Playing for the Stars

Tony Chavez · Post by **Tony Chavez** » 26 Aug 2002 4:56 am

How does one get to play for a major act?Does your record label assign you a road band?How does it work?Our lead singer went to try and "Make It",and I thought it would be nice to play steel for him if he ever made it big.But,how to get there is a different story

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CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 26 Aug 2002 7:35 am

i'm sure word of mouth has a lot to do w: it.

Terry Wendt · Post by **Terry Wendt** » 5 Sep 2002 1:33 pm

Hi,

Have you seen the book I authored about playing professionally for the stars? It is ALL about steel guitar playing in gNashville, TN and the "how's and who's" about it all. You can see the book's webpage here: www.TheEarlyDays.com

Hope to hear from you again!

Sincerely,

Terry Wendt

Tony Chavez · Post by **Tony Chavez** » 9 Sep 2002 2:36 pm

Thanx Terry,I apprecaite your reply.Hopefully,it's a little easier than winning the lottery.Tony

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 9 Sep 2002 3:14 pm

These days I suspect it's all about how you look and how old you are, rather than how you play. You have to be able to play, but that is the last consideration. Also, you better not look better than the star.

I could be wrong.[This message was edited by Andy Greatrix on 09 September 2002 at 04:15 PM.]

Terry Wendt · Post by **Terry Wendt** » 9 Sep 2002 5:02 pm

Actually, it might surprise you

2pT

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TheEarlyDays.com

and appearing regularly...
Jimmy Crawford/Russ Hicks... and Buddy Emmons on Bass! aLotOfSpace.com

[This message was edited by Terry Wendt on 09 September 2002 at 06:05 PM.]

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 9 Sep 2002 5:22 pm

In what way, Terry?

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 11 Sep 2002 11:12 pm

You might enjoy reading Howard White's book
"All Roads Out of Nashville". He used to play steel for many of the biggies....like Hank Snow and others. What an eye opener it was! WHile they all had the glory of touring 50 weeks out of the year with a big name star, my day job paid me far more and I got to play different tunes every weekend gig rather than the same dozen or more, over and over.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 12 Sep 2002 11:40 am

Tony, if your lead singer buddy makes it, just call him up! Easy!

Well, if he doesn't get an unlisted number like all the other stars....

Actually, I haven't played for all the big stars and therefore can't tell you all about how to get to "get there", playing for stars.

I have played for a few of them though and feel very well qualified to speak on how not to get there!

In the late '70's I was in all the right places to make some good connections, I was on the road playing steel and a little guitar with an unknown singer, but he had connections in Nashville with Faron Young and Marty Stuart, actually MS was still a kid then but was on his way, everyone knew him. We played "package shows" too, backing up several big Nashville stars. Despite meeting lots of people and being in lots of "right places at the right times", I kept my mouth shut and didn't take advantage of any of it. That was because I "knew" I was not good enough on the steel to make it in their world. Since I'd been playing mostly steel then, I was out of practice on the regular guitar so felt inadequate on it also. What I didn't know at the time but realized years later, was that I did have the talent, but not the self-confidense. What I didn't know on the steel then, I would have quickly learned if I'd had the confidense to try and had immersed myself into the Nashville scene. So, you must have the ability, and you must have self-confidense! Then, if you can make the right connections...

A few years later in Las Vegas, Nevada in '82, I was sitting watching a Monday-night showcase at the Maxim. The emcee used to introduce any stars or members of stars' bands if they were in the audience. One night he introduced Gladys Knight's bass player and a fellow in a very expensive-looking suit stood up and got a round of applause. I looked at him and thought, "Man! What I'd give to be playing with someone like that, and to be able to go around saying, "yeah, I'm Gladys Knight's guitar player". It began to irk me that I wasn't playing with someone of her stature! By now I knew I was good enough on the guitar, (if not the steel). Normally very quiet and shy around people I don't know, I debated for a few minutes, figured I just gotta ask this guy, so I went over to him and said "Hey, you're Gladys Knight's bass player?" He said, "Yeah." I said, "Can I ask you a real stupid question?" He said, "Sure." I said, "How does a guy get to be Gladys Knight's bass player? I play guitar and I play it well enough to be there. How do I get there?" He said, "That's not a stupid question! You get there by doing what you just did, coming over and talking to people like me." He asked me more questions about my playing, etc. I gave him a card, he said he did projects outside of Ms. Knight's band and he'd call me. I thought, "Sure you will", but he did call, wanted me to come and jam with some friends so he could hear me. I did and he really liked my playing. Next thing I knew, he was introducing me to everybody he knew all over town, he knew everybody and we'd go backstage at many of the star's shows, or sit around yakking with them in their dressing rooms. I was even shocked that many people would say, "oh, I've heard of you, I hear you're great!" I'm sure this is just because of Kenny's (the bass player) word-of-mouth, but you see it works! Ms. Knight was on vacation and her band was backing up other people, I played a few gigs with them at the "Top of the Dunes" (now imploded, like everything over 20 years old in Vegas). The band told me they wanted me full-time with them and Gladys Knight. I asked "Has Gladys said anything?" They said, "she's cool, when she knows we all want you she'll go with it".

