The First Time!

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 22 Oct 2002 8:37 am

No, not sex........the first time that you actually played for an audience (other than in someone's home, or at a school function), but at a real, honest to goodness paid gig with experienced musicians waiting for you to succeed or fail, with people sitting out front, looking at you and expecting to be "entertained", the speeding heart, the sweaty palms, the trembling stomach, the unspoken prayer to "please let me get through this without embarrassment"!

Mine was at age 16, at a "fund raiser" at a rural consolidated school, with a local Radio personality, where all of the musicians didn't even know what a steel guitar was, and I played the Steel Guitar Rag badly, the only instrumental I knew, but the audience clapped and cheered, probably because I was just a kid so embarrassed that I was about to "throw up", but that applause was addictive, and it has kept me in this music business for 50+ years!

Let us hear your story.......! www.genejones.com

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 22 Oct 2002 11:00 am

I guess we can all relate to that story of yours, Gene!

My most frightening experience was also my first 'professional' one - I'd gone from grammar school to art college where I blithely carried on doing what I'd done in my final school year - practised guitar! After the Principal called me to his office and explained the Facts of Life, I resigned my place there and started to look in the 'ads' in the Charing Cross Road music stores. I found what I was looking for in Jennings' window - a card reading 'Guitarist Wanted'!

Up to that point, I'd been the 'hottest' player in my little circle - kids beat a path to my door to have James Burton licks shown to them (wrongly, as it turned out) - so I turned up at the 'try-out' brimming with confidence. The singer had a record deal (this was England in 1959, remember, so that was a big deal!) and the bass player and drummer were studio guys whose names I'd seen on records!!! When I timorously asked who was going to play 'rhythm', I was treated to scornful stares and, "It's just us....".

Talk about sweaty palms! I could barely execute the simplest riff, and stuff that I'd hitherto nonchalently used to impress girls with remained 'locked up' somewhere in the fingerboard....

Somehow, I got the gig - I think they figured that they'd found a guy who'd work for next-to-nothing, and load the gear in and out (true!)

That's when I figured out just how little I knew - after that I REALLY started to learn to play!

FAST-FORWARD TO 1976...
I'd had my first steel guitar for just under a year when I got a call from a producer who regularly used me on guitar. He said, "Bring your steel on Sunday - we're doing a 'cover' session..."

The day of my first PSG 'session' dawned - 'What are we doing?', I asked as I arrived. "There's a song on the charts by Ray Stevens, with some steel on it - I thought we'd have a go at it..."

...and I'd thought those 'sweaty palms' were a thing of the past! I still keep a copy of my efforts that day

, just in case I find myself getting too confident...

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Roger Rettig [This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 22 October 2002 at 12:07 PM.]

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 22 Oct 2002 11:20 am

I was 15, or maybe real close to it. We had a 3 piece Ventures band, no Bass. We played a school party and got paid $5 each. I had a Gibson Melody Maker, single cutaway and a small Gibson amp with a 10" speaker. Oh yeh, I had a guitar chord too ! We wore jackets and those skinny little ties..I'm certain we were really hip !
tp

Maurie Junod · Post by **Maurie Junod** » 22 Oct 2002 11:58 am

I was 17 playing in our "cowboy band" in 1944
This was in the San Gabriel area of southern California. We played several paid gigs for
veteran and fraternal organizations. We were
Bob Wills fans...remember Tweedle O Twill,
Roly Poly, and of course, Tumbling Tumble
Weeds ?

This after several years of non paid
appearances with our Hawaiian quartet in
many of the local churches. My teacher on
bass, mother on guitar, my brother on uke,
and me on my Gibson EH-100.
Maurie

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 22 Oct 2002 12:46 pm

I was 13 or 14 -- had been playing my resonator steel a few months with a kid who lived near me in Prichard, Ala. -- a suburb of Mobile. A 4-piece "pre-pro" group invited me to play a schoolhouse gig (called a "Show Date") in those days. I played the steel standing, slung from my neck with a guitar strap. On my breaks I would walk up to the mike and "pooch out" my belly to bring the giuitar up near the mike. As with you, Gene, The applause did it for me. I was nervous, but I felt 10 feet tall.

