If you could go back in time......

Greg Wisecup · Post by **Greg Wisecup** » 20 Nov 2009 5:56 am

I can't speak for anyone else, but I sometimes find myself wondering "What if?"
I have recently been living vicariously through some friends of mine who were and some still are Nashville pickers, road warriors and such who have played for the biggest of the big and wondered "What if I would have stayed in the business some 20 years ago and taken a shot." "Did I pass up an opportunity to maybe "be" what or who my daydreams make me wonder recently?" I wouldn't trade my wife or my life that I have now to go back and give it a shot. I'll always wonder "What If"
If you could go back and give it a shot would you?

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 20 Nov 2009 9:52 am

Tony Glassman and I were talking jokingly about this last night, after my yesterday's (clean) CT scan and just before his annual med tests today...

I early on realised that the best music was played without a lot of having to deal with the politics that almost always come with "upper shelf" gigs. I chose to choose day jobs that would allow me to play evenings when it went 5-7 nights, and less nights when it went to that about 6 years ago.

I've enjoyed it thoroughly. Far as I've seen, those playing top shelf gigs have had top shelf problems. Examples abound.

Either way, it's over before you know it, and the less regrets the better.

It's the music.

For me it's been a common unbroken thread among a half dozen failed construction/paving/hauling companies, deaths of a dozen friends, a couple good dogs and a bad marriage.

Now it's cancer, slow moving we hope, and still every weekend I am thankfully to god, able to go out and be amazed at the feeling I get when I play the simplest of licks and phrases on gigs that nobody but we will hear.

I always get in trouble when I quote or paraphrase a friend of mine in nashville, but what he always liked is the "act" of recording. Not so much the legacy. He does admit he sits back and listens to "Live at ______ Hall", but mostly it's the act of playing music with headphones on.

Anyhow, others may wish they had done things differently.

Oh of course I wish I hadn't acted less than good personally and probably professionally, but I will never regret tha time I spent playing music, on stage, in public for money.

Off to a "casino" gig. Nothing but the music will live in my memory, I hope.

Thanking God for giving me the continued opportunity to do it, and thread together a memorable life over the last couple tough years. And praying for more to come.

What was the question?

EJL

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 20 Nov 2009 10:33 am

If you could go back and give it a shot would you?

Honestly, no. These days, I'm feeling like I stayed too long at the party as it is...

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 20 Nov 2009 11:02 am

geez, I never figured B&B was ready to toss in the towel..

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 20 Nov 2009 11:26 am

...and that ain't a political statement.

Not since the 40s/50s/60s/70s has it been a better time for musicians and music lovers to be alive.
However, I'd love to have been in my childhood neighborhood of S/E Los Angeles post WW2 to enjoy the music and innovations/innovators that called that region home, as it happened.
I didn't have a clue about these things growing up. Took moving 2,500 miles away and a few more years to discover what had happened in my own back yard...
But, I wouldn't change anything. Life in pre '75 LA was way too good.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 20 Nov 2009 11:32 am

I think most of those "what-if" moments come from the realization that a lot of our big decisions are made with as much information about the outcome as one has about a roll of the dice-before we roll the dice.We don't often get to do things over,or differently,but sometimes we would like to indulge our inner Marty McFly.Or perhaps George Bailey.

Mark Dershaw · Post by **Mark Dershaw** » 20 Nov 2009 11:42 am

When I was 21 I quit my job and moved out west to make my living playing music. I spent 3 years playing the bar circuits with guys who were 10-15 years older than me and had even less than I did.
scared me and I came back home to work and play as a weekend warrior. I always figured that at least I tried and that should squelch any future regrets. I still can't help thinking "If only I had gone to Nashville or Austin".

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 20 Nov 2009 12:42 pm

at some point, a mans gotta eat.
that romantic starving artist stuff aint so romantic after a while. no regrets here , i gave it my best for a while. i yam what I yam. toot toot

Connie Mack · Post by **Connie Mack** » 20 Nov 2009 12:55 pm

if "ifs and buts" were candy and nuts,

we'd all have a wonderful christmas.