So you see I got what I wanted, all just from having the guts to go up to her bass player and say "Hey....!"

So, hopefully that story might show you something. And in a minute, the rest of the story....(apologies to Paul Harvey!)

There is another side to all this. Ray is right about a lot of it. Aside from getting to say "I'm so-and-so's _______ player", and a maybe a little better treatment at the hotels, there's not a lot of difference between playing for a star or a nobody. Granted the stars usually have good musicians and not every corner bar band does.

A great bass player I used to know named Dig Lewis who played concert tours with Bozz Scaggs, Helen Reddy and lots of other pop-stars in the '70's told me, "same as playing for unknowns except you have to put up with more crap" when I asked him what it was like to work with so many stars.

And now, the rest of the story........

During this time I'd been playing 5 nights a week in a dance hall (took time off to do the gigs with G.K.'s band), it was a sit-down gig and decent pay. Ms. Knight's band however, was working wherever they could while G.K. was taking time off. Several of them were getting hard-up for money, while I was working 5 nights a week, all of us total unknowns and making good bucks, I even loaned money to several of the guys in G.K.'s band!

After about a month, I decided to stay where I was! Better to survive as a "nobody" than starve as a star's player, waiting for them to decide to go back to work. I don't mean any disrespect to Ms. Knight, I still think the world of her. That's just the way it is in show business.

So Tony, I hope you might learn something from this and if not have at least been a little entertained.[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 12 September 2002 at 01:09 PM.]

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 12 Sep 2002 12:02 pm

What an interesting story, Jim! Thanks for sharing it with us here.
Jim

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 12 Sep 2002 12:04 pm

Well, I bet I at least win the prize for the longest story!

Thanks Jim.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 12 Sep 2002 1:29 pm

No, but you might get second place. First place is still held by Jody Carver.

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 13 Sep 2002 5:42 am

Great thread. I asked myself that question years ago when I first started playing steel and it seemed like a total conundrum. Later, thru connections I got to play with some stars on a short-term basis and finally realized what it took. You have to DESERVE to play with the higher echelon folks. That means you have to have your chops, personality and professionalism together to warrant being in that fold. You don't especially have to be a monster player as much as a pro. The folks looking for players have a fairly short list of reliable professional players to draw from in almost any music centre, once the flakes and deadbeats have been weeded out. Just find out what constitutes professionalism and follow it. The gigs should follow.

Terry Wendt · Post by **Terry Wendt** » 16 Sep 2002 12:19 am

Actually Andy... it's different in exactly the way Jim Phelps told his story. It's almost always a band thing. But there are many wonderful ways to meet players! Thanks for a cool story JP!

Tony Chavez · Post by **Tony Chavez** » 16 Sep 2002 5:02 am

Thanx Jim,Thats pretty much what I wanted to hear.I immerse myself in practice,about twenty hours or more a week,but not much self confidence which is my biggest downfall.What an inspiring story.Thanx Tony

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 16 Sep 2002 1:51 pm

Tony - you might try hanging out with Little Richie Johnson, if he's still in Belen.

>

C#

Ronnie Miller · Post by **Ronnie Miller** » 19 Sep 2002 8:02 am

Hey Cal, I heard a few years ago that Richie Passed. Cya...Ronnie

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 19 Sep 2002 2:09 pm

Too bad, he was a lot of fun. He used to book Faron out in that part of the world. We had a helluva a Super Bowl party at his house one year,

C#

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 19 Sep 2002 3:03 pm

if not have at least been a little entertained.

More than a little. Fun story and well told.