So what Instrument are we mostly playing on gigs these days

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Just kinda wondering how the music scene is going around each of our area's..

For me, not much Steel but a ton of Dobro. Seems a majority of the gigs where I played Steel are kinda lost in the North Carolina Pine Needles ( Charlotte area) . Of course there are a few bands playing country around the area which do have a Steel player but the fact of the matter is I think they are working way too cheap, I have knowledge of $200 for a 5 piece band and have been offered a slot with one of them...Nahh..I'll pass.

For me it's been more Dobro leaning Bluegrass with Americana and traditional songs in between. I love these gigs. Simple load in load out, condenser mic for the Dobro, no amp to carry, short gigs, normally two hours with very good pay. As I get older, those gigs that end at 1:30 AM an hour from home , even for $100 or more , just don't carry much weight with me anymore. IT seems I am now fairly busy with duo or trio gigs.

So what about you guys and gals..hows it going in your area's..busy, not busy, Steel, not Steel ? And don't forget to tell us where you are...

t
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Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

There's a new Country bar here in Portland where a lot of Steel players are playing Pedal Steel.
It's a pretty small place, but most shows have been well attended and folks are enthusiastic about the music.
They pay a percent of the Till during the time you play, plus a $50 bar tab for the band (I don't drink but always get a BLT w/chips n' salsa before the show).
Hard core traditional and/or original country is very "In" around here, and you can catch a steel player many nights of the week.
I'm not lying now... There are actually pretty girls there who come over and tell me they Luuuuv Pedal Steel!
They run a 6-8pm slot and a 9-12pm slot, with bands 7 days a week filling those slots, many with steel players.
I've made $20-40 for the 6-8pm slot, and $40-60 for the 9-12 slot (plus a meal).
It's 7 miles from home and I can typically park right out front and wheel my gear right to the stage.
My rig is three pieces... Sierra S12U (I transport it fully setup these days), Steel seat, 70's Peavey Session 400. I have a small dolly for loading amp/seat.
Most joints in Portland are paying in the $50 buck a guy range and have multi band shows.
There are also corporate gigs, festivals, and weddings that pay more in the $100-$250 a guy range.
Alot of the groups that play originals often get opening slots for nationally touring acts at the local theaters and ballrooms.
All in all... Keep yer day job! On the otherhand, I haven't had to stop at an ATM for walkin' cash since this place opened (I play in three bands that play there).
My consistently best paying gig with best audience attendance is with a Grateful Dead Tribute Band.

fwiw I haven't seen any gigging Dobro players here in town. Occasionally I see a Steel player who will grab the Dobro for a song or two during a set.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

when i started in the early '70's, $50 a night was the going rate.
now 40 years later you can make $40/night.
i shy away from less than $100 a night these days but think about it. get your little inflation calculator out to see how much your talent has dropped in value.
just in terms of respect, that should be enough for anyone to say 'screw you'.
this is partly because musicians have allowed it.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

tony...you're right. the dobro/acoustic group thing is much more attractive these days.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

Just my opinion... but, Here's the reason that being a Musician doesn't pencil out...
No one ever hollars out, "Is there a Musician on board?!?!... during an emergency.
Or, Oh no, now I'm going to have to call my Musician... this is gonna cost me.
Or, We need to higher a Pedal Steel Guitar operater for this project.
Most folks don't get paid at all for enjoying their hobby.
Model trains anybody?
fwiw, I steer as many gigs as possible to guys trying to make it playing full time.
There's more bands that want Steel than there are Steel players.
I've flip flopped on the screw you thing tons of time over the years.
Sometimes I actually like to play the durn thing, though.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I play my 8 string Desert Rose pedal steel on most gigs. That's what bandleaders always hire me to play.

Other instruments are my own projects. For example, I play electric bass in Coppermill, a rock & modern country cover band, and I play non-pedal steel in Rice & Bean, a reggae, rock and oldies duo. I also play marimba once a month at the Cloverdale Music Workshop. Nobody ever hires me to play marimba. Oh Well

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chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

A handful of shows each month (and an album every year or two) with Ron Rogers and the Wailing Wind, sometimes opening for other artists at the larger venues, mostly working in a handful of smaller clubs that have made us - and our crowd - feel comfortable. Last night we played the 6-8pm happy hour set at the Landmark before Pete's band came on, the night before we dropped by to catch Doug Jones with Andrea B et al; fact is there'a steeler on stage at the Landmark Saloon at some point nearly every night these days.

