Country music is dead in S'port. I'm moving! Where?

Charles Dempsey · From: Shongaloo, LA

I put my picks down in 1988, and for the next 12 years I raised babies. In March 2000 I picked them up again, and it was like a whole new world. I have been beating my head against a wall for almost 8 years trying to get a country gig going!

This burg used to be called "The Cradle of the Stars". That was 40 years ago. It's a great place to raise kids, but now all the musicians I can find are punks and "metalheads".

I'm going where the country music is. Someplace where people are excited about playing and listening to country. Anybody know where that is?

We don't really like Dallas, Houston, LA, Chicago or NYC. Other than that the house is open. We plan to visit Nashville and Austin in the next month or two just to check it out.

We want to stay away from places where people don't mind their manners. God knows, lawyers are expensive.

Any suggestions?

Charlie

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I am getting by ok in NYC wich is a truly great city for music.( also just a truly great place ) If I were to move and my primary goal was to play music I would look at Berlin, Germany and Oslo, Norway. Plenty of opportunities for a decent steel player and a generally much better lifestyle than we have in the U.S. They really love that Americana type music which is one of the last places for real country type steel playing.
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Bob

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

Yeah, go to Nashville or Austin if you want to meet a bunch of other steel players looking for gigs -- you'll find a BUNCH of them there.

Welcome to Century 21. The 'house gig' is gone. Many of the clubs that feature country are also gone. I can remember moving into a club first week in the month, playing 3 or 4 nights / wk for the month and then moving on to the next one. I suspect from your post that you do too. I wish you luck finding it but it is really tough finding enough work to keep you busy. If you do find a country gig, be prepared to do a lot of rock and new country (much of which is 80s rock with cowboy hats and boots).

The best place to find country music these days is in the 'critter clubs' (Moose, Eagles, Elks, etc.) or the Vets' clubs (VFW, AmVets, etc.). Unfortunately, the pay ain't great but you will find some folks who really enjoy listening to country music. Sometimes even those venues cater more to classic rock than classic country.

As one who relocated 4 or 5 years ago, I can also tell you that if you are not good at networking and seeking out the gigs it can take a long time to get established. I hate to paint such a bleak picture, but you are very observant -- the gig scene has changed A LOT in the past 15 or 20 years.

Good luck. Choose the right community first -- one that has a climate and social environment that suits you. Look in the suburbs and outlying areas for small town clubs and 'local oprys' and stuff like that. Then you have to find one that needs a steel player. It can be done. I feel fortunate to be playing 2-3 nights/wk not TOO far from home. I wish the same or better for you.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
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Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

What Larry Bell Said.

County Fairs, State Fairs Private gigs are accessable nearly only through "stalking" the bands that you find that are playing them and getting a job with them.

Other than that Critter Clubs are the best bet.

Same thing. Go out and find whatever crappy band has a lock on some dead end night-of-the-living-dead joint for whatever twisted reason and go take somebody's job.

Just like in the First Depression, Music IS going to be one of the few things that's going to "increase". the bad news is that it ain't gonna increase that much from what it is right now which is s#!t..

The people I know that have done the best lately have moved down there and getting day jobs working for FEMA doing "cleanup". The bad news is that FEMA doesn't pay it's bills.

Good luck.

EJL

Jody Sanders · From: Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.

Gone.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Another venue that IS going to open up according to Trend Research. ( Google it)

Revolutionary Coffee Shops/Alternative Night Clubs.

You might have to pretend to be one, or be in surroundings that don't "suit you", but there's gonna be a huge groundswell of people that are angry, broke, and what money they can scgounge up they'll gladly spend for a couple beers and a place to get out and vent.

I've got a couple in the neighborhood to check out as this "thing" gets worse and worse.

T Bills are at a Minus Level. The Prime Rate is too. Anything lower than 5 doesn't cover the cost of handling money. The more people that dive out, the lower it will go. The elevator is falling too fast to pull it up by twisting the "arrow".

Good luck.

I plan on having internet service long enough to watch most of it. Living as long as I can afford hormone blockade therapy or it's non-fractalising predecessor..

John Conally, the vilified Senator from Texas once said. "If people knew what was going on, there'd be a revolution."

Well, thanks to The Internet, people do..

Like I said, Good luck.

EJL

Brandon Ordoyne · From: Needville,Texas USA

Blanco's Bar and Grill, is the only bar in the Houston Area that is true country...

Brandon
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Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Eric, my friend, you see clearly. It is surely coming, and you will see it. Payback is going to be a @#$%!, and well deserved. It will be historic. I am currently remaking myself into a country front man so that I can employ other country musicians. I think that the shortage out there has to do with country front men or women. All I need at that point is steel, fiddle, bass and drums. This way I can get some country musicians working.

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

Because of an astonishing combination of NIMBY-ism (Not-In-My-Back-Yard) and corporations who insist on extracting every last cent from their resources to pay their shareholders instead of re-investing, there hasn't been a major electrical plant built in the Northeast United States for 35 years. Even if you built solar plants and wind farms out west, there are no power grids to pump the juice. I'd SERIOUSLY look to acoustic music for the future - ALL-acoustic... invest in generator stocks, and learn how to convert suburban housing developments into mule-plowed small family farms, you'll be all set. Mr. Green

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Smart David. The grid will be built in the next 8 years. Guaranteed.

Henry Nagle · From: Santa Rosa, California

I agree with David. Electricity will pass, like bell bottom pants. Just another 20th century human fad.

I think you can scratch northern California off your list of potential country and western oasis'.