-buck avens-

Ulric Utsi-Åhlin · Post by **Ulric Utsi-Åhlin** » 21 Nov 2009 7:08 am

In the words of William S. Burroughs..."You can´t go
back and,IF You can,certainly only as a spectator",
so...we´d find ourselves stuck w/ the same old "if´s
& but´s" upon real-time return...McUtsi

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 21 Nov 2009 2:38 pm

I think for every player comes time in life whe they have to decide are they going to go with music or with "regular" life... when my time came to make a decision I just wasn`t willing to take the risk that music business brings, being gone on the road all the time, working for people who can fire you any time they want, no health insurance or any other benefits, no paid vacations or holidays and no stady paycheck...a decided to take another direction and get a government job with great benefits and stady paycheck, I played professionaly for almost 20 years and even tho it was a fun ride time came to do something else... I`m not in my 20`s any more and I like low stress life,nice car,stady paycheck and the fact that I can go to see doctor any time I like, my cholesterol and blood pressure are good and my teeth are white and healthy and the most important thing of all is that my little girl is taken care of, she has roof over her head, planty of toys, great health insurance and if anything happends to me $700,000.00 in cash ....so, I`m fine...I can get out and pick if I wanted to but these days I rather spend my free time at the McDonalds playground or at the Opry Mills mall movies watching Nemo with my kids ... beats the crap out of playing some dive until 2am for drunks who don`t give a damn about the music but trying to get laid....

Db

Alan Tanner · Post by **Alan Tanner** » 21 Nov 2009 3:11 pm

"What if"?? Interesting subject. I would have loved to play music all my life I "think". However, after doing it for a few years after SE Asia, I got a job and career and ended up being pretty much a weekend warrior. I hate to be dark about this, but I also see the other side. So many of the guys my age that decided the play all night sleep till noon life style was for them, have ended up differently than they expected I guess. Also lived longer than the thought, maybe. Even some of the pickers who are "heroes" actually did not end too well. Too much booze, too much smoke, too many pills, too many women, too many miles, and really bad food, takes it's toll as the year rolls along. Then you end up with no money, no retirement, medical problems, possibly no family, no work, and pretty much no nuthin'. Time comes, you cant lift that 1000 anymore. Bands see you as too old. What work you can find doesn't pay much. Then you die. Cancer....cirrosis....car wreck....whatever. If you have any family at all, they are stuck with your medical bills and burial. They will have a big get together down at the VFW or Legion hall for "ol' whats his name" Some of the older guys who played with you will tell stories about "remember when". Soon your family, if you still have one, will sell off your gear for pennies on the dollar to help cover expenses. A lot of families will resent the fact that you never spent time with them as they were growing up. And so on....
But ya can STILL have a heck of a lot of fun playin' part time....even if you live longer than you thought you would way back when....

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 21 Nov 2009 4:31 pm

There's always consolation in the knowledge that, whatever choices we've made, somewhere in one of those myriad parallel universes our alternate selves are making all the choices we didn't. Just wish I could chat up some of those other MvAs.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 21 Nov 2009 5:47 pm

Alan Tanner wrote:Too much booze, too much smoke, too many pills, too many women, too many miles, and really bad food, takes it's toll as the year rolls along. Then you end up with no money, no retirement, medical problems, possibly no family, no work, and pretty much no nuthin'. Time comes, you cant lift that 1000 anymore. Bands see you as too old. What work you can find doesn't pay much. Then you die. Cancer....cirrosis....car wreck....whatever. If you have any family at all, they are stuck with your medical bills and burial. They will have a big get together down at the VFW or Legion hall for "ol' whats his name" Some of the older guys who played with you will tell stories about "remember when". Soon your family, if you still have one, will sell off your gear for pennies on the dollar to help cover expenses. A lot of families will resent the fact that you never spent time with them as they were growing up.

And then there's the down side...

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 21 Nov 2009 5:58 pm

I never wanted anyone to say about me: "He starved, doing what he loved"

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 21 Nov 2009 5:58 pm

I can't help but remember the fairly recent tragic accident that took the lives of Billy Walker and his wife and two band members; and, the tragic airplane crash with Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins; and countless other such incidents.

For another glimpze at reality........how many of you have made it a point to read (the late) HOWARD WHITE's book "All Roads Out of Nashville". Howard for many years was a Nashville steel player that had the opportunity to play with many of the Opry greats and his wonderful book describes in detail, many real life stories of touring SIDEMEN with those BIG NAMES..........

