Getting and Keeping a good Gig

Jody Cameron · From: Angleton, TX,, USA

I thought this might be a thought-provoking and relevent discussion. I've been playing steel professionally for about 23 yrs. now, and I think I've learned a few things about this. Here are some points I've come up with:

1) You must be a competent player, encompassing all styles of steel playing - fast, slow rock, top 40 country and REAL country. You cannot put yourself in a box and expect to work enough to live off it. No, you do NOT have to be another Buddy, Lloyd or Paul to make a living, but you must have a certain level of proficiency.

2) Attitude. The above is probably 20-30% of getting a good gig. The rest is personality and attitude. You must be able to deal with all personality types, be diplomatic, and GET ALONG. Especially if you are on a bus with 6 or eight other players day in and day out, or even if you are just with the band a lot on weekends. Also, you must be nice to fans of the artist and club owners, booking agents, etc.

In short, you've got to be a good enough player to get a gig, then you must have a good enough personality to keep it.

Any other perspectives?

JC

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

I'm mostly just a "bedroom picker". Our band only plays out 10 or 12 times a year. I've never tried to make a living at being a musician. One thing I like to brag about, though, is the fact that three of us in the band have been playing together in the same band since 1972, when I was in college. That's longer than I've been married to my wife, whom I married in 1976.

We're all fairly competent pickers and singers and I do believe our attitudes about the music and each other has been the key ingredient in keeping the three of us together all these years. As in a marriage, patience with our partners is also important. We all have our little quirks and we have learned to live with them. (Of course the other guys are much more quirky than I am!)

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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande

Mullen U-12, Excel 8-string Frypan, Evans FET-500, Fender Steel King

Marlin Smoot · From: Kansas

1) You must be a competent player, encompassing all styles of steel playing - fast, slow rock, top 40 country and REAL country.

Jody, you pretty much covered it. I was wondering if you would share with us your practice methods for reaching the wide range of styles in country music today.

Meaning; what do you use for study for each style of music you addressed? and how do you go about it? Do you have 'standard' pieces of music or scales you always warm up with to get into the mode (not mood) of playing style?

I thought it would be interesting to see how you go about practice.

Actually, if any other member has a method of practice, I think it would be good to learn how other players attact practice too.
Are there records or tab books or practice tracks used? Etc...

I also wonder how often the Franklin Pedal is being used in modern country music recordings. Is this something we should be taking a look at to add to a guitar and if so, is it becoming critical to gaining 'that sound' or licks to stay on top of reaching the signiture licks on records?

Many thanks to each in advance for your knowledge.

Justin Griffith · From: Taylor, Texas, USA

Jody's attitude is the best I have seen. I have had the pleasure of taking lessons from him as well as just hanging out with him. You will be hard pressed to find a better guy anywhere. He's not too bad of a picker for a Texas guy

.

I dont want to speak for Jody but I have never noticed a "Franklin Pedal" on his guitars. He just doesnt seem to need it.

Justin

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Justin Griffith
D-10 Sho-Bud Professional,Blanton SD-10 4X2,Fender Steel King,Nashville 400,Matchbox 7-A,Hilton Dig Sustain,Goodrich L-120's,Emmons seat.

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

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[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 19 June 2006 at 02:58 PM.]

Jody Cameron · From: Angleton, TX,, USA

Marlin - The way I practice is that I'll take the artist's CD that I'm going to do a show with and learn all the important hooks first. Then, time permitting, I will work on specific fills to get them as close to the original recording as possible.

If it's a real country gig, I know most of the old standard stuff because I've played them so much.

Also, another thing that I do is I'll mentally prepare by reviewing songs in my head driving down the road or lying in bed at night.

Also, if I have an upcoming gig, I'll listen to that style of music while driving around doing daily activities a few days before the show. If it's a real country gig, I'll listen to Bush, Ray Price, etc. If it's newer stuff, I listen to the radio...not necessarily to learn "licks" but to put myself in the right frame of mind for whatever is coming up.

I usually warm up at the gig by running through some scales; major, minor, and whole tone, etc. To get my fingers working together with my brain.

Thanks for the question, I hope this helps.

Justin - thanks for the kind words but you might be just a little prejudiced since we are such close pals! Haha!!

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

Hi JC. You pretty well covered it all. Mental practice is very important. If you can't see how to play the lick in you mind's eye, you ain't going to play it right at showtime. JB.

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

Yes indeed.

Some things I have remembered that kept me fed for 7 or 8 years, and playing steadily, weekly and well paid by a lot of standards since 1980 or so, through the present publication..

1.Every band, and every persons' tenure in a band has a shelf life or "trajectory curve".

2.You do the best you can, dress as well as you can, and do what you can to encourage others, and spend a good daily amount of time practicing your instrument.

3.As the shelf life looms, and the general attitude becomes "we aren't going to make it playng music anymore", you nod, agree with them, and act suitably hopeless so they don't accuse you of being "better than them".

(Very few people "in bands" ever string together more than a few years of continuous, regular playing.)

Then you immediately go on to the next situation and start at #1.

Fresh as a daisy.

EJL

PS: Not drinking is probably the best tip of all. It makes people susceptable to the worst parts of the music biz.

[This message was edited by Eric West on 19 June 2006 at 09:53 PM.]

Kenny Drake · From: Leesburg, Virginia, USA

I worked in a band for a short time in Austin back in '87. Good bunch of guys, but we kept the "singer" only because he owned the PA.
My steel gig was safe too, for a little while. I was the only one who had a pair of jumper cables.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Well, I don't know many players who can do "real country" and rock. In fact, I be surprised if there's over a handful that can do rock at all! (I s'pose that's why there's so few "rock" steelers?)

Anyhow, here's a couple more suggestions...

1. Don't argue about anything. If you wanted to have a well-regarded opinion on anything, you'd have played some other instrument.

2. Don't run anyone or anything down. Chances are your bandleaded/boss likes everyone from the Allmans to Led Zep, and from Arias to Zydeco.

3. Own the best PA system in the state, and let your band use it (gratis, of course).

4. Tell your singer, drummer, lead player, and bassman they're the best you've ever heard, even if they sings like William Shatner, or plays Tiny Tim.

5. Tell them money's not important, and thet you don't expect to make as much as the lead player who sings, too.

6. Let (or better, suggest) the band use your custom Prevost coach for any jobs over 50 miles away. (Offer to cover all the gas costs, too.)

Yep, times has changed. If you want to keep working steady, you gotta use all the tricks!

Jerry Malvern · From: Menifee, California, USA

I do have a PA and I dont do any rock. I also have my own band. www.starlightwranglers.com
Eric head it on the head as to shelf life

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

And for those who do drink on the job concentrate and practice keeping your chin up off the strings.

[This message was edited by Tracy Sheehan on 20 June 2006 at 10:49 PM.]

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