The Steel Guitar Forum

Do you get to play in a real country dance hall?
We played at Twin Sisters Dance Hall last night.
It is located in the Texas Hill Country.
It is old. Tin roof, wood floor, picknic tables on each side of a creeky old wood dance floor.
Country people come to dance dressed up in their best jeans cowboy shirts and hats and they bring their kids. The cotton eyed joe is a must as well as the schotish. We play new country and classic country.
Together Again fills the dance flore. Sleep Walk was the last song of the night and the dance floor was full.
Ah.... life is good.

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Gordon Borland
MSA D10,FENDER STEEL KING,

I'm not to the point in my playing where I can go out and gig yet, but when that day comes, I hope to play at a place like you just described!


sounds like a great night!

Sounds like steel guitar heaven alright (for a lot of us anyway). I've played my share of 'em but it's been a while...

An unrelated "Sleepwalk" story... I was playing a fun weekly gig here a few years ago at a very "non country" bar, playing my double 8 "Stringmaster" with a band that played rockabilly, swing, and some 50's era country (Chuck Mead from BR549 was a frequent member, as was guitarist Kenny Vaughan). Anyway there was a beautiful bartender there who would request "Sleepwalk", and the second or third week we did it I played the melody and a solo and then left the stage and asked her to dance... She accepted, and every week after that she'd request it and we'd dance and I'd go back and finish out the tune (needless to say I encouraged long solos from everybody!).

It was a VERY casual gig,and the club owner is a good friend; I don't recommend this to everybody!<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Pete Finney on 05 February 2006 at 11:43 AM.]</p></FONT>

Kenny; how long have you been playing your steel?

The type of dance that Gordon described is a great way to start out on a stage. If you have jammed with a few guys or with an established group, go for the next big step.

You don’t have to be in on every tune nor do you have to do up-front licks, riffs and lead-ins. Just get your feet wet on a simple scale by jumping in whenever you feel comfortable with it.

The gig that Gordon played at are usually simple country folks who wouldn’t dream of nailing your ass to the wall for dropping a few lemons.

Gordon: you just played in a scenario that is almost a thing of the past and something you should cherish. The old country style dances in the old buildings that have big gaps between the boards and everyone stands in a circle on the outside of the floor between dances was mostly pre 1955 era. What a tremendous blast they were.

What would you sacrifice to do a repeat preformance?


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(I am not right all of the time but I sure like to think I am!)

<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Les Anderson on 05 February 2006 at 11:58 AM.]</p></FONT>

Years ago when I was with The New Lee Highway Boys we played a big red barn in Biddeford, Maine that was very much as you describe, and the audience was probably the best country music crowd that I have ever played for. It was a BYOB affair with the dance hall supplying mixers and snacks and those folks were ready to dance all night.

I don't know if it is still there but I sure hope so.

I played a wedding at Anhalt Dance Hall last August. It's one of those, 130 year old-2000 sq ft dance floor-with no airconditioner, dance hall.
The bandstand has big wooden panels you can slide open, so it almost like your playing outside, and there were electric fans in the windows. It was still hot, but a lot of fun.

We play there four times a year and last night they booked us for new years.
I play bars when I get called to fill in for other bands because the worst place to play is better than the best place to just sit idle.
Things for the weekend player go in cycles and here in San Antonio I know that great professional bands like The Bobby Flores Band are reviving the tradition to take country music back to the country dance halls. Some bar bands would not have a clue on
how to put together a good set list for a country dance hall. That is not a throw down on bar bands. I played for years with one of the best bar bands in San Antonio led by Robert Demel. The music is used as a prop.
The real issue is starting the party with the patrons and getting them to buy a lot of drinks. Few know how to party with the crowd better than Robert. Few of the crowd could stay up with Roberts ability to down the shots! Country dances, bar gigs, Weddings,
Private partys, shows and so on all have their own mind set and goal. The common denominator is having the music connect with the people. The steel guitar many times is what makes the event unique and that is the part I enjoy. Its always better to have icing on the cake!

