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Topic: Moving to texas which area is better for finding gigs? |
Ron Sodos
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 20 Oct 2015 2:37 pm |
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| Which is better for steel playing gigs San Antonio/Austin, Dallas/FtWorth or Houston. I know its thinning everywhere. I was originally thinking of moving to San Antonio/Austin but there seems to be a million out of work players there. I am spoiled living in Albuquerque. More work than I want. I turn gigs down. I just have been here 35 years and need a change. I am finally retiring from my day job and would at least like to keep playing some. I would be willing to travel some also. Just looking for some feedback from Texas players. |
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Jim Smith
From:
Midlothian, TX, USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2015 6:54 am
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Maybe we should move to Albuquerque!  |
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Ron Sodos
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2015 7:57 am
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| Well I played a gig Friday night and on the breaks the dj was playing a George Strait tune and was adding drum tracks to make it sound like hip hop. Disgusting. Still want to move to Albuquerque? |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 21 Oct 2015 9:39 am
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I usually don't care what they play at break time. Out here they play those almost disco songs that the people like to get out and line dance to. That usually gets a lot more people on the dance floor than the band.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Ron Sodos
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2015 10:05 am
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| I agree with you and don't really care what they play on the breaks either. It just surprised me when I heard Amarillo by Morning with added drum tracks. I would rather hear the Wobble or the Doofus shuffle than hearing a corrupted version of a George Strait tune at 120 decibels. |
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Niels Andrews
From:
Salinas, California, USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2015 2:15 pm
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A time machine?
_________________
Die with Memories. Not Dreams.
Good Stuff like Zum S-12, Wolfe Resoport
MSA SS-12, Telonics Combo. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 21 Oct 2015 5:04 pm
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| Quote: |
| It just surprised me when I heard Amarillo by Morning with added drum tracks. |
I was trying to ignore that statement.  It would probably have irritated the crap out of me too. 
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 8:39 am
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Ron,
Is the place you're playing the Caravan East?
Erv |
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Ron Sodos
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 9:34 am Caravan East
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| I played the Caravan East since 1980 when I first came to Albuquerque. It is now dying a slow ugly death. They are using mostly Spanish bands now. Country on Friday nights and when you drive by there are about 20 cars in the parking lot. The sign is all broken and the place is deteriorating. Bill Smith is turning over in his grave. Sad ! |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 9:38 am
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Ron,
That's very unfortunate.
The last time I was there it was a booming place.
Albuquerque is my home town. |
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Ron Sodos
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 9:40 am
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| I know. When I played there years ago both parking lots were full. USed to have big stars, Ray Price, Faron Young, Hank Jr. Country is dying here in Albuquerque. Casinos and VFW's are the only gigs now. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 10:02 am
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What a shame.  |
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Jana Lockaby
From:
Kaufman, TX
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 10:03 am
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[quote="Ron Sodos"]I agree with you and don't really care what they play on the breaks either. It just surprised me when I heard Amarillo by Morning with added drum tracks. I would rather hear the Wobble or the Doofus shuffle than hearing a corrupted version of a George Strait tune at 120 decibels.[/quote
Seriously? He did that? And no one shot him? Why not? I would have! My favorite song of all...get a rope! I have a huge oak right outside just waiting! We call him "King" George here. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 10:08 am
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Jana,
Maybe that's why he wants to move to Texas.  |
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Jana Lockaby
From:
Kaufman, TX
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 10:33 am
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| OH, Erv, can't say I blame him, not one little bit. That sort of thing is why I try not to leave the state, unless, I have to. Just aint the same elsewhere. (smile) |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 10:35 am
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| Don't mess with Texas! |
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Bob Watson
From:
Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 8:54 pm
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| Ron, this is off topic but in the mid 80's I was playing at the Caravan in Albuquerque for a couple of weeks and found a little honkytonk on our night off that had a steel player and a guitar player that were both great players. I was considering moving to Nashville at the time and I think both of them had lived there and were telling me they're experiences. I've always wondered if you might have been one of these musicians that I had talked to. I remember the steel player, who was a fine player, telling me that the guitar player was a great steel player. Just curious. I don't know much about Texas but I've heard that living somewhere between San Antonio and Austin is a good place to be because you can play both areas. Good luck with you're decision. |
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Rich Upright
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 31 Oct 2015 11:17 pm
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I played the caravan & Sundance in Albuquerque a long time ago. Are they still there?
