General Music Chat

26 was a turning point for me. Bandmates were drugged out, we had a really crappy recording contract offer that looked more like slavery, married with one kid. I chose to keep music as my passion, not my livelihood.

Out of those answering this informal poll, you started youngest so far. My first paying gig wasn't until age 15.

I was 30 before I decided to drop out of the scene (maybe because I was the drugged out guy?) so I commend you for avoiding that trap.

[b]I have always been in it for the music, never the "big score".

Then why specialize in cover tunes?

Would you turn down the "big score" if it happened today?



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26 was a turning point for me. Bandmates were drugged out, we had a really crappy recording contract offer that looked more like slavery, married with one kid. I chose to keep music as my passion, not my livelihood.

Out of those answering this informal poll, you started youngest so far. My first paying gig wasn't until age 15.

I was 30 before I decided to drop out of the scene (maybe because I was the drugged out guy?) so I commend you for avoiding that trap.

[b]I have always been in it for the music, never the "big score".

Then why specialize in cover tunes?

Would you turn down the "big score" if it happened today?



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This may come as a shock but I have always enjoyed doing covers and never had much of a passion as a songwriter. Me and Joe Cocker I guess . We wrote a bunch back in the 70s and 80s and some would probably still stand up today but songwriting is not really what motivates me. I have zero desire for any sort of fame as a musician and prefer my anonymity. Working with other great players motivates me, not looking to score big so I would not likely chase that golden ring. Like Jimmy, my "under-the-radar " day job has made most things possible so I am grateful for that.

"Jeff, my guess is you were playing as a young teenager in Houston."

Actually, I started out learning classical violin at the age of 11, in orchestra in the 6th grade. started performing with the orchestra that year, in grade eight I did a Duet with the principle him on guitar, me on fiddle playing the melody of Fraulein. Playing in a band by 15 first professional gig 18. Music has been in my soul as far back as I can remember. It is in my DNA I have to play and perform to be the real me! 100th gig around mid to late 20's. I tried to "make it" but realized early on that it couldn't support my family. It has been my side job all my life.

I forgot - my first gig (non-paying) was when I was 10 or 11 - I played 'Baccorole' (however its spelled) on clarinet with my father accompanying me on piano for one of my grandmother's 'Order of the Eastern Star' meetings.

a) How old were you the first time you jammed with some kind of band or combo?

17 playing w a cpl of gtrst buds

b) How old were you when you decided it was something you wanted to continue doing?

same day

c) How old were you when you did your first gig? Your 100th gig?

18 playing bass for the summer at Gibert's Hotel in the Catskills. 100th gig.... i guess 19 .

d) How old were you when you decided you wanted to be professional OR decided it wasn't the career path you wanted to take? (There can be multiple answers for this one)

i worked straight day gigs til 2000 always gigging a lot w several bands and giving lessons.
2000 i went to music full time playing in 3 or 4 bands, solo gigs, pickup gigs, lessons, occasional session work.

e) Was there one thing that caused you to give up on "the dream" you started out with?

i never dreamed of "making it" or "being a star". my "dream" was to simply have a life filled w music and i feel very lucky to have that.

Not trying to jack your thread Ted but do you remember the first SONG you ever played to an audience?? Mine was 'Jambalaya' by Hank Williams (alias Luke The Drifter).

Mine was "Your Cheatin' Heart"

age 4

No Ted. I'm not talking about singing on the front porch for the annual family reunion. I'm talking about strapping on an electric guitar, plugging it into an amp and standing in front of the mike in front of 100+ people w/ your stomach doing somersaults but you nailed that sucker!!

I could site read off the blackboard and play my little black plastic recorder @ 6 in front of the classroom but I'm not counting that kind of stuff.

On both sides, both mom & dad's family, were several professional musicians. A couple of cousins were signed to London Records and had Moving Sidewalks (ZZ Top) opening for them. It was a huge jam session at every holiday and get together, sometimes going on for days. Thought that's what every family did. Blues on dad's side, country on mom's side.

Did live performances for strangers at a very young age. Grandpa would bring me to people's houses and I'd sing several Hank Williams songs while he played guitar. Have most of those songs still memorized. I wanted to be a singer as far back as I can remember. Didn't start playing guitar until 13.

My first paying gig fronting my own band was age 15. At 17 became house band doing 6 nights a week for 3 years at the Foxy Lady in Beaumont (needed parental releases for the whole band to get in)

Did my hundredth gig at age 19. Left for the big city at age 20.


Still can't read music. Causes some minor problems when I'm producing classical players.

"Jeff, my guess is you were playing as a young teenager in Houston."

Actually, I started out learning classical violin at the age of 11, in orchestra in the 6th grade. started performing with the orchestra that year, in grade eight I did a Duet with the principle him on guitar, me on fiddle playing the melody of Fraulein. Playing in a band by 15 first professional gig 18. Music has been in my soul as far back as I can remember. It is in my DNA I have to play and perform to be the real me! 100th gig around mid to late 20's. I tried to "make it" but realized early on that it couldn't support my family. It has been my side job all my life.