I know that Austin is kind of crowded, but I wouldn't write it off entirely. It seems like a great town, and if you're a country music fan there's always something to see. You won't make a living, but you'll likely be able to find people to play with/

H

Charles Dempsey · From: Shongaloo, LA

Roual Ranes · From: Atlanta, Texas, USA

Charles,
Other than the Oaklawn Opry there are about seven one night gigs around here. Five of them have trouble drawing enough to pay a band. The only thing that is doing well is a "country disco".
We have several D.J.'s doing ok though. From what I have heard it is about the same everywhere.

Tommy Shown · From: Denham Springs, La.

Don't feel so sad. it's the same in Baton Rouge. I have been putting want ads out looking for work with a band. I told my wife my that If I want to get any where with my music ,is to move to some place like Austin, Branson,Mo. or any place else in Texas.
There is no demand for Country Music bands in Louisiana. If you play Cajun, or any other genre you'll do good.

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

Someone mentioned coffee shops as a possible growing alternative. Hhmmmmm, three members of our band did a three week end, afternoons, coffee shop gig here in our home town and would have walked if we had not signed onto a contract.

Our little corner was floor level, about enough room for 1 1/2 people; we had two amps plugged into one electrical outlet and, I think about the only people who paid any attention to us were the one's who asked us to turn the volume down so they could talk without being disturbed.

Charles Dempsey · From: Shongaloo, LA

Sam White R.I.P. · From: Coventry, RI 02816

Charlie I have been to many States and we liked the Smithfield North Carolina area the best for Steel Guitar playing. There is always a Mid Atlantic Steel Jam going on. We are thinking about moving down there again for the Third time and staying there.
Sam White
Pres.NESGA

john buffington · From: Owasso OK - USA

As per what Jody said, "Country Venues are hard to find" Amen to that! I played Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa this past weekend, Sunday night as a matter of fact. Cain's is the known as "the house Bob built" (Bob Wills) and the rest of the week nights has hard rock, heavy metal or whatever they call it but no country music. This is Tulsa, OK., home of the former KVOO AM1170 where traditional country and western swing was once played - now the station is talk radio. Where do you hear or play country music up here - you'll drive 50+ miles from Tulsa to play it. You'll hear country as the world knows it today, but not as a steel player knows it! Sad thing is, people are so starved for real traditional country music, rarely turn out for a local dance for fear of being disappointed in what they assume they'll hear. The band I do work in does play traditional country, and boy do I feel blessed to be a part of them. The folks that do know of us are avid supporters of country music and the band, and are spreading the word that traditional country is alive and well with us!
John Buffington

Henry Nagle · From: Santa Rosa, California

"Between the hippies with their tofu decaf mocha lattes, the nubie pubertal crowd with their iPhone/iPods, and the yuppie parents with their small human accessories about two people actually listened to the music. Then the bass vibrated the tiki god off the shelf. Fortunately I caught it. "

Careful, I fit all those descriptions to some degree. Congrats on catching the Tiki God- somewhere, somehow, you will be rewarded for that! Smile

Jerry Dragon · From: Gate City Va.

I am moving to Tulsa in three years. Not for music, but I sure hope there is more going on there than here.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

I wonder at times if it isn't the fault of bands that the club work has died some for country music.In my 50 plus years of playing on and off the road i could see the changes coming.Too many musicians had to have more and more what are now called stomp boxes to clutter up the music and irritate the customers.
I have worked the road with bands that could play any style.And believe me we played some places where we played music we didn't like.But doing it for a living is a must.
I have played in supper clubs where the singer didn't use a mike but did have a strong voice.How many bands in the last several years could play that quite so as not to drown out the singer?
Yes,in some clubs i used a fuzz but watched my vovlume and also used a leslie.Maybe things have changed but i doubt country music fans can still stand to hear a lead player blasting with a fuzz tone and the drummer playing with bass ball bats.
The last week end job i was supposed to play which was on a Fri.and Sat.night i didn't go back Sat night.The guitar player set his amp right by mine and never shut that #@#% fuzz tone off.And the bass player and drummer were trying to see who could be the lousdest so thay could play the lead i suppose.
If i ran a band which i have in the past not that i wanted to,just got stuck with it.I would never dream of hiring a musician who could not set his or her vovlume with out depending on a sound man.
I am only trying to be helpful cuz i"ve been down that road before.lol.Tracy
Oh yeah,and on my last gig on our first song the customers started moving back far as they coud get from the band stand due to the volume until they were gone.
Why was i the only one who noticed that?

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I often enjoy playing quiet background music at cafes and bars. If the players and music are happening its nice to watch people quiet there friends down so they can hear the band. There are many aspects of casual gigs that don't like but its not all bad.

Charlie, I share many of your misanthropic traits but I guess I enjoy playing music enough to try to not let it get in the way.
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Bob

Lavelle Pierce · From: huntsvile,ar 72740

charles i live close to branson eureka springs and harrson the ar a lots shows, welcome my wife use to live at sheresport and brothers inlaw

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

When we played the coffee shop in our town, we were given the music scores that the owners wanted played. We complied.

The volume was actually about 60% lower than what we would normally play. I doubled on bass and steel, our vocalist plays lead guitar and bass and we didn't have a drummer merely because of the room given to us. My little Fender, Princeton reverb was turned down to #3 - #4 so how much lower could we have taken things.

I just wouldn't recommend coffee shop settings for regular income gigs unless the places are setup to accommodate a live band and the band can play that type of music.

As for finding a place where classic country is the mainstay? Hey, though I love the classics, the times have changed; that era is in our past. My problem is, I am just plain tired of all the changes I have had to make over 55 years of playing music.
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