What was your dream gig?

Bart Maloney · From: Houston, Texas

While watching a rerun of King of the Hill today, where Bobby gives Willie Nelson a black eye on the golf course. Later in the episode, Hank is telling Peggy that he always imagined meeting Willie Nelson and them doing a record together, and then going on tour, and become the best of friend, etc... instead of His son giving Willie a black eye. It got me to thinking of what other peoples dreams gigs were growing up, or the dream gigs of today. I would have to say I would have loved to have been the fourth guitarist in Skynyrd in '77, and would love to play steel with George Strait. I guess what I am getting at is, what is the gig that you always dreamed about getting. There has got to be some good ones out there.

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"Keep on Keepin' on"

Ted Solesky · From: Mineral Wells, Texas, USA

When Buck Owens and Don Rich came thru town and we were the back up band. At that time, 'High as a Mountain' just came out. I copied every lick that Ralph did up to that point and my girlfriend at that time, told me that Buck was smiling while I was taking a ride.

Ben Lawson · From: Brooksville Florida

Any gig with Johnny Bush, Darrell McCall, Curtis Potter, Jake Hooker, Justin Trevino, Bobby Flores, I think everybody gets the point here.
Great post!!

Ron Bryson · From: Bonifay, Florida, USA

Corky Owens' job...

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

I've had several of them. Not the one's that most people consider a lifelong aspiration.

One was playing at Oregon State Prison in '84 with a band that did Cover Tunes. The sound was lousy, we were all worn out from a gig the night before. It was the response from guys that weren't under any pressure to like our music. There was a total standing ovation.

Another was playing in a hometown thirty years later with a band where the leader is still 15 years into a 40 year stretch in the Nevada Penal System that I helped arrange for him. We'd driven for two solid days playing county fairs, but there was something about watching them make a stage for us, playing on it, and just being there thirty years later, and seeing kids out there looking throught he fence mesh at the rodeo grounds at the "stars" like I used to do..

Still another was playing with a band named Renegade, at The Spotted Mule in Bend in 92 I think. I got to play with Buster Newberry, my favorite guitar player, Skip Parenti, a great fiddle player, Marty Henninger on Drums, etc. I was paid out of an investment made by some of the crowd for the weekend. Sounded Great from where I sat, and I liked it. Marty Stuart's "Couldn't hurt to have Wings" was the memorable moment.

Lately, a couple gigs with the John Henry Band here in Portland. Great guitar player, Artie Bechtel, Great vocals from Beth and John, and good SOLID drums from Mike Faes.

Great to me means you get the feeling like in your dreams when you are "flying" while you are playing.

At that moment, you forget who you are on stage with. Big, or Little, it just doesn't matter. I didn't feel any better backing up Hank Thompson.

Is the Steel "Up in the Mix", is there "too much reverb"?

Who gives a **** .

Knowing no power on earth besides a nuclear blast, or a breaker kicking can stop you from playing a lead OR backup phrase that you are putting the picks to the strings to bring out.

No wonder according to the ancient rosacrusian doctrine, time spent playing music in a public performance is later applied to time spent in purgatory.

Those that don't get that feeling, or never had it, I pity.

Playing with somebody "Important"?

Maybe there's an added "kick" to it, but I'd be scared to 'plug into' anything better than what I get on those "good nights".

And I'm a born daredevil...

EJL

Rick McDuffie · From: Benson, North Carolina, USA

Played a wedding reception at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill... my daughter Faith on vocals, me on guitar, Guy Percy on bass, Mark Dunn on drums, Cecil Johnson on saxes. All are serious players, and we could do no wrong that night.

The bride and groom were law students from Columbia Univ. in NYC, and the groom was Bavarian. His whole family was there from Europe, and those Germans know how to enjoy a party, people!

We were in the "Old Well Room" which is the very room in which Andy Griffith was discovered, doing "What It Was Was Football" while he was attending an alumni reunion at UNC.

I've played in front of 15,000-20,000 people on several occasions, but never enjoyed a gig as much as that one. Great people, great music, a great audience.

Since then, I haven't wanted to go back to the "same old, same old". And I ain't gonna do it!

I'd be open to the guitar slot with Chicago.

On steel, I'd take Mike Daily's job with the Ace In The Hole Band.

Otherwise, I'm stayin' where I am.

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Rick McDuffie
Rick's Music Photo Gallery
www.tarheelmusic.com

[This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 02 October 2004 at 04:53 PM.]

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

I used to fantasize about becoming Emmylou Harris' steel player. Years later, I got to meet her backstage at a festival I was playing, at a point in her career when she no longer had steel in the band. I told her of my longtime dream and she just laughed it off and said: "Hah! And now I don't even carry one anymore!" I laughed too, but secretly I was crushed, not because I'd never get to play steel with her, but because of how she reacted to my sharing my dream with her. Never bought another Emmylou CD after that day. True story. Not very mature, I know, but true story nonetheless.

[This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 02 October 2004 at 02:22 PM.]

Andy Greatrix · From: Edmonton Alberta

My dream (when I was a teenager) was to play bass and sing harmony in buck Owen's band. Another dream was to sing harmony with George Jones on even just one song.

