Hanging up my bar and picks.

Johnny Cox · Post by **Johnny Cox** » 29 Mar 2017 9:01 am

Well the time has come in my professional career to hang it up. Since Mel got sick last year and I moved back to Nashville I'm no longer able to make a living playing. It's something every musician faces at some point in their career if they live long enough. I'm going back on the road driving truck and looking forward to it. I might still play for fun if I can find a good situation. I will not however play music I don't enjoy or with people I dont enjoy for the sake of playing. That would not be fun.
It's been a long and mostly great run. Thanks for all the friendships along the way.

Bill L. Wilson · Post by **Bill L. Wilson** » 29 Mar 2017 1:31 pm

Johnny, you're to talented to throw in the towel, surely someone needs a steel player of your caliber, especially in Music City. If you have to drive a truck, do it but don't quit pickin', at least be a weekend warrior. I tried to make a living playing music in the '60's until one day our drummer says, "we ain't never gonna make any money doing this, so let's start rehabbing houses". So, we went to work, kept pickin' on the weekends, I quit pickin' in bars for a few years, played in church until they wanted the young'uns to play, and get rid of us old folks. For the last few years, I've been back in the bars, and use the opportunity to be a witness for Jesus. Hope it all works out for you.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 29 Mar 2017 3:21 pm

Johnny, you and I both know that you're not gonna stop playing, it's that you want to remove yourself from the list of steel players hustling for gigs and the headaches that entails. Like I did in Austin, I made way for younger players who want to stay up til 4am after a midnight set at the White Horse for $50.

But don't ever say you're "retired," "hanging it up," or any of that crap. That's when the gigs that we WOULD like to play get offered to others because everyone heard you were "retired."

Right now, I'm doing 4 or 5 gigs a month with 3 different bands, all great guys and fun music. Maybe one gig a month in Austin, at the Spoke with Alvin. Other than that, all in the Hill Country where I now live. Enjoying myself more than I ever have. I bet you'll be doing the same very soon.

Best wishes to you and Kayla, my bro.

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 29 Mar 2017 3:36 pm

Can I have your amp?

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 29 Mar 2017 5:06 pm

I'm with Mr. Steiner, it's not all or nothing. And it's the only kind of mental therapy I can both trust, and afford. Playing makes ME happy.

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 29 Mar 2017 5:33 pm

Doug Earnest wrote:Can I have your amp?

Haha ðŸ˜‚

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 29 Mar 2017 5:58 pm

OH NO JOHNNY, THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT TO HEAR. YOU HAVE TOO MUCH TOO GIVE TO THE STEEL GUITAR COMMUNITY. TIMES HAVE CHANGED I KNOW BUT THEIR STILL IS A PLACE FOR YOU THEIR. TRY TO FIND A LOCAL DAY JOB AND PLAY ON THE WEEKENDS. I WISH YOU THE BEST WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE TO PAY THE BILLS. MY PRAYER FOR YOU IS THE LORD WILL LEAD YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO BE. J.R. ROSE

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 29 Mar 2017 6:02 pm

Sorry Folks, Did not mean for my other post to be big letters. Don't know what happened. J.R.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 29 Mar 2017 7:46 pm

I'd still love to do some lessons with you Johnny, and I'll bet there are others here who'd sign up too. I'm sure there's a great gig out there for you... don't give up!

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 29 Mar 2017 7:55 pm

I might still play for fun if I can find a good situation.

Am I the only one that actually read Johnny's post?

Best of luck Johnny. In whatever you choose to do.

b.

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 30 Mar 2017 3:28 am

I'm with Herb on this. I stopped playing from '81-'86 other than playing in church occasionally. I went back to playing full time from '88-'93 working with Johnny Rodriguez on and off and playing at Church Street Station , then mainly weekends until now. Since retiring in'07, I play mainly in New Jersey with four different bands. Now it's not a "job" but something I look forward to five to ten times a month.
Johnny you have a gift that we want you to keep sharing, so drive when you can and pick when you want to. Good luck my friend.

