1 Reply by DuskyDee

(9 replies, posted in My local band and me)

@Baldguitardude  Thanks for wishes of good luck, I can do with some! Any info I can follow up re: muso's in this area will be terrific!

@kimnoblemusic  I'd appreciate it if you managed to find any musos from around here (West Burbs) who are interested in mainly country to begin with and then the addition of classic blues along with other great standards. If you email me through this site I can give you more details you can share with any potential musicians. We need them to to sing harmonies too. At the moment, I am not able to travel much, and so practising in our house is best for me. My husband is a drummer and we have everything set up, including instruments we are not able to play, as yet!

Apart from 'Middle of the Road' bands (MOR) in the UK, I went out as part of a duo for three years. I played guitar and sang lead and harmonies. We did acoustic sets and electric, and then some with backing tracks for the full band sound. BUT, drum machines just don't cut it for me! When I was a professional dancer, drums and bass were the instrument beats I danced to.

Check out my website to hear recordings of us practising. We never got as far as the real recordings, due to various irritating circumstances.
http://www.mamadevilleband.com

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2 Topic by DuskyDee

(4 replies, posted in Chordie's Chat Corner)

Hello Everyone!

There's some interesting people on here I look forward to meeting!

I am a singer songwriter, guitarist from the UK, living near Chicago. I hope to get out with my country blues band when I can complete the line-up. A little encouragement would be fabulous though as no-one knows me in this country as yet.

I have around 40 original songs to record and only have a few of them down, the better ones have not even had any other input than mine as yet.  I hope to work on them soon but I'm going through a trying time with my health just now.

Oh, and I was a professional back in England, luckily popular back then too! If you have time and can visit my music site, I hope you'll like what you hear:  www.mamadevilleband.com

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3 Reply by DuskyDee

(9 replies, posted in My local band and me)

Thanks for responding BGD!

Would you know if this is s till the case re there being lots of piano players around still. Is it likely there are not nearer to me than South side and NW Indiana? I ask this, as I go on Craigslist to see who's available, and I've also advertised, but there seems no-one from my area. I am not able to drive very far from home either, as I'm not confident (being used to driving in the UK) enough and always get lost! Even with a GPS!

I realise there must be some  good keys men out there, but sadly that doesn't seem to be the case nearer to me. I also a hoping for the near distance so it will be easier for other musicians to come and practise at my place as often as possible. We have drums set up here also.

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4 Reply by DuskyDee

(9 replies, posted in My local band and me)

Hello there,
I forgot to put in a location! Sadly, I'm living in an area where it's very difficult to find motivated musicians, or ones who can see that there is still opportunity for a good country blues