_________________
A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag. |
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Ron Sodos
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 1 Nov 2015 9:01 am
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Sundance has been gone years ago and Caravan is mostly Spanish music now. Thay have a couple of country nights and when they do there are about 20 cars in the parking lot. They turned Cowboys into Dirty Bourbon Dance hall and it is the only thriving country bar in town. Its a big place and mostly hire road bands. The only places to play around here any more are casinos and the bands all suck. I do a couple of gigs at a VFW post and that keeps me playing. Sad scene for Albuquerque. It used to be a thriving country scene with lots of places to p[lay and some great musicians. It wasn't me that you talked to because I have never been in Nashville. There were a couple of great players years ago that it could have been. Chuck Back, Rick McGrath, Dano Valdez, Darrell Davidson etc.
O Well Im leaving the area in a couple of months anyway. Need a change. |
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Bob Watson
From:
Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
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Posted 1 Nov 2015 6:28 pm
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| Ron, thanks for your response. Good luck with your move. Its always sad to hear that a once thriving c&w music scene has gone down hill, especially out west which,IMHO, has always had a better c&w scene than other parts of the country because more people know how to two step and swing dace. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 2 Nov 2015 8:56 am
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I remember way back when Dick Bills and the Sandia Mountain Boys were big time on radio and TV. My cousin and I were even on a program with Dick Bills.
I believe that Glenn Campbell's first wife was Dick Bills daughter. |
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George Duncan Sypert
From:
Colo Spgs, Co, USA
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Posted 5 Nov 2015 2:42 pm
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Dick Bills was Glen Campbell's uncle. His first wife's maiden name was Diane Kirk. I took this info from Glen's daughter's book. I have no personal knowledge.
I did know a great steel player from there that played with Kenny Vernon, Wayne Gailey. None better.
Vernon also played the Caravan.
George |
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Ron Sodos
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 5 Nov 2015 2:49 pm
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| Wayne died many years ago. In the late 70,s |
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George Duncan Sypert
From:
Colo Spgs, Co, USA
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Posted 5 Nov 2015 3:04 pm
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Yeah Ron, I know. Gary Nall told me about it one night at the Cow Palace in Colo Spgs, when I stopped to see Swamp Root. I thought Wayne was playing with them and Gary told me that he had passed. Still upsets me.
George |
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Ron Sodos
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 5 Nov 2015 3:23 pm
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I see Kenny Vernon all the time. I do a gig every couple of weeks at a VFW Post he comes in with his lady for dinner. He is mostly retired except when Merle talks him in to traveling with him for a little while.
regarding Swamp Root, Nestor plays with John Connely, Skip Faye (bass) committed suicde, Jack Clark (drummer) is passed away, and Sanky Johnson (keyboard) has a music store n Farmington NM with his brother. At least thats what was the case the last I heard. That was the composition of the Swamp Root I knew when I came to NM in 1980. I never new Wayne Gayley but his legacy here in NM still stands. The scene here is dead. I am moving to Texas the beginning of 2016 I'm done with NM almost no country here anymore for me. The gig i do at the Post here has the only band worth a damn. Patrick Pearson is the best country singer i have ever worked with. But there are no gigs for classic country and I refuse to play crap anymore. There is one steel player or (steel owner) who gets all the gigs and can't play steel. All the bands think he is the man and I keep going to see him and have never heard any steel. Most of the bands really suck and the audience can't tell the difference. The days of Swamp Root, Back to Back, Medicine Wheel, the Garrett brothers and all the rest of the great bands from this area is a thing of the past. I got a call to fill in a couple of weeks ago with a band at a casino. I set up my Zum ready to have a good time. They were the worst crap I have ever been on stage with. What a joke. I'm not doing that anymore. I would just as soon quit if i have to play out of tune out of time and at 120 db. Sorry for venting my friend. |
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