This had been one of those "percentage of the gate" things where the guys co-oped the take. On the way home the leader, who was driving, said, "Roy, you aren't expecting to take a share, are you?" I gave him a long stare and said, "Yes, I am." He pulled the car over and counted me out $7.00.

I had arrived.

Roy

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 22 Oct 2002 3:02 pm

It was the YMCA in my hometown neighborhood so I knew everybody there. It was a sock hop. You danced on the gym floor so you had to take your shoes off. We had a rock and roll band and did Ventures, Beatles, Dave Clarks Five and some oldies like Cherry Pink and Apple Bossom White or the usual 50's tunes. We got payed $20 each and after that I knew for sure I'd be a musician until the day I died. I signed autographs in the hall at school and there was always the girls! It don't get no better than that.

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 22 Oct 2002 3:36 pm

I was 11 in Mishawaka IN. Agroup of guys between 20 -25 had been told by the club owner that they must have a steelor be fired. Steel Guitar Rag was going good then. We told my mother that we were going to practice at one of the guys house on the other side of South Bend which put us about 8 miles from our house and since no one had a phone in those days there was no way my mother could check. Off to Cal City IL we went to some den of eniquity. I remember most the drunk painted women slobbering all over me. I got paid $5 and had a neibor kid hold the money for me so my mother could'nt find it. I didn't know how good I had it. When I grew up the women didn't pay any attention to me.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 22 Oct 2002 6:51 pm

I was 14 y/o. It was an all adult band that needed a steel player and I was selected since I wasn't a drunk, druggie or homeless (had my own transportation)person. We played on a flat bed trailer behind Jerry's Tavern in Molalla, OR, for three days/nights in conjunction with the Molalla Rodeo days.
We played for tips. We got $78.00 ea. the very first night. I was hooked, let's say. The sun was about 80 degrees, the guitar strings and bar were almost too hot to hold. Jim Clinton was the band leader.[This message was edited by Ray Montee on 22 October 2002 at 07:51 PM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 22 Oct 2002 7:37 pm

I can remember the first time I played guitar in front of an audience, and the first time I played steel in front of an audience, but I can't remember my first paying gig. I really have no idea why. I guess the money wasn't the important thing.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6), Roland Handsonic

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 22 Oct 2002 8:18 pm

Played bass guitar at a political rally at the age of 15. Got $20, and was on cloud 9+!

Robert Thomas · Post by **Robert Thomas** » 23 Oct 2002 5:16 pm

I started playing for money in 1949, when I was 15. My folks drove me to the area community clubs and I played all by myself for the people to dance. I had my first electric steel guitar. A brand new Gibson, 6 string, BR-9 with a matching 40 watt amp and a DeArmond volume pedal. Boy my feet would shake and I was so nervous I thought I was going to pass out. I can still feel the apprehension. Those were sure some of the good old days.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 23 Oct 2002 6:14 pm

Played a banjo at a Community Theater Production in Post OR in '63.Stuff I'd learned off an Earl Scruggs album at half speed. Ground Speed, and Fireball Mail. 20$ and a free dinner.

First Money Guitar gig was playing "Bossa Nova" background music on a classical guitar. Dinner lounge background at Henry Ford's here in '68.

First paid Steel gig was a wedding at an Odd Fellows hall in VanWa in 79.

Where does the time go?

Ray: Jubitz with Renegade, 5 nites starting Sun. I think you'll like the genre a little better..
Larry will be doing some some of those mile wide shuffles. Moose Fri-Sat, Outdoor gig at Esther Short on Sat aft.

Paving every day til the rains hit...

Tired Old Eric West...

Hap Young · Post by **Hap Young** » 23 Oct 2002 6:31 pm

The first time I played Was for a school assembly..I was probably 10 or 12. I played my sax. We had a piano,Sax and Drum trio. My first gig was in a bar every Sat night,in my high school years. Thirty min. round dance and 15 min.square dance Every hr. I believe I made 15 dollard a night. My first steel job was 25 years latter at the VFW.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 23 Oct 2002 7:39 pm

Robert from Oregon..........please tell me more about the Gibson guitar you got, where you purchased it, etc. I had a 1948-49 mdl with matching amp and DeArmond foot pedal also. The amp had a door that snapped on the back to keep the dust out of the tubes, I guess.
Tired ole Eric.......we'll be there for sure unless something goes wrong. At my age, it could surely happen. I have no idea how I got "over the hill" without ever getting to the top. Oh well........

