Hows the scene in Nashville ?

Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

Times are tough up here in Beantown. I'm looking for steady work. Hows things in Nashville for steel / utility player ?
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Emmons, Franklin, Mullen

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

As the late great Bobbe Seymour once told me about the Nashville scene, "I can get you a gig tonight, but tomorrow's gig is on you ". Meaning, there are many great players in town but fitting in is a totally different subject.

We all know many players in town, a few I know have been busy for decades, still are. I also know several fine players who went and came back saying it's too hard to get regular work and stay busy. They blamed the scene, saying it's too difficult to break in.
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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

Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

thanks Tony I hear you
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Emmons, Franklin, Mullen

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Ask Johnny Cox about the current Nashville scene. He moved back expecting to get steady work but couldn't get work or at least enough to support his family.

Johnny is now driving truck for Tyson Foods.

Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

Don R Brown · From: Rochester, New York, USA

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I think going to Nashville and having expectations of supporting a family working downtown in the clubs is highly subjective. I also think going to Nashville feeling like we are going to land the career gig is also very suspect.

We would be going to a town full of great guitar players and great Steel players who already live there. That could be a potential roadblock ! Shocked

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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

Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

yeah. not good. thanks for the replies.
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Emmons, Franklin, Mullen

Mike Holder · Posted 13 Jul 2017 6:29 am

Ask yourself this; do you want to always wonder what could have been? Or know you had the fortitude to come here & try. If you can't make it here it will be for many reasons but you did try. Want to be the big fish in the little pond who got caught one day and didn't taste good or the kid from bean town who brought a different kind of sound with them...Bucky Baxter, Buck Reid, Mike Daily, Pete Finney..all working & very different styles, all glad they came here...me too, I came here and now I drive a bus, not cause there's no work or I can't play or it's too hard and I'm really glad I came here, got my ass kicked and realized why the great players are great..I didn't work as hard nor did I sacrifice as much. Paul Franklin can play anything because he wants to and sat down & learned it..practice, dedication, sacrifice! Johnny Cox doesn't have to take a back seat to anyone, and he doesn't have to drive a truck because there's no work here, he wants to drive the truck. You're not owed a living here but if you want one & will work for it you'll find one. Karen you should come here & try..put a time limit of no less than six months and hit the streets & clubs running, go for broke. If it's not for you I bet old Beantown won't seem so cold anymore in the winter...just an opinion.
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I thought Nashville was the roughest, but I know I’ve said the same about them all.
I received my education, drivin through the Nation listenin to Paul!.. ( Franklin that is! )

Don R Brown · From: Rochester, New York, USA

Mike Holder · Posted 13 Jul 2017 6:41 am

There's only one person who knows for sure, and he's driving a truck!
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I thought Nashville was the roughest, but I know I’ve said the same about them all.
I received my education, drivin through the Nation listenin to Paul!.. ( Franklin that is! )

DG Whitley · Posted 13 Jul 2017 6:47 am

I cannot for the life of me remember the Forumite who has this in his signature line, but it goes something like this: "Die With Memories, Not Dreams". Made sense to me so I am doing the best I can to live my dreams, and let them be memories.

Best wishes to all living their dreams.

Mike Holder · Posted 13 Jul 2017 6:53 am

What a powerful sentiment, Thanks for sharing..very inspiring, best of luck on your journey!
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I thought Nashville was the roughest, but I know I’ve said the same about them all.
I received my education, drivin through the Nation listenin to Paul!.. ( Franklin that is! )

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

You don't have to be great. Just good enough to cover the parts on the artist records. I doubt very few of the new artist would even want a great player. Age, and attitude go way further these days. If you're a utility player? That's a huge plus.

If you're young? No family to support. Don't mind working for cheap.(At least initially.) And really want to do it. I say give it a shot.

b.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

According to Johnny's Facebook posts, he couldn't get work or enough work. What was the reason(S) or what transpired only Johnny can answer that. I only know what he posted.