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Gordon Borland
MSA D10,FENDER STEEL KING,

Dave, I've been to Biddeford many times. Never played there, but I can only imagine. Those down east county boys like their country music, that's for sure. That's a backwoods part of Texas up there.

I played Cain's Academy, in Tulsa, (Bass) in a band, on a semi- regular basis, back in the early 60's.

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Dino

Gordon.. I have done many of the type gigs you described.. I have a differnt take on it however.. Its FINE to play for dances, some are great gigs,... however all too often the "dancers" are aloof and somewhat unappreciative.. into thier own dancing and each other and somewhat snooty and arrogant toward the fine musicians playing for them...

Depends on the venue I suppose,, as a rule,I would prefer 50 people who like to LISTEN than 100 that want to dance.. Music is an art to be appreciated, often its treated like a soundtrack to some calorie burning workout.. Just my take on it and there are ALWAYS exceptions,,,, I like listening venues better ,,,,,the folks are generally are less snotty if you don't do Cotton Eye Joe or Can I Have this Dance.......bob

hey Gordon, whats the name of the dance hall near you in Green Texas ? went by there a couple of times when i was in that part of the country

calvin

Sounds exactly like many of my past years.

Bob C,
No doubt a listen venue is mighty fun and big shows are more funner!
There are many little Oper's here and in the surronding area that give you a chance for that.
Playing steel guitar at a real country dance is what I enjoy the most. It allows me to be twenty one and in the game of life and looking forward to a great future for about four hours. Sure reality sets in and we have to break down and load the truck and worry about hitting a dear on the trail home and your back keeps asking why you dont sell that twenty string tank and invest in a harmonaca ...but there's downside to everything. Now you take marriage for instance........uh....opps sorry...forgot which forum I was on......

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Gordon Borland
MSA D10,FENDER STEEL KING,

Calvin,

That would be "Gruene Hall", in Gruene, Texas... Pronounced "Green" though... A classic dance hall for sure with quite a history..

In 1979 I had just moved to Austin and played there with Doug Sahm, co-billed with the cool western swing band "Alvin Crow and the Pleasant Valley Boys"; Herb Steiner was playing with them but ready for a change; I took his place for the next year and a half and still owe him one!

Herb, you can intrepret that however you like!

I played a new years eve gig at Twin Sisters in 1966 ...snow was blowing thru the cracks in the wall of the band stand...We though we were going to freeze...it never got above 20 degrees..one pot belly and thet was it

Gordon, you are right. There is something special about playing for dancers down here. It does not matter if it is a beer joint with an eight foot floor or big hall like you describe.
Bob, I haven't played in NY since Buffalo in '79, but down here I have not run into dancers who are "aloof and somewhat unappreciative". I did not find them up there either. The people on the dance floor are usually focused on the band stand. If they are not, the band should work to catch their attention. Get yourself a ticket and come to the TSGA Jam. I'll figure out how to cover your room. We can hit some local venues so you can see what we mean.

i knew it spelled a little differant it was a pretty nice place, as i recall quite a few big name's have played there

For a long,long time. Jody.

Jess I played in Marbel Falls with a band called Zeek Green and the Rythum Rousers back in the late sixtys. I remember a very well to do young lady ask me to take a ride in her XKE jag. I quit looking when we hit
one hundred miles an hour. Getting back on the bandstand after that break was over even the blind bass player (Ted Lacy) as me what was wrong. I was shaking so hard I invented vibrato for rhytum guitar.

Hey Bob, I'd like to point out that there is a great big difference to playing to a club full of dancers in the midwest/back east/or up north that have just learned how to dance in the last few years because it's the in thing to do and playing a real country gig back in the sticks with folks that are sometimes 3rd and 4th generation country dancers. The latter do seem to really enjoy the music and they do tend to drink more beer and not cokes and coffee that the newer dancers do.

The dancers that I'm talking about have been underneath a car all week fixing the transmission and all the while listening to the local am radio just to hear Merle and George once in a while and live to get to the honky tonk/dance hall on Saturday night to let'er rip a bit.

