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Topic: Age Discrimination |
A. Roncetti
From:
Toronto,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 3 Oct 2006 1:35 pm |
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.....and not to mention the big muscles we all get for carrying our steels around 
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Purple Fessenden SD-10 4X5
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Klaus Caprani
From:
Copenhagen, Denmark
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Posted 3 Oct 2006 1:56 pm
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Frankly I have a trolley for mine. Doesn't help much with a 4'th floor appartment in a house with no elevator though.
Young or old. Those things are heavy. Sorry if we're drifting off topic.
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Klaus Caprani
MCI RangeXpander S-10 3x4
www.klauscaprani.com
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Don Barnhardt
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 5 Oct 2006 4:28 am
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| Judging from the responses to this thread a good number of us are not spring chickens anymore. I first experienced age discrimination 30 years ago at a job fair. I was in the company of a group of much younger students and the young man giving the presentation must not have noticed me and made a comment to the effect that any one over 30 need not apply. When I called him on it he almost went into cardiac arrest. His unintentional honesty was a great help to me because I learned then and there that self employment was my best bet. After getting over my initial anger I decided to start a second career doing something that made me happy for a change and the last 30 years have been my happiest if not most profitable years of my life. To make a short story long we don't have to depend on kids to make our lives fullfiling. Even if we don't get the gigs we're capable of they can't make us quit playing. You can always get a gig if the price is right(cheap or free). I think we all have one thing in common, Our music keeps us young in mind if not in body and they can't take that away. So keep it up fellas and don't let the kids run your life. |
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C. Brattain
From:
Balch Springs, Texas, usa
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Posted 5 Oct 2006 5:12 am
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| Hell, it takes at 50 years for most people to learn the pedal guitar, I am 74 so I thank just give up. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 5 Oct 2006 5:36 am
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uhh..Older players only have more experience if they actually have been playing since they were young players..
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 5 Oct 2006 5:56 am
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| Unless you're talkin beer joint gigs which are chump change anyhow,the real reason is money. Seasoned musicians tend to have mortgages,kids in private schools,high maintainence wives,7 kinds of insurance,etc,etc. At some point it just costs too much to pay grown men "man money" when they can pay "boy money". Dwight Yoakum and a few others have discovered this recently. This is neither good nor bad - just reality. |
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Klaus Caprani
From:
Copenhagen, Denmark
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Posted 5 Oct 2006 6:08 am
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| Don! I couldn't possibly have said it better. |
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Joe Miraglia
From:
Jamestown N.Y.
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Posted 5 Oct 2006 12:30 pm
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| Like Don said, don't let the kids run your life. But don't let the older people get you down and put you in a rut with their negative attitude of "been there, done that". I'm 67 and I believe many older people discriminate against themselves. Joe |
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Tracy Sheehan
From:
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Posted 5 Oct 2006 1:10 pm
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Tony said it all.It would be difficult for a young picker to play like one who has played pro for over 50 years.And it isn't being a hot player.It is working with the others in the band,remembering arrangments,etc.When i was young, players were great about helping each other.I worked years ago in a big swing band and the other musicians in the band carried me until i learned the arrangments and the lead player taught me lots of the things i had to learn.
As i have said before back in those days you either picked it or packed it.Again meaning each player didn't just play what he felt like,what we call a free for all now.LOL.But think about it.The steels didn't have all the pedals back in those days.Our playing evolved with the pedals as they came in.I like many started on a nonpedal steel.Later had 2 pedals,then 3,etc.The reasom being they hadn't really came out yet.
So to the ones just starting on steel remember the old timers didn't learn it all in a week either. |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 5 Oct 2006 5:56 pm
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| The band I'm in is real cool. At 51, I'm the kid in the band. Yes, I play in a geezer band. I always wanted to be a geezer, seems like the natural thing to do. My dreams have come true! I'm glad they do not discriminate about age. |
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A. Roncetti
From:
Toronto,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 6 Oct 2006 4:09 am
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What is the average age most people start playing an instrument? A lot of kids start piano at a young age but it's not always their choice. Not too many teenagers want to take up pedal steel. Most don't think "it's cool enough" nor do they have the attention span and dedication. Most teens take up electric guitar.Even then it's mostly a fad because they want to be Angus Young or Tony Iommi .Then they often grow out of it and head to college. Most steel players don't start to play until later in life,many can't afford to start earlier!Since the psg takes several years to master for the average player ,musicians are not usually youngins when they get really good at it.I will be an "Old Fart" too when I get good at steelin'. That's just the way it is. Steel players are not old,just mature. Aged like fine wine 
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Purple Fessenden SD-10 4X5
[This message was edited by A. Roncetti on 23 October 2006 at 05:06 AM.] |
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Mike Ester
From:
New Braunfels, Texas, USA
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Posted 6 Oct 2006 5:27 am
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| Quote: |
| What is the average age most people start playing an instrument? |
I started when I was 21. I'll be 47 at the end of the month. |
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Nic du Toit
From:
Milnerton, Cape, South Africa
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Posted 6 Oct 2006 5:40 am
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Ms Roncetti,
Whilst reading this thread I was, in my mind, trying to work out how to put what I felt, and then you went and summed it up very neatly in your last post.
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    Nic du Toit
1970 P/P Emmons D10 Fatback 8x5
Peavey Session 500 unmodfied
Click on the images to go to the CD's
Click here for Nic's other projects
Click here to E-mail us.