Barry Blackwood · Posted 13 Jul 2017 7:50 am

Ask Jamie Lennon...

Mike Holder · Posted 13 Jul 2017 8:07 am

Jack; I don't argue Johnny doesn't want what work Nashville currently has to offer him per say, only trying to say that there is work here if you want it. I think Bobby hit the nail on the head with his reply. All roads lead to Rome here, the trick is are you getting eaten by the lions or playing for the Gods!..LOL ! Don't be afraid to fail if the reason is because you tried, that's mostly what I'm trying to project with my comments. Thanks
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I thought Nashville was the roughest, but I know I’ve said the same about them all.
I received my education, drivin through the Nation listenin to Paul!.. ( Franklin that is! )

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

The thing is for road work. Youth trumps talent. Session work a different story. I may get flamed for this. But I shouldn't. It's only my opinion. Which is worth what it cost you.

If Paul Franklin where to move to Nashville today. As and unknown, no contacts etc. He would struggle to get a gig with today's hot young artist. Simply, because of his age. Now older established artist Like Vince, Reba, etc. Not so much. Because they want good players and don't care how old they are. Neither does their following which for the most part are older.

Young people want to see young people on stage. At least that's been my experience.

b.

Don R Brown · From: Rochester, New York, USA

In the words of the song,

"I'd rather be sorry for something I've done
than for something that I didn't do"

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Karen, steady club work?.From what I know of nashville from friends that have been there and failed is this- If you actually get some club dates, the money is laughable for the most part, probably less than we see here in the northeast. Simply too many great musicians looking for a piece of a small pie.. Lots of good players there work club dates for gas money, and work day jobs . At least thats how it used to be, maybe things have improved. If I were looking to actually make a living at playing my axes, and weren't attached, and was a LOT younger, I would move to texas in a heartbeat..I think you will do a lot better there than nashville, and I wold ask some of our friends here from texas about it... bob
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I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!

no gear list for me.. you don't have the time......

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Karen,
I would look at your situation in Boston. Is there anybody making a living there playing music ? If there is, what are they doing that you don't do ?

If you can work that stuff out you can be busy anywhere.

Nashville is great but so is Boston.
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Bob

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Check out Craigslist here in my area. See what you find.

Surprised

Click Here
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Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande

There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.

Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Mike Holder, there has always been work if you want it. I used to be third or fourth called a lot of times but I took the jobs that the first two or three didn't want, when I was there. I never got over $15 for a job ("Broadway wages" at the time).

Fortunately I had a day job as the amp repair tech at Little Roy Wiggins "Music City" music store on Lower Broadway. That actually got me into doors and jobs I would have never got on my own. Little Roy and Bob Browning helped me a lot.

That is something else to consider if you want to get started in "Nashvul". Many pickers had part-time jobs to get them by, along with their road jobs. Odell Martin was picking lead for Faron Young at the time but he had a part time job at the Grammer Guitar factory. Kayton Roberts was working, I think, as a machinist or at a machine shop. Bill Box, Bill Monroe's Guitar picker in the 73/74 timeframe, had a job driving dump truck in order to "live".

Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

Some years ago a former band mate, Jeff Carpenter, moved to Nashville. He was in his mid-thirties then. He was a good singer with a big repertoire of songs, and he could play guitar well enough to accompany himself. He quickly found gigs, he played almost every day at Tootsie's airport location. He had gigs pretty much 7 days a week if he wanted them. All were for tips, but he did OK. He was doing pretty well, but unfortunately died suddenly. His Reverbnation page is still up. https://www.reverbnation.com/jeffcarpenter
He was not a great musician, but was able to put on a show by himself and do a good job of it. someone like that will have a big advantage down there.

Bill Miller · From: Gaspe, Quebec, Canada

I think Bobby has it right. Youth, mobility, flexibility and looks are very big factors. Some of the most incredible players on the planet seem to have to scratch to get by because they are on the wrong side of forty or they don't blend in well aesthetically with the image conscious headliners.

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