There are a number of younger players coming onto the scene here who seem to get regular work with both traditional and original acts, Americana seems to have been re-discovered these days so there is a lot of pedal steel activity in these parts.

That being said, the way things are out here it's not going to work out so well if you're counting the beans before you take the gig, often there are three or four (or more) bands onstage on a given night so there's not much money to be made there, it's a buyers market in this town and you had best be out to play for the playing and the company or leave it at home. There are reasons other than the money to take part however, after all, sanity and safety is where you find it here in the new century.

A handful of shows do pay $150 - $200 per player, but our Friday happy hour paid about that for the whole band. Still I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else, the girls got to dance and visit, and while Pete had to stay and work all night, we all made it home by 10pm, civilized hours Smile

Bear in mind that there are some venues that we do not feel so "safe and sane" in, but as long as the Landmark folk truly care about the music and go all out to to make it a comfortable time for everyone involved we'll be hanging there. My only complaint is the stage lights there are set up in such a way as to make it really hard to see the fret markers so there is a lot playing by braille, only without the raised dots...

Otherwise, my picking schedule includes a handful of traditional western concerts at fairs, wineries, etc., with Joni Harms, occasional recording sessions, and stretching the conceptual box with jazz and classical friends.

I'm packing four pieces most of the time, my white D10 Emmons; pack-seat; 4-ru floor rack with tuner, SGBB, Hilton PSU and effects processing; Randall SGA500 amp, and a little red dolly to wheel the Emmons about with. I have my eye on taking on a D10 Super-Pro project so there may be another ShoBud in my future...

Smaller shows I often take out the Fender BDR instead of the Randall, and omit the floor rack altogether; either way I most often use the Emmons pot pedal and keep the Hilton on hand as a backup.
I get pretty much no call for dobro, but it's here ready to go, with a wireless lav mic to get it nicely into the PA if need be.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

My playing as a professional musician was from 1960
to 1992,Mainly playing 6 string guitar.In the early 60's, we made twenty dollars a piece. my last playing job in N.Y. we were getting
300.00 for a four piece band doing 50's music. I tried to get 350.00 out of the bar owner. He said he wouldn't pay 350.00 even If It was Elvis!
When I moved to Georgia, I put together a trio. My daughter on drums and a bass player. We played the
American legion in Winder,Ga. First we were taking the door,Then I finally got them to give us 250.00
a night.I think the 10 times we played there It worked out to about $48.00 A piece. All's I know is I humped a lot of musical equipment to that job. Oh yeh It was a three hour gig 9to12. Tennessee Lee
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Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

I play with a lot of different bands and sometimes solo. I play steel and electric guitar for many of the gigs, but sometimes guitar only and sometimes dobro and/or acoustic guitar.
I take most any gig that is fun to play. Some pay great some marginal. I like the variety. This week I've played a duo with me on acoustic my son on bass, a solo, 2 gigs with my band with me on steel and guitar, a dobro gig last night. Tonight steel and guitar, Tomorrow a 5-7 gig steel and guitar and another 9-12:30 gig with steel and guitar.
Pete,I disagree a bit about talented players getting paid well. There are many very talented players all around the country and world who haven't got the break to be in the top paying gigs who might be just as deserving. Not saying Tommy White, Paul Franklin and other top Nashville players aren't deserving, just saying there's many great unsung players, too. You've got a bunch of wonderful players, you included, down there in Portland.
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chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

yeah pete..the top 1% in any profession get payed on a totally different scale. i know lots of very talented pickers working for crap pay.

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

These days I have a lot more gigs playing jazz guitar than I do playing steel.
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Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

Theres Nothing going on here where I live. If you go to Athens, Georgia theirs a lot of young guys playing new country, and their working these clubs for the door. So their playing to a young crowd. I'm not complaining, But I'm not going to do after all these years of getting paid, go out and play with no guarantee of getting paid. The young guys are ambitious, they want to get out and play theirs nothing wrong with that. Me at 73, just a bystander now. Tennessee Lee
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John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

I've been lucky enough to play steel through the summer with a nice local band. May have a couple of more gigs before the end of the year. I've enjoyed it!