Violin? That explains why you're so fast!

Do you still play it?

I forgot - my first gig (non-paying) was when I was 10 or 11 - I played 'Baccorole' (however its spelled) on clarinet with my father accompanying me on piano for one of my grandmother's 'Order of the Eastern Star' meetings.

Awesome! I love playing with my sons.

Do you still play clarinet at all?

I wrote the first song I ever played on a guitar because I didn't know anything else. Rehearsals in my first band were public events at the County Park because they had a stage and my dad hated rock n roll. Though I had played with this band at several parties, it wasn't until our first paying gig (east chambers country roller skating rink in Winni TX) that we realized we had not worked on the endings of anything. Ooops.

Yes, I was blessed to have cousins that would show me the latest cool songs to play, even if it took me months to actually get my fingers to do what my cousins showed me. Maybe it is because I had successful relatives that it seemed like a career path to me at a young age. Not so much to be a big "star" but to make a living doing what I love to do. Sing and write. I come from a family of entrepreneur home-builders on both sides. Everyone in mom and dad's family were either musicians, or carpenters, or both. First time I shot a nail into my ring finger, I quit carpentry.

But it seems obvious from the responses so far that anyone who is still playing started in their teens. I expected that to be true, but I'm a bit surprised at how many started in their late teens, actually.

Sounds like we were into the same music (minus bluegrass) with the power trios. I listened to all rock, but my favorites were always the hard rock blues-based English bands (and Aerosmith) as a guitarist, and Motown/blues/soul as a singer

And playing with Grandpa is still some of my favorite memories too.

a) How old were you the first time you jammed with some kind of band or combo?

17 playing w a cpl of gtrst buds

b) How old were you when you decided it was something you wanted to continue doing?

same day

c) How old were you when you did your first gig? Your 100th gig?

18 playing bass for the summer at Gibert's Hotel in the Catskills. 100th gig.... i guess 19 .

d) How old were you when you decided you wanted to be professional OR decided it wasn't the career path you wanted to take? (There can be multiple answers for this one)

i worked straight day gigs til 2000 always gigging a lot w several bands and giving lessons.
2000 i went to music full time playing in 3 or 4 bands, solo gigs, pickup gigs, lessons, occasional session work.

e) Was there one thing that caused you to give up on "the dream" you started out with?

i never dreamed of "making it" or "being a star". my "dream" was to simply have a life filled w music and i feel very lucky to have that.

Mark, you seem to be the most educated player in the bandmix wars here. Think I've seen video of you playing several instruments.

And you also seem to be a late starter at 17. Did you study music? How long? What did you study and under whom?


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"Jeff, my guess is you were playing as a young teenager in Houston."

Actually, I started out learning classical violin at the age of 11, in orchestra in the 6th grade. started performing with the orchestra that year, in grade eight I did a Duet with the principle him on guitar, me on fiddle playing the melody of Fraulein. Playing in a band by 15 first professional gig 18. Music has been in my soul as far back as I can remember. It is in my DNA I have to play and perform to be the real me! 100th gig around mid to late 20's. I tried to "make it" but realized early on that it couldn't support my family. It has been my side job all my life.

Violin? That explains why you're so fast!

Do you still play it?

I forgot - my first gig (non-paying) was when I was 10 or 11 - I played 'Baccorole' (however its spelled) on clarinet with my father accompanying me on piano for one of my grandmother's 'Order of the Eastern Star' meetings.

Awesome! I love playing with my sons.

Do you still play clarinet at all?

Ted I quit playing violin back in the late 70's was actually very proficient on it. I picked it back up in 94 and was becoming good on it again but noticed my guitar chops suffering as a result. Gave my violin to my daughter who still plays to this day. She traded the one I gave her toward a better one. She played all the way thru High school as I did. Now she has a son and doesn't play that often.

Ted I quit playing violin back in the late 70's was actually very proficient on it. I picked it back up in 94 and was becoming good on it again but noticed my guitar chops suffering as a result.

that's interesting, jeff. is that because the time you were putting in on the violin took away from your playing/prcting time on gtr....or was it some physical/technical thing? or maybe playing an instrument tuned in 5ths vs. 4ths?

Mark, you seem to be the most educated player in the bandmix wars here.

HA! I've fooled another one!

Think I've seen video of you playing several instruments.

yeah, that'd be me....jerk of all trades, master of none!

And you also seem to be a late starter at 17. Did you study music? How long? What did you study and under whom?
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i never had any "formal" instrument lessons. back in HS, a buddy of mine showed me some chords on the gtr and 5 string banjo. a few yrs later i picked up an upright bass and after messing w it some and getting some proficiency on it, i decided to take a cpl of lessons before i got myself into trouble w too many bad habits.

i studied for a cpl of yrs at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music majoring in classical gtr. Minor in flute. I'd already figured out some theory on my own, but that's where i got to really build on that basic foundation.