Les Pierce · Post by **Les Pierce** » 23 Oct 2002 8:30 pm

I had recently moved from my Mom's house to my Dad's trailer in Corvallis, Oregon. Dad had an old Fender bass and amp laying around. I had learned how to play 6 string guitar earlier from watching Laura Weber on PBS, so I picked up the bass and played along with Buck's Carnegie Hall album, just for fun. (You could hear Doyle's bass real well.) Dad played weekends and had a New Year's Eve job at Daryl's Lounge on ninth street (1970). The bass player didn't show up, so Dad came back to the house where I was watching TV and said "you're on". I just said "what?", and was off to my first job, and first time ever playing bass with anybody. The result was, we got an over to work weekends for $30 bucks a man (trio), and the rest is history.

My first electric, and steel guitar jobs (many years later), were not near as exciting and rewarding as this one was.

Les

Matt Martin · Post by **Matt Martin** » 24 Oct 2002 2:26 am

The first gig was in the 5th grade playing for all the the 5th & 6th graders in the school auditorium. No air conditioning wearing dark jackets like fools, sweating profusely!! I played lead on items such as Wipe Out, Paint It Black, etc. We didn’t get paid but had a lot of fun. Went back to class to very embarrassing applause. The 1st ( and last ) gig I got paid for was at a wedding playing of all things, John Prine, Byrds, Dylan, Buffet, etc. I didn’t think it would go over that well but the people started dancing and hooting and loved it. Must have been the alcohol.

nick allen · Post by **nick allen** » 24 Oct 2002 3:03 am

The first time I ever "sang" in public was, of all places, in Trafalgar Square, London - it was some kind of charity concert (no pay!) and I was actually there to accompany a friend on 12-string guitar. It was November, and so cold I couldn't feel my hands... For some reason, we had to play longer than planned, and having only rehearsed 3 or 4 songs, we had to improvise, so I sang "Me & Bobby McGee". I've always done that song first in every place I played since (if I was singing).
Nick

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 24 Oct 2002 3:30 pm

Nick
I have heard you sing. I dont think you sing
so hot.

nick allen · Post by **nick allen** » 24 Oct 2002 11:21 pm

Ha! what do you know? You sing with Leo Fender's voice

My voice is the perfect combination of Kris Kristofferson, Leonard Cohen and Leo Kottke... (and I'm not kidding

)
Nice to see you back again, Jody (and where's YOUR answer to Gene's question... don't tell us you can't remember

)
Nick [This message was edited by nick allen on 25 October 2002 at 12:23 AM.][This message was edited by nick allen on 25 October 2002 at 12:33 AM.]

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 25 Oct 2002 6:38 am

Gene: Well yet another one of these odd coincidences....I was just discussing my D-8 National with Roy and Dr Hugh in another thread about evolving tunings. As I was recalling the tunings I also remembered my first paying job and I don't know if anyone else has done the same but it is surely different.

I was in England and I mentioned earlier in still another thread about playing on a dresser top because I had no amp. Well, I found it was easier to play in the Service Club when I did get an amp. They had a music room and a piano and I met a black gentleman there who was very educated on those 88 keys. No kidding now: His name was George Washington ! I know because I have never been able to forget him and I don't know what ever became of him but later I was to get a good case of chill bumps when I learned that Hank Williams was shown how to sing and play by a black man.

He was as fascinated with my steel as I was with his musical knowledge. He taught me how to play Satin Doll and Sentimental Journey and In The Mood and then he got us our first job.

A duet at the officer's club; just the two of us and I had all the scary signs the others have mentioned here. I think we each made 5 dollars and worked about three hours. One officer who had had too many would ask: Do you guys know any country songs so we did Cheating Heart and
Anytime. He came back and asked if that was all we did; Country ?? We went in the other songs I mentioned and I don't know where he went.

That was at RAF Fairford; I was living in base housing and the O club was down the street from me. The only time I have been able to take my guitar and amp and walk to the gig.

Thanks for the memory, Gene !!

Regards, Paul

[This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 25 October 2002 at 07:40 AM.]