My long-time dream was to be able to play on the Opry with Red Foley or someone equally as popular but now that those dreams have come crashing to the ground, I'm really quite happy that working that dismal day job and being home each night in my own bed was the road I traveled.

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 21 Nov 2009 6:52 pm

I'd just go back to 1996 and buy a couple thousand shares of Yahoo at $1 a share...
And then go back again to 1999 and sell it, after numerous splits & runups...
And then I'd be able to do just about anything I want to...

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 21 Nov 2009 7:04 pm

[quote="Ray Montee
My long-time dream was to be able to play on the Opry with Red Foley or someone equally as popular but now that those dreams have come crashing to the ground, I'm really quite happy that working that dismal day job and being home each night in my own bed was the road I traveled.[/quote]

I lived the dream. I worked for Bill Monroe as his fiddle player. That's the ultimate fiddle job. Like being quarterback in the superbowl. Having Bill introduce me on the Opry for the first time is a priceless experience. I was able to do it for awhile without giving up my day job. If I'd had to make the decision between the two, the day job would have come first. In fact, I did turn down several full time playing jobs for the same reason.

Jay Jessup · Post by **Jay Jessup** » 21 Nov 2009 7:37 pm

My what if is a little different than most of the above as I was able to make an OK living at playing music for a bunch of years in the late 70's early 80's. My 'what ifs' are: What if I had heard the now available cuts of Joaquin Murphey in the late 40's early 50's that can be found on CD today when I was learning steel and 'what if' I hadn't got so hung up in the technique of playing this instrument that I forgot about what music I really wanted to make (which I now realize I did!!). Regardless of what that would have equalled as far as making a living what would my playing have sounded like under those two scenarios? I'd bet I would have a lot more personal satisfaction than I do now!!

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 21 Nov 2009 10:10 pm

I have thought about it many times.I am happy doing studio work.Every now and then. It ain't steady, but it's a chance to play. If someone called me tomorrow and said, "Tommy, I would like to hire you for a road gig". I would have to think about and weigh the alternatives first.
Tommy Shown

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 22 Nov 2009 11:12 am

Reality has a way of waking up a person whose in another world, so to speak. To me, the music business has always been like a train. Trains come and go. I always rode the train till it stopped and then just simply found another one to get on. Nowadays, there's less trains to ride. One thing I'm glad I always did was, I kept a day job while I played at night. The five and six nights a week have a tendency to catch up with your health as you get older. Add to that, bad decisions with women, money, not getting enough sleep and bad eating habits and you have a loaded buggy. It was a learning period. Would I do it again? No, if I knew what I know now. I just thank the good Lord that I was raised in a law enforcement environment in my early years and that was my first path to follow. I guess that's how I was able to stay away from the drugs all those years.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 22 Nov 2009 5:27 pm

this is how I spend my free time these days...

Db

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 23 Nov 2009 5:07 am

If you could go back in time......

I think I should have hung on to the second wife a few weeks longer she was kinda special

in fact better than most of the ones that followed!!!:(
Playing music has not always been condusive to a happy marraige...........

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 23 Nov 2009 10:15 am

If I could go back?........Hmmmm! First of all, I don't think I would move to Nashville or anything like that, I'd stay in the Southern California area except I'd move to the northern part of the Los Angeles area. My 22 years of full time playing was done in the Orange County/Long Beach area. Although I had a lot of fun and was always working, I believe there was probably more going on as far as session work and such in the North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Culver City, etc. part(s) of LA. I never looked for road work much as there was always a lot of good paying club jobs in the area.

However, I am glad that I left SoCal and moved to Virginia 24 years ago. I've been retired from a municipal job now for 4 years and doing very well... A lot of my buds from the old days are living in small trailers or studio apartments and have only minimum social security to live on as the gigs have all but dried up out there. Luckily there are still places to play around here........JH in Va.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 23 Nov 2009 3:32 pm

Back in the 60's the Musicians Union Trust Fund sponsered an Annual Concert in McArthur Park in West Los Angeles for all the Country Bands. Back then it was still a safe part of town. Now it is like a Foreign Country controlled by Gangs and Drugs. Back in the good old days you got to see and talk to at least a hundred musicians that you knew or had worked with, It would be nice to be able to re-live one of those Getogethers. We got paid for it too !

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If you could go back in time......

If you could go back in time......

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McArthur Park, Los Angeles, Annual Concerts