The Steel Guitar Forum

Well, it's another season in the Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg area and the music scene for the most part is not looking any better. I moved up here 12 years ago because of talk that this might become another Branson, but I was wrong. Overall music jobs for steel players is getting worse instead of better. Right now there are 4 theatres in Pigeon Forge that are completely shut down and one other which went from a music show to a magic show and the only musician they are using is a drummer. Also, of course, pay scales either stay the same or go down for the most part, and we, the musicians, are supposed to accept whatever they offer to pay with a smile, which in most cases is 25 years behind times in relation to the cost of living, so people wonder why I have a bad attitude.

Anyhow, so much for that, but the main reason for this post is that my old buddy, Doc Peters and I are going to be doing a duo at a new retaurant which is opening tomorrow night. We hope this might develop into something. If any of you happen to be in the area tomorrow night, please come by and check it out. Doc will be playing guitar and doing some vocals, but for the most part we are going to be playing background instrumentals.

The restaurant is called: Route 66 Roadhouse and is located on Hwy 66, which is the main road from I-40 into Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. The restaurant is on the right hand side of the street, and I would guess it is about 3 or 4 miles from I-40. We will be playing from 8:00p.m.-10:00p.m. tomorrow night. If we add anymore nights, I will post them. Also, I'm going to try to get my bass player, pal, Ben Brogdon to drop by and sit in.

We hope to see you there, as if we can get this rolling I think it would be a boost for steel guitar in this area, showing that steel can play more than just intros and turnarounds behind singers.

Herby Wallace

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Hi Herby, Good luck on your new venture. Hope to see you down the road. Jody,

Sevierville is mirroring most of the areas of the country.

Please say hello to Doc for me. I met him last year at the Plant City steel show.

Tell it like it is Herby, and go getum!

Bill

How does Brogdon find time to pick? He e-mails me between 80 and 230 jokes per day! And three or four are actually funny!

Serously, good luck with the new gig, though we all know you both are severely underemployed... or is that "Sevier-ly?"

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Herbie.
Good Luck to you and Doc on your new venture. I hope it takes off. As soon as the people Know that YOU are there..you should fill the place.I'm going to try to make it down there next week.
Your friend from Church Hill
Bob Hayes

Hey Herby....good luck and say "hello" to Doc for me. If "Big" Ben happens to drop by, do what ever you can to get the most out of him..ha..ha .
....Roy

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Music is a "gift" with many wrappings....
....Roy

Herby, didn't see your notice until this evening, too late for me to get in...let us know how things went and any more dates...Pat

Herby:
I still think you otta consider what we talked about last year...."Herby Wallace's Steel Guitar Cafe". Have you doing on the Steel what Eddie does over at the Heart & Soul. Just my 2 cents worth. I guarantee it would be my favorite place to eat. Nick

Herby.....my last time through the Gatlinburg area was about the time you moved there, and it was so busy that we almost failed to find a place to stop. It's sad that the current music trend is having such an effect on places like that all over the country.

Good luck on your current venture...maybe you will be the one to turn things around down there. (By the way, everything you told me about the Hilton has been 100% correct)

Gene www.genejones.com

Herby: Anote to wish you well in your coming one-night stand. Hope it gets bigger and better for you. It was great to have the pleasure to meet and make your acquaintance in Grand Rapids. Your playing was great. You will rmemeber me by 4 Wheel Drive at 7:30 in the evening. If my first message makes it, excuse it as the new kid troubles with the forum.

Herby,

Good Luck on your endeavor! Say Hello to Doc for me. I wondered what had happened to him. I don't think you want Pigeon Forge to be another Branson. There's not much work here for steel players, either. Many of the shows have gone to canned music, and the ones using live musicians are, for the most part not using steel players. A few of them have utility players who play steel on a couple songs. The pay here isn't very well, either. I know some of the locals who have 2 and 3 jobs a day, and are still just barely getting by. If I weren't working for Roy, I probably wouldn't be here. I don't mind having to starve to death, but I hate having to work hard as can be while I'm doing it.

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