career move

[John Rosett]

well, i hope this is apropriate.
#i've been playing in a band in missoula, mt for the past 5 1/2 years. it's kind of an alternative country band. i think that it's a really good band. we have alot of really good original music, and four out of the six of us write. we've released two cd's, and have about 20 new original songs ready to record. we've toured from seattle/portland to minneapolis over the past couple of years, and pack the local clubs we play at. if you're interested, you can see the band's website at; www.cashforjunkers.com .
#my problem is, i don't think that the northwest is the place to make a living playing country music. i'm 47, and i've been playing music since i was 13, and i guess i'm having a kinda musical midlife crisis. i had a very scary near death experience this past winter, and i realised that there's alot of musical stuff that i still want to do.
#so my question here is- is there more opportunity to play country (not that radio stuff), bluegrass, swing, etc music in the southeast than in the northwest. i'm originally from durham, nc. my mother lives there, and i'd like to see more of her while i can.
#so what do southeasterners think? (or anybody for that matter) one thing i know for sure is that drive time between cities is a lot less. for us to drive to the next city and play is 200 miles.
#any input on this will be appreciated. thanks, john

[Bob A]

Seems to me you'd be near the heart of bluegrass country in NC. And like you say, it's a shorter drive to anywhere than you'd be facing in Montana. Be prepared for a shocking change in population density and maybe attitudes as well.

Still, your Mom would be glad to see more of you (I hope).

[Bobbie Dier]

mandorose,
There are PLENTY of places to play the kind of music you described around western North Carolina, East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. There are pleny of clubs or pubs,street fairs, bluegrass festivals, fiddlers conventions the list goes on. The towns are not two hundred miles apart either. Check out the web radio station WNCW you can get an idea of the amount of music that goes on around here. They #give a list a mile long of the venues around this area. I think you would probably feel right at home with the music around Durham, NC. I hear it's a cool place to live too. Good luck.

[John Rosett]

hey, thanks for your kind responces. bob-yes, my mother would be glad to see me-i've actually paid back the money she loaned me
so, does anybody know of any resourses for finding musicians/bands in the southeast-kind of like a musicians classified?
thanks again, john

[doanepoole]

From DC southward, there is a vibrant interest in country music in most all of its forms.

Festivals galore, and plenty of venues in the more populous areas to perform.

[doanepoole]

P.S. Ditto to what Bob A said...be prepared for a more crowded, faster pace of life, and all the negatives and postives that come with it.

[BenE]

One thing to consider is that there will be a lot of competition in those areas. It is hard to make any money in bluegrass when you have bands that will play for food and beer....Something which that part of the country has no lack there of.....

[doanepoole]

That is a true and interesting point. There is a phenomenon among smaller venues (bars and such) to pay either real low or just for free beer and food. And some poor-mediocre bands seem only to happy to take such gigs, as they are doing it just for fun in some cases.

On the other side of the coin, the larger venues may not be interested in paying you professional rates unless you have already proven you can draw a crowd and make them money. So alot of the better unknown pickers just stick to their day job.

Sad but true, and something to keep in mind.

[Jacob]

Banjo in the Hollow (http://www.rtpnet.org/~bith/) is based in the Triangle.
Zepp Music (http://zeppmusic.com/) is in Wendell.
WBRF-FM (http://www.blueridgemusic.org/SearchResultDetail.asp?EditRecord=41&Region=2) in Galax, VA broadcasts in the Triad region, fifty miles west of the Triangle.

[Pete Martin]

"That is a true and interesting point. There is a phenomenon among smaller venues (bars and such) to pay either real low or just for free beer and food. And some poor-mediocre bands seem only to happy to take such gigs, as they are doing it just for fun in some cases."

This happens in many places in the country. It is very common in Seattle for people to play for nothing. It makes hunting up real gigs very tough.

[doanepoole]

Funny thing...while visiting Nashville, at a dive bar, and I mean a real DIVE, a fistfight almost broke out over a slot at an open mic!

I remember it was resolved by the owner saying something like "You need to pay your dues before you make it big time!"

Insanity.

[John Rosett]

yes, i know about the down side of living on the east coast. i lived the first 24 years of my life there. i'm also quite experienced with crappy club owners and booking agents. it's funny that musicians have the reputation of being spaced-out and hard to work with, isn't it?
also, i'm interested in playing more than bluegrass, and i'm wondering how much of a scene there is for "under the radar" country music. i mean i love playing electric guitar ALMOST as much as i love playing mandolin.
the main pitfalls of playing in an original music band in montana are that there aren't many places to play. as near as i can tell, there aren't any places to play in great falls or helena unless you're playing top 40, and there might not even be a place for that. and you can't get gigs in seattle or portland because you're competing with the locals for a small amount of gigs (hi pete!).
it just seems to me from what i read that there is just more interest in live country music in the southeast. i mean, i'm standing in front of the drummer holding a telecaster, and someone says "don't you play anything other than that bluegrass" !?!?!?!
john

[evanreilly]

I moved to the Asheville 'suburbs' almost a year ago from the Boston area mainly because I wanted to play more. I am amazed by the quality and quantity of good musicians, music and venues around here. Just this morning I was thinking I could go out every night this week to a jam. This coming weekend is the Southeast Comando gathering. It don't get no better anywhere!!! I wish I had moved here 25 years ago.

[mandoJeremy]

Evan is correct, we are blessed in NC with quite a few great musicians and there is always somewhere to play. Of course I am speaking for the Western NC area. I do know there are also a lot of talented musicians in the Triad area but I don't know about the jam scene or gig scene there.

[Lane Pryce]

MRose. You will have no problem. I live in Asheboro 60 minutes west of Durham and 30 min south of Greensboro. I am amazed at the variety of venues avaliable for talented musicians. Evidenced by what I hear on the radio and read in the papers. Not to mention the very large informal jams around that attract top flight musicians. There are many opportunities for networking. Come on home boy and spend time with the family. Southeners ain't changed none; just them none native folks with them dang attitudes giving us all a bad rap!(Humor folks,not intended to offend anyone)
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif Lp

[straight-a]

Lot's of great pickers in the triangle area of NC. You will find no shortage of opportunities to get into some good bands. Check out this site and and you can get a sampling of the bands in the area. Look under band listings.

www.ibluegrass.com

[Billy]

I'm in Goldsboro,NC,and find plenty of places to play bluegrass.NC probably has more bluegrass festivals than any other state.Zepp Music in Wendell is only about an hour from Durham,and he has an open jam every week.You can meet alot of great players there.I am a bluegrass banjo picker,and am just learning the mandolin.Western NC is all about bluegrass,from Maggie Valley up to Pigeon Forge TN.
Great luck with your move.