So we were on vacation with family last week, and at lunch we were talking about a family member who had not been seen in years. We tried to remember whether he ever married, had kids, etc.
Then my husband's brother (businessman) said dismissively, "I think he was playing in a BAND or something." Then my husband's other brother (doctor) shook his head and they both laughed.
My own husband did not participate, because he's married to a music nut and gets it ...
but, this generally dismissive attitude towards people who are into music, just gets me down.
If you are middle-aged and good enough to play in a band, how cool is that! I don't know why people have these attitudes about music/musicians, I don't get it.
End of Rant -
thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
Supporting Rant.
Know how you feel.... (had to delete all of my rant)
i do enjoy a good rant though...Lol
Edited by - pete_fiddle on 05/20/2025 09:47:35
I wonder how often the McCartney famly gather round the table and say "Haven't heard from Paul in a long time. Wonder whatever happened to him?"
Lets face it - no one gets rich playing in bars, libraries, festivals and square dances. IF you are talented or lucky enough to rub shoulders with "Paul" - you are indeed fortunate. Millions of musicians never even get close. You have to keep the perspective that these business men and doctors and lawyers don't get to experience what its like to create something that basically is ephemeral and fleeting, but beautiful (unless they play too, in which case - sourgrapes!).
Most artsy-fartsy types don't make diddle-squat at their art...lol...but the love of their art carries them through. Nobody can ever accuse artists (musicians included) of operating out of greed and corruption...it's pure love of their art. Money doesn't motivate that...the doctors and lawyers might do well in life, but they won't understand what it's like to have the love of creating your art, and such happiness in sharing it that you just don't care if you can't earn a living with it. If you do earn a living, it mostly likely ain't much, but adds a little icing on the cake.
Yea...like why is it somehow "better" to wind up a solid middle class (or upper class) person of means...like, you are a better person and made it in life if you have a large investment account...
(OK that is a can of worms! So I won't go there...:-)
& Pete, thank you for the supporting Rant. :-D
Years ago I learned even the highest level Bluegrass band, The Seldom Scene, all had day jobs. That's just reality.
What gets to me is the dismissive part too. Some can walk in another's moccasins, and see things from another point of view, and some can't. If you see the ball as green and I see it as blue, we can't have a discussion. If i see that in a certain light, the ball appears green, or vise-versa, then we can talk.
Edited by - farmerjones on 05/20/2025 14:37:56
farmerjones - The Seldom Scene were conceived as a band that would play locally once a week, make records, and play limited concerts and festivals. That was by choice. Their "day jobs" were physician, mathematician, graphic artist, and cartographer at National Geographic. Although John Duffey repaired instruments, he was mainly a performing musician. We played a show with them once at the University of Delaware, and it was an interesting experience to share a "dressing room" with him. I don't think Bill Monroe ever had a "day job," or Flatt and Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, etc.
This thread seems full of ill informed nonsense. Why is it better to live for the "pure love of your art" than to achieve success in other fields where you might find great satisfaction in creatively doing something you love?
As far as not making anything financially with your "art," a lot depends on talent, determination, and some degree of luck. I have friends who've done quite well, especially as songwriters. People have shown me their new kitchen, or even new addition, paid for by a particular song. I was close friends with one young woman who reportedly sold her catalogue for 4 million dollars. In 2017 Rhiannon Giddens received a MacArthur fellowship worth $800,000. That may be a bit of a fluke, but again she's talented and very determined.
I haven't achieved anything like that level of success, but I've been involved in music professionally since high school, as a performing and recording artist, record producer, recording and live sound engineer, "folklorist," and record company owner and director - pretty typical really. I couldn't think of anything else to do, but I could see being very satisfied with achievements in other fields.
Doug, I knew what jobs the Seldom Scene had. Why does it matter?
Do you wish to have a discussion or come at folks?
I'm not "coming at" you. My point is that they didn't have to have "day jobs" because the couldn't be successful as musicians, but that they already had interesting and fullfilling careers they didn't want to abandon. This is different from having to have another job because you can only expect limted success in music, which is what you implied. The "highest level" Bluegrass bands of that era were able to make a living (sometimes a slim one) from music. Big difference.
Edited by - DougD on 05/20/2025 18:54:07
I guess my point is there is no crime in hedging your bet as huge success in music is sporadic at best. We can discuss what 'success' is, but it's subjective.
Off subject slightly, but in your lengthy music career did you ever meet a fellow named Bob Letterly? He played banjer, primarily.
Didn't Bill make the Bluegrass Boys work the farm in off time?
Don't know? Ask the Gatekeeper.
quote:
Originally posted by wrench13Didn't Bill make the Bluegrass Boys work the farm in off time?
Indeed, and not just in the early days. Bob Black says he worked on the farm, and Bob played with Bill in the mid 70s.
quote:
Originally posted by DougD
This thread seems full of ill informed nonsense. Why is it better to live for the "pure love of your art" than to achieve success in other fields where you might find great satisfaction in creatively doing something you love?
This seems to be about the mythology of "art" and music being "higher callings" than other occupations. It may be a modern affliction related to the canonization of popular entertainers by the entertainment industry and mass media. This worldview leads to pop singers seriously calling themselves "artists" in vainglorious self-tribute whenever they're interviewed on TV. It makes some think, for example, that maybe members of popular bands are resisting their true calling of being media gods when choosing instead to be professionals in other endeavors. They're cheating us, god damn it, these artists owe us their full devotion!