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Heiko Aehle
From:
Bretleben GERMANY
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Posted 7 Oct 2006 1:26 pm
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| I got a call a few years ago if I would be interested to play steel guitar for a new upcoming 'self-titled' star and the first question was: How old are you? I said 37. Whow, no chance I was told, we need young guns. They guy was 18 years old and some of his musicians no older than 24. Thats the way life goes here in Germany! |
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Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
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Posted 8 Oct 2006 2:23 am
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| The optimum age to learn an instrument as referred to earlier is an interesting point. When I was teaching steel guitar my pupils ranged from 8 years of age to 64, mostly males but some females. I taught a 10 year old Sarah Jory right through to her teens, and a whole host of 20somethings. My experience was that the younger pupils naturally picked things up much quicker than the older ones. However, even though the older players took longer to learn a piece, once it was 'locked in' the brain, it stayed there. You have a whole host of players in the USA who would be considered to be elder statesmen, but are undoubtedly playing as well if not better than any part of their life. |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 8 Oct 2006 8:27 am
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| My 5 piece rock band stills rocks with the best of them.. we are all in our early mid 50's, except the keys guy who is about 38... The kids still love us, the girsls still go out of their way to slink around sexily dancing to our music hoping we will watch, etc... I dunno, right now with MY band I feel no age pressure, but I also KNOW if this group broke up, it would be VERY hard to find another that was suitable... btw, we blow the doors off most of the young guns in our area, musically, vocally, and in showmanship.. experience DOES count... where's my teeth??.. Damn, spilled my prune juice on the keyboard too..later guys, momma is winking at me and I need to take my Cialis and dried apricots bob |
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Smiley Roberts
From:
Hendersonville,Tn. 37075
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Posted 8 Oct 2006 9:14 am
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Okay gang,here's the "KICKER"!!
I spoke w/ Terry Crisp (who is one KILLER steeler) yesterday,at our NTSGA jam. He informed me that he will be celebrating his 50th b'day very soon. He has been working w/ Joe Nichols. He was informed by Joe (or his "people") that his services will NO LONGER BE NEEDED when he turns 50. 'Nuff said for the so-called "new Country 'stars'!!"
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~ ~
©¿© It don't mean a thang,
mm if it ain't got that twang.
[This message was edited by Smiley Roberts on 08 October 2006 at 10:15 AM.] |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 8 Oct 2006 10:15 am
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Smiley, thats a joke right ?
They were just givin' Terry the business, right ?
"Wanted ;young tender aged Steel Player who can play Farewell Party like the over 50 guy we used to have that played it better than anyone on the planet ".....
Maybe the Nichols people need to talk to the Gill people...
I still think they must have been giving Terry the business..
as things go, I'm waiting for my neighbor to throw away his '56 Corvette..I mean afterall, it is 50 years old now...[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 08 October 2006 at 11:16 AM.] |
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Theresa Galbraith
From:
Goodlettsville,Tn. USA
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Posted 8 Oct 2006 10:16 am
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I was shocked Terry was told that Tuesday night after the Opry Spot.
What is Joe thinking or higher UP thinking?
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 8 Oct 2006 10:18 am
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| Read it and weep, boys and girls .... |
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A. Roncetti
From:
Toronto,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 8 Oct 2006 10:42 am
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Smiley if that's true they are going to be sorry !!! Terry will be snatched up by somethin' better
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Purple Fessenden SD-10 4X5
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Joe Miraglia
From:
Jamestown N.Y.
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Posted 8 Oct 2006 1:05 pm
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| That is downright age discrimination! To begin with, he is already working with the man. Seems like Joe N. has an ego problem and then some. Is this something that Terry should go to the union with--or the labor board? How strong is the Musicians Union? Maybe his fans should picket his concerts. Maybe the Opry should boycot performers with his attitude. He isn't that "Big" anyway but with that type of attitude he should be on the 9th rock instead of the 3rd rock singing--you all know what happened to the that 9th rock (Pluto)? Joe [This message was edited by Joe Miraglia on 08 October 2006 at 02:27 PM.] |
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Don Barnhardt
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 8 Oct 2006 6:34 pm
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| The few stars? that I've come in contact with were first rate AH's. I guess Joe Nichols is no exception. |
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Mitch Ellis
From:
Collins, Mississippi USA
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Posted 8 Oct 2006 11:18 pm
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Before I started playing steel,(8 yrs. ago), all I did was strum rythnm and sing. I was the front man and had a steel, lead guitar, drummer, fiddle, and bass. At the time, I was 22. My steel player was about 63, the bass player, around 64, and the fiddle player,around 68. We played every week. when I turned 30, (38 now), I started playing steel. At 34, I got an offer to join a local country band as a steel player. I sang in my band and played steel in 3 other bands until it got to be too much. My lead picker (26 at the time) wanted to quit, couldn't find another one, so my band broke up. We still get together sometimes and jam. I'm still with the band (steel player) that I joined 4 yrs. ago. The lead singer is 76, lead guitar player is 56, bass player is 54, and the rythmn player is 52. Like I said, when I was the front man, my steel player was 63. Because of health problems, he wasn't able to carry his gear so I always carried his steel, amp, and seat and set it all up for him for about 7 years. And it was a pleasure to do it. I was lucky to have him, and the others, in my band. Not only were they great musicians, they were dependable. They were somewhere jammin' when I was still trying to master the G chord on my flat-top. A couple of weeks ago, we got together for a jam, with me singing. The steel player and bass player are both now in their late 70's. At the end of the night, the steel player said "Alright, Mitch. Set us up another one." When I was the front man, I got alot of compliments on my singing. And it was because THEY were behind me. As a 38 yr. old, 8 yr. steel player, I hope I can do the same for our 76 yr. old front man. I'll shut up now.
Mitch |
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Paul Frank Bloomfield
From:
Greece
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Posted 9 Oct 2006 5:45 am
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Reading all the replies about age, what happens when all us oldies snuff it,is there a multitude of youngsters ready to step in to play the steel? I wonder.
Frank Bloomfield,Corfu |
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