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

Hey Jimbo, don't feel too bad. If Emmylou felt like it would make her more bucks, she sure would have a steel guitar in her band. No loyalty there. It's just about money.

Roger

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · From: Ayrshire, Scotland

Bart, I tell you what, we don't get enough of that dang ole King of the Hill over here man. Y'all count yoself lucky, I tell you what!
'scuse the poor Texan.
All the best, Arch.

Rich Weiss · From: Woodland Hills, CA, USA

Buck Reid's gig. Hands down.

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

As I got older I dreamed of a gig close to my home where I could leave the PA and my gear set up and just take my axe home.

It turned out to be a great 5 year gig 10 minutes from my house. Ah, the old days.

Winnie Winston · From: Tawa, Wellington, NZ * R.I.P.

Eric said:
"No wonder according to the ancient rosacrusian doctrine, time spent playing music in a public performance is later applied to time spent in purgatory.
"Those that don't get that feeling, or never had it, I pity."

Yup. Performinmg for an audience is great, and if they love it it is greater.

My dream gig? Well... not IN my dreams but the best I've had where I floated away...

I had two.
One was playing Gloryand Park in DE. We were opening for Kitty Wells. She had Jimmie Crawford with her. I was playing my S-14 Sierra.
Crawford came out to set up, looked at it, looked at me, and said, "We gotta talk!"
That talk led to the "Manual of Style."

The second was platying for an Opry second line player. Don't even remember his name. He was coming to do a show in PA because he had a squeeze in PA, and had contracted with a local band to back him up. He wanted a steel, and they called me.
I went for a rehersal with the band on Saturday. They were terrible. Really bad. Ugh...
Then the "star" was coming in on Sunday. Went back for the rehersal. He came with a big bottle of Jack Daniels-- planning to get sloshed. He knew what he was facing. He looked at the steel, and said, "You know Weldon? He backs me up on my records and the Opry." I showed him "Manual of Style" with a pic of me and Weldon.
Well... it turned into a GREAT gig. It was him and me. Neither of us paid much attention to the band which was just sloshing along. I played solid backup, and he let me do very full leads. He even asked me to do a solo "Danny Boy." His lady said, "he NEVER lets anyone do that! He really likes you!"
It landed me two other gigs with him over the next few monts incluiding a great New Year's Eve gid in Rhode Island.
Much fun!

JW

Mark Ardito · From: Chicago, IL, USA

My dream gig would be playing steel for Charley Pride and have him say..."Mark, let's do one called 'I know one'..."

How sweet it is to dream!

Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com

Bob Hickish · From: Port Ludlow, Washington, USA, R.I.P.

Bart
I'm playing my dreem gig now !
by playing for two old country music
bands - and every morning when
I reads the Obits - I'm not listed !
Life is Good

Robbie Bossert · From: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.

I was fortunate enough to play with Dale Watson, Commander Cody, and Bill Kirchen. All of which were more fun for me than it was for them! However, I still dream about playing a gig with Merle Haggard. That would be the ultimate "Dream Gig."

Robbie Bossert

Jim Walker · From: Headland, AL

I havent played my Dream gig yet. 3 very simple words. GRAND OLE OPRY.

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97' American-Fender-Tele-Bender-Blaster-Caster
Line 6 Amps
Jim Walker

[This message was edited by Jim Walker on 03 October 2004 at 09:17 PM.]

Mike Scaggs · From: Nashville, TN

I guess for me it was the OPRY back in 1996. But the real highlight wasn't playing that stage it was sitting in with Bill Monroe in the his dressing room. I was watching his band warm up and Bill invited me in to play some guitar. It was the best 15 minutes ever. I think he could tell that I wanted to play but was afraid to ask. You could hear those guys echoing through the halls, it was awesome! That has to be my top moment in music...

Mike Scaggs

David Berry · From: Sandston, Virginia, USA

Years ago, I wanted to play lead guitar for Molly Hatchet (in the worst kind of way). They had a few guitarists, I just wanted to be one of them (the version with Danny Joe Brown). I guess that "dream" died down over the years and now all I want to do is play my pedal steel in bands that don't play too loudly (smile)! Ain't life weird in that way????

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

I guess the dream gig for me was playing with Bobby Wayne in the Fort Worth Stockyards. One night in the 80's, he took the night off to hang with Merle Haggard at Billy Bob's. Later in the night, he walked into the club with Merle and Tanya Tucker, who both got up and did a few songs.

Another time, Johnny Gimble sat in with us for several nights in a row. Our fiddle player was young and new, and got so nervous and sick to his stomach that he couldn't play.

Bob Blair · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I would have said Emmylou Harris or Ian Tyson. As Jimbeaux already pointed out, Emmylou no longer carries a steel. Neither does Ian. Next in line, Ian's sometimes songwriting partner Tom Russell. Guess what - he doesn't either.

More reasons not to give up the day job....

[This message was edited by Bob Blair on 05 October 2004 at 08:34 PM.]

Bart Maloney · From: Houston, Texas

Thank yall so much for your stories. I have enjoyed reading them all.

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"Keep on Keepin' on"

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