when I was 4) I have always been busy designing, building, repairing, buying, selling, tinkering with and playing steel guitars. Never had much money, but have had more than my share of fun, sadness, happiness, sorrow all wrapped up in a big bundle of mostly SUNSHINE.
I enjoy it more now than ever and always look forward to "tomorrow" because I know I'll enjoy it even more than today.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Computer Programming

Bein' a roadie got me into Musik.
i worked for 5 years settin' up the gear and runnin'PA for some known English + American groups back in the 60s+70s.
All the while, i picked up on playin' Guitar and got my first lap steel from a pawn shop in Wisconsin while on the road.
When i moved to France, i worked in a Musik store in Paris and a very good friend that ran another Musik store had this Maverick that just would'nt sell. So he laid it on me.
ever since i've been on my way ...
i have made some $$$ playin' Musik,but i've been an electrician and dry waller for a more consistent income.

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 01 August 2002 at 03:34 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 04 August 2002 at 01:13 AM.]</p></FONT>

I am a recording studio engineer going on 13 years. I do mostly radio and TV advertising work, and the odd music gig that comes my way. I've produced lots of demos for all kinds of bands. I'll never get rich at this, but it's a great job.

Wow, we are a pretty diverse lot arent we?

I am a sculptor(I build rocket ships out of old vacuum cleaners from the 1950's) and an art dealer in the French Quarter in New Orleans. I also play out occasionally in a few different bands.

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Mattman in "The Big Sleazy"-:
S-10 Dekley, Suitcase Fender Rhodes, B-bender Les Paul

I've been a carpenter for 30 yrs.I've been working for a private mansion and estate for the last 21 yrs, doing restoration and preservation work. I've been playing steel for 27 yrs. Y"all know what I'd rather be doing.

Police Officer, and I always have time to pick.

I'm a pipefitter, employed by General Motors for 33 years. It's been rewarding financially, but many years of working night shifts and steady weekend overtime has made it difficult to play outside the house. Otherwise, I can't complain.

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Bill Moore

my steel guitar web page

I was a busker on the London tube system for 7 years - that was such fun (also played round europe quite a bit). Then I went legit and played pubs mainly around North London in a duo (close harmony, guitar & bass)for a few years. Was in a couple of R&B (60's style) bands but never made any money out of it. Did some solo gigs (finger picking a la Bert Jansch) but finally gave up on the pro music dream and went into the Data Networking business (long before the Internet made it fashionable). Forgot all about guitar until a friend of mine acquired a lapsteel and it caught my interest. Just spent the last 3 weeks taking my Sierra to bits - now trying to put it back together again

Five years at Douglas Aircraft glass installer on RB-66 Recon.bomber, 7 years at Fender,30 years at Underwriters Labs. Inc.
as Field Supervisor . . .

Carl West

Retired POLICE OFFICER 1974-1994, New York City Transit Police Department. (1994 - 4,5OO Officers, merged with NYPD in 1995 ).

1994-Present: Court Security Officer, Miami Federal District Court House, U.S. Marshals Service.

Playing steel since 1965 (Pedal steel since 1974.

My next future job, snow removal truck driver,some where in Florida.

Started playing steel while in college in Boston 28 years ago, (John Macy was one of my earliest heroes) aimed my resumes South, both for the weather and I knew I could find gigs.I worked at TV stations for about 10 years in Abilene, Austin, and St. Louis, then moved back to Austin and have had my own video production company for the last 17. I've done everything from directing, producing, camera, tape, audio, editing, engineering, you name it. I've been a weekend warrior for most of that time, and made sure I didn't miss my kids growing up. I think because it was never my "Job" it's always been fun and something I really look forward to. Now that the kids are in college, and the novelty of TV work has worn off, I wish all I had to do was play music, but I like sleeping in my own bed and eating regularly (not at the same time).
Arty

I've been practicing dentistry for 23 years.
Playing guitar paid most of my way through undergraduate school, and when I got out of dental school, playing steel three nights a week helped buy groceries and pay rent till my practice built up, so that's sort of the reverse side of the original question.

I guess I was one of the lucky ones! I got into music full time when I first got out of the Army and played lead guitar. I also taught guitar and worked the counter at a music store here and there for extra cash when I went to work part time at a store which had some steels (MSA & ShoBuds) on the floor. I just started fooling around with them in my spare time and eventually bought one and started taking it to the gig as I learned a little bit here and there. Eventually I got to where I could pick a little on it. Finally at one gig I was on, the steel player left and we couldn't find one so I played steel and we hired a lead player and I loved it. I've been hooked ever since. The great thing about steel as opposed to lead guitar is that you get to play sitting down without anyone giving you a dirty look and no one asks you if you sing!

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney tuning.

I've been one of those silicon valley computer chip designers for 24 years.

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<font size=-1>Bill L | My steel page | Email | My music | Steeler birthdays | Over 50?</font>

I took lessons when I was 12, started teaching steel when I was 14 (150 students),playing bars around Denver when I was 14, finished high school went on the road for a while, hated it ... got married ... hated it ...came back to Denver and played nights and did secretarial work days (five days/seven nights) got married, raised six kids, played 6-7 nights a week and am now retired and living in a litty bitty berg where the only playing I do is in my living room. Pretty boring huh???