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I don't suggest anyone not play for the door, if I was living in Nashville I am sure I would frequent Broadway, at least for a while...or as long as they would have me . Referring to Paul, Tommy etc, they are not playing weekly club gigs , they are far replaced from that , as they should be. The other 99.9% of us are !

I played 3 gigs this week on Dobro in a BGrass trio. One was a small luncheon 12 to 2, that was ok, the second was a small concert at a Church, not gospel, they sponsor B Grass bands twice a month, we didn't know it was a concert so it became real serious real fast ! It was the best gig this week playing for about 300 listeners. Last night we played a 4 pc'r BGrass at a Tennis Club, we played on the Tennis Court facing the balcony. The party ended an hour early, they turned out the lights on the balcony , everyone left and nobody told us to stop playing as we were still rockin' out on the Tennis Court ! Finally we got the hint..We do this gig every year though, it's still a nice gig with really nice people. Finally the gal in charge came back and we all had a short beer together..

Next week it's two gigs on Bass....

t
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Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

I play almost as many jobs on banjo as steel. On steel guitar, I work with a few local Country/Southern Rock bands when additional money is available for an added piece. Due to the nature of the pay scale at present however, I find myself taking work more for the enjoyment than the pay. If the venue appears pleasant to play and the guys in the group are easy to work with, I usually accept the offer.

Eric Philippsen · From: Central Florida USA

I'm fortunate to be able to play pedal steel with a good band around Indy here. We play as much as we want to. It's a good thing because no one in the band has an attitude and, as older guys, we've all been around the block a whole lot more than once. It's also the type of band where we simply learn the skeleton of a tune and, after that, everyone is given free rein to play. 9 out of 10 times I'll play a push-pull for pedal steel gigs.

I also play 6-string in a jazz quintet. THAT definitely keeps me on my toes because the other guys are all huge, killer players. I thank the good Lord my teacher taught me to read charts when I was a beginner. There is no piano player and that makes me the only rhythm instrument. I love it. I almost always play a Gibson 175 for these jobs.

We play as much as we want although, if I took the bull by the horns, so to speak, I could probably book the quintet a lot more.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I'm still doing traditional country music with my Franklin.

Our band does a weekly show (for the last 3 years) and also alternate Friday nights at a local American Legion. We have occasional other dance gigs and have NYE booked (booked since last NYE).

Actually, I'm doing more than I want to do, at age 75. I quit a 14 year run at one place to "cut down" and it seems I'm doing more.

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

That's great jack. Locality could have a lot to do with finding work, also the pool of musician's you
know. Could be you have a lot of retirees in that area that embrace that music. I'm amazed that you have to turn work away playing traditional country. That's not happening up here. The groups working steady up here are playing everything, southern rock, classic rock and some traditional country. I only saw one steel player in a band in an Athens,
Georgia V.F.W. in the last seven years I've been out scouting around. Tennessee Lee
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b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I was reminded by a good forum friend that Paul, Mike and a few others do have some local gigs in town ( Nashville) playing for the door, and yes of course I know this as I have been to see them all and gladly paid the price. These guys are the A team and I am certain they are glad to get out and cut loose . Those guys, ex: The Time Jumpers, playing for the door with an expected sold out show is not quite the same as the local bands I play with hoping for 25 people to come in and stay. Shocked

Regardless, my intention here is to not discuss playing for the door on any gig or getting paid big bucks, I am just kinda asking what are we all doing in various locations and what instruments are we playing ? I still play for the door now and then , I do not have a problem with it but I certainly prefer a 2 hour gig on Dobro getting paid !

If playing for the door is ok with any of us then that would be a good thing if you are having a good time .
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Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

I do almost 100% Pedal steel gigs these days ... sometimes with dobro as well, but I can't remember the last time I did a gig on 6 string guitar

all my sessions are pedal steel along with some dobro.
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Don Griffiths · From: Steelville, MO

Thanks for mentioning the Cloverdale Music Workshop bOb.
That sounds perfect for me. I will be sure to bring my banjo Laughing

My wife wants to bring her native american flute that I made for her that is not tuned to any particular key or scale. And my stepdaughter wants to bring her bongos. Crying or Very sad

On a serious note,it appears there is a great Pedal Steel scene going on in Portland.
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Rick Schacter · From: Portland, Or.

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