Lee Gillespie · Post by **Lee Gillespie** » 30 Mar 2017 4:06 am

Gonna be 86 come July 3... and I still play around Cheyenne, I told my kids .... when I pass on.. to bury one of my laps with me... CAUSE when I get up to St. Peter, I'm gonna say... HEY PETE... I'VE GOT MY AX.. WHERE'S THE JAM... (HA ). Lee

Steve Berthel · Post by **Steve Berthel** » 30 Mar 2017 5:41 am

Hey Johnny, As a beginning, maybe verging on an intermediate, steel player, I would like to say thank you for being one of those players that inspired me to start playing pedal steel at age 54. Your tonality, phrasing, and ability to back a singer, truly made you stand out in my opinion. Best of luck to you in whatever path you follow!

Len Ryder · Post by **Len Ryder** » 30 Mar 2017 5:53 am

I can fully understand what you're wanting to do. After over 60 years of "pickin' & grinin'" I packed it in. If I said I didn't miss it, I'd be lyin' through my teeth. But it was another enjoyable time of my life.

Gary Patterson · Post by **Gary Patterson** » 30 Mar 2017 10:32 am

I live in Gallatin and would be interested in lessons from a pro.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 31 Mar 2017 1:33 am

Musicians retiring is like a Pastor retiring from preaching. Not working a regular schedule is one thing, not playing is quite different.

Why not teach ?

Why not play some outreaches, VA's, Nursing homes etc...it doesn't have to be A team quality.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 31 Mar 2017 5:33 am

Johnny, I basically did the same thing (on a local scale) about 6 years ago.
Now I have been fortunate to find a weekend gig that has NO PRESSURE. It is laid back and fun.
I hope to pick till I drop dead.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 31 Mar 2017 6:15 am

Do people post these things so that others will respond and talk them out of it? We see such threads quite frequently but here we have one by an exceptional player.

I find it mysterious.

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 31 Mar 2017 6:47 am

Roger Rettig wrote:Do people post these things so that others will respond and talk them out of it?

Yes. There's a parallel trend in other various social media outlets. For example, It's very common for a drop dead gorgeous young lady to post a breathtaking photo of herself, then comment, "pardon my face," or, "I'm so ugly." The replies that follow inevitably try to convince her of her obvious beauty.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 31 Mar 2017 6:50 am

Thanks, Rick - exactly what I meant. I have an aging female acquaintance who constantly does the same thing. I sense an ulterior motive of some sort.

I bet no-one would care much if I hung up my bar-and-picks!

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 31 Mar 2017 6:58 am

Johnny, I understand your situation but look at the good side. You will be making a living truck driving and play music just for fun. It's a lot more fun that way. As you said, you can play the music you like with whom you like to play with, much more fun. Thanks for for what you've done to the steel community, you are one of the greatest.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 31 Mar 2017 8:00 am

Johnny, you are an excellent player and you've been at it for a long time. Walking away can be a very liberating thing artistically. You may find yourself in touch with a more creative side when you are able to purge everyone else's noise from your head and not worrying about having to make a living playing. Good luck to you.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 31 Mar 2017 8:11 am

Roger Rettig wrote:I bet no-one would care much if I hung up my bar-and-picks!

Does one of the smileys mean 'pardon my face?'
I was not actually aware of that, thanks to Richard and Roger for hipping me.

I suppose we all have some ulterior motive, sometimes unbeknownst to ourselves, but perhaps Johnny's motive had already been covered.

Johnny Cox wrote:]Thanks for all the friendships along the way.

I hope you're not leaving, you know too much and the stories others tell about you are choice.

What Mike said.

Other players might not let you retire.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 31 Mar 2017 8:54 am

Ditto what Mike Neer said! Best of luck on everything in your life Johnny! I love your playing and hope to hear more someday!

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 31 Mar 2017 9:49 am

I seem to remember this happened once before an Johnny began driving trucks for a while!

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... a00279e002

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 048d19eecc

The Steel Guitar Forum

Hanging up my bar and picks.

Hanging up my bar and picks.

Don't Give Up Son.

Retire Naaaaa

Thanks!