I'm going to claim to be an authority on steady work in the music business. I'm 65 and had my first paying job at age 11 in an Officers Club in Fairbanks, Alaska. I've had 9 weeks off in 54 years...playing at least 4 gigs a week. That was primarily moving from state to state as a "military brat".

At the time of that first job, popular tunes were on the radio by Marty Robbins Ferlin Husky, Farin Young, Bill Hailey and the like. I chose to play Les Paul tunes.

Over the years, I had to play country (probably 15% of the time) to get by. Didn't like it.

It would have been easier if I had taken the country route, from a musicianship/employment standpoint.

It would have been easier if I was 1/5th the entertainer some of you are. I'm not.

My niche as a single, became horse farms, "snob" restaurants, Jazz arts organizations, country clubs, college/higher education related events and government organizations; then adding film scores and related work.

About three years ago, I had enough of the snobbery at the main restaurant I played for 14 years.

I played a reception at a place called "County Cookin" by George, and didn't go back to the job I'd had for 14 seasons. Patrons at the "snob" place paid an average of $32.12 per sitting. The country restaurant charged $8.95 for a buffet, including drink. This is the place Uncle Dave and Jim (Zuki) and Tom's family visited.

Customers from the "snob" restaurant warned me that I would ruin my reputation playing in a place like "Country Cookin" by George.
Incidentally, Country George was a Chiese gentleman, but that's another story.
Frankly, they (the Country Cookin folks) were nicer people. While I altered my tunes a little, I still stayed in the standards/60's-90's songs, played with a jazz attitude. And, yes, I would do a (yuck) country tune, if requested.

In the early 70's, I was playing an after hours job. It was a restaurant job downstairs and a dance hall upstairs on week-ends. A drummer I'd worked with in the Little Enis band asked me to fill in one week-end upstairs. I'd call this a "welfare" country job. Country music was not at all popular on the radio. In fact, believe it or not, in Lexington, Kentucky, there was only one low watt country station in the entire market. Three years later, the joke was, I was still waiting for the "permanent" guy.

These people clogged, listened to Johnny Cash, Johnnie dollar and Johnnie Paycheck. I developed an alter-ego. I became Johnnie Mastercard. I had a Porter Wagoner-type shirt made (sparkles) and got a Charlie Daniels hat. I decorated my telecaster with Mastercard stickers. I'd enter-stage right doing a "duck-walk", yelling "charge". The folks loved it. George Jones and Jerry Lee stopped by while in town for breakfast.

I'd mention that I had a problem with a mower. At 6:00 AM (I got off work at 4:00 AM from the restaurant) two of the patrons were in my front yard with their tools. Great people I still keep in contact with.

The group upstairs played only country. Downstairs, I played typical lounge stuff. Patrons downstairs were service people and other musicians from other restaurants and clubs. I got to show off, playing tunes chosen for how much they impressed other players. I was an arrogant little jerk at the time.

Today, my business involves transactions with university people, owners of large farms and companies...pretty "high flyers"...most with at least a college education.

They are NOT country music fans (at least, they won't admit it).

My music appeals to them. From an education and day-business standpoint, I fit in this group.

But, factoring in honesty, charity and compassion, my heart is with folks like the ones who, years ago, drove 50 miles, showed up at my door to fix my mower and refused to let me pay them.

I like the country attitude and genuine country people; just don't like to play the music.

And, as hard as it is, I'll continue to play what I love, less money, smaller audiences and "snobbish" customers not withstanding.

15,000 jobs ( or more) later, I'm still at it, doing things my way.


Russ

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 10-27-2010).]