On the other hand the snobbish dancers that have learned how to dance at the local club on thursday nights for the last year want to impress everyone with their new skills and pretty new boots as well as treat the band like it was a juke box.

I have actually heard dance instructors tell their students that the band is the worse music you will ever dance to and always try to dance on break where they play real country music from the juke box or DJ that we use to teach you on.

Now I'm sure some where along the way you have played for the true music lovers crowd that I refer to that clap after every song and wait with bated breath for the next 2 step and then they go back to their table and guzzle the heck out of a hot long neck out of necessity and order another one while they go and dance it off letting the next one get hot too.

I've been on both sides of that dance hall and club and brother give me the country dance hall any day!

This post was not meant to say you are wrong but just to let you know that there are crowds around the country that do appreciate the musicians and love the music we play and don't look at us like a CD player

Big Bob

:-0 what a terrible speller I am!<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Big Bob Martin on 06 February 2006 at 01:30 AM.]</p></FONT>

Big Bob's nailed it, the country dance-hall people of years ago and the post-Urban Cowboy line dancers and two-steppers are NOT the same.

please don't be so quick to pull the trigger...

We are on regular rotation at a TRUE CM Dance Hall...family oriented..no alcohol..

Shoafs Wagon Wheel, Salisbury NC...been there for I think about 40 years...


Very large building built specifically for the purpose of Dances and Live Bands...

Fri nights maybe 300, Sat nights maybe 400..
Line Dances , every type, age groups from 5 years old right up to probably 80..

The Dance floor is packed EVERY song..New , old, classic, Rock, and the the Paul Jones segments which is a requirement .

I think it's pretty thin to assume that this stuff is not going on or not like the old days...Here in NC there is at least 3 or 4 of these clubs here in the Salisbury , Hickory area...

The problem with these clubs is not attendance , they can't find enough bands that can cut the gig ! It is a demanding gig for the band I will admit...classics right up to current on the radio...


The owners sit up on the far side of the stage with us ( and the other bands ) and they have a great time along with us...when the band is not playing they play the CD's and keep the dancing going....they start at 7:30..folks are lined up to get in..Band goes from 8:30 to 12:30...

so yeah..I do get to play at an old time CW Dance Hall..except without the Booze...

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TPrior
TPrior Steel Guitar Homesite
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<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 06 February 2006 at 03:25 AM.]</p></FONT>

Been doing it most of my musical life....pubs clubs..Barns.....outdoors on the back of trucks...pidgeons leaving a :Message "on my cowboy hat......loved nothing more than to play a country dance.....just played the music...never said what the dance would be "cos I didnt know"!!!!"...just let them sort it out.....bring a plate.....guys sneaking out the back to their cars for a snort.
I still remember a place about 40 mins from here...little wooden village hall........had a great time there......but the best was to see a sign on the wall ..NO STOMPIN!!!!!!...cracked me up

Tony Prior:

I don't think anyone was saying that the old-style country dance halls are completely extinct. Just pretty da*n rare.

I believe Big Bob's post (and definitely mine) were aimed more at Bob C's remark about "unappreciative dancers", etc. That is more the new Urban-Cowboy type, and is most likely a lot more prevalent than the old style. It has been in my experience. The fact that you seem to have found a few of them in your area that are "true country dance halls" - in your opinion - also doesn't mean that the rest of the country is chock full of them... Fact is the number of them has declined to a fraction of what used to be.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 06 February 2006 at 04:32 AM.]</p></FONT>

Jim I hear ya..

Since I started playing out again maybe 4 years ago I have played several locations, sure , not the typical Texas Dance Hall bulidings, but local Large Dwellings where on Fri and Sat nights the places are jam packed full of Dancers...appreciative ones...


I sat in for a friend about a month ago at one of them and it was still jam packed...and they wanted Steel Guitar Instrumentals to boot !

Not everyone can live in Texas so the rest of the Country just started using the Legions and Moose Halls...and still do...

Bob C. has a different take,...

Mine is..maybe the dancers are waiting for a song they want to dance to...

thats not the Dancers fault....



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TPrior
TPrior Steel Guitar Homesite
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