I answered an advert !!!

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

I noticed an advert on Gumtree for a lead Guitarist for a new forming band. The advert stated that the candidate must be passionate about the music of Ray Price,Buck Owens,George Jones and a few others.
You'll never know if You don't ask so I mailed and said I was a pedal steel player and would be interested.
I received a reply thanking Me for My interest but they were not looking for a steel player and would not be looking to add one at any time.!!!!
I cannot imagine the music of these artists without the sound of a steel guitar.
I think I will get on with My woodshedding of steel guitar rag on My trombone in case something else turns up

[Ken Byng]

You should have told them that you play both lead and steel Billy. Then you could have taken a lead guitar along with your steel and kept it on a guitar stand. When it came to playing the classic country stuff you could have said that there was very little lead guitar on it and was mainly steel guitar and at least they could have heard how good they sounded with an experienced pedal steel player. On the other hand they probably wouldn't have appreciated it.

I play Telecaster and steel with one band that I play with, and it keeps my hand in on guitar. I even get booked for the occasional gig on just lead guitar by a couple of local singers, especially for blues and R&B nights which is what I started playing back in the early 1960's.

Basil H also doubles up on steel and guitar for some gigs, so it pays to be a little versatile in order to keep the gigs coming in. Derek Thurlby also doubles up and I'm sure there more people on this forum who also do so. It's worth dusting off that old lead guitar you have lying around and brushing up on your lead playing skills.

For what its worth I also play 5 string banjo, mandolin, keyboards and bass guitar. The more strings you have to your bow the more likelihood you have of being asked to do gigs, sessions and the like.

[SHAKEY]

D'ya know I hear bells ringin' here. I was recently approached about joining a band, it turned out all were in favour except the singer. Why is that? You would think the singer would be all for anything that complimented their voice, but are they afraid the sound of the steel will outshine them?? I worked with a band for years and was never allowed to do an instrumental, maybe I wasn't good enough!!

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

I too was never encourage to do a solo spot.
I played a weekly pub gig with a Female who had a huge ego and on several occasions before we started I would play a few bars of a "solo" I had worked on and She never failed to say "I will sing that tonight"
I had kind of used Wildwood Flower as My Signature tune and at the end of the evening(with most bands) I would play out with a verse and chorus of this tune,The pre mentioned Diva was not over happy about this,the crowd really did like it and always clapped in time,anyhow the Diva said that She would endeavour to find the words to this song She never was able to get the words but was not to be outdone,She had Her mic pretty loud and proceeded to Doo Doo thru' the melody.Every time She did that I stopped playing and let Her Doo Doo alone.

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

I read today in a current Country Mag that at the end of the night in one of the clubs someone was heard to say that the band(very good band with steel) were too Country.

[Malcolm]

Billy, was the band you contacted over in Fife ? I recently went along to try out with a band from there , wanting to do Marty Stuart, George Jones etc, they had tried out Three lead players, in about three months, but all had pulled out after a few weeks.On the night I went along I was told that , despite playing at a low volume I was told that it was too loud, and despite being only lead instrument there, that I was playing too much, also that I shouldn't play on slow numbers( they did Two) , as they didn't suit steel, four of numbers were Ray Price, three were George Jones, a couple of Hag, some Buck Owens, all played much faster than they should be.If this was them, you have done yourself a favour not playing with them.Needless to say I declined joining them.

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Looks like the same outfit Malcolm. The guy who replied was Steve. The advert said they did practise in Fife.but gave a local(Glasgow) address
Sounds like they know a lot about country
They were defin8tly too good for Me
Did the band have a name Malcolm?
Did they have any work?

[Malcolm]

Same outfit Billy, they had no name yet, no work that I know of.They did not want to play country circuit, and wanted to mainly do pubs.Believe drummer has now left also.Only good thing I can say is that their harmonies were good, tempo of numbers all wrong, and need an attitude transplant, reminded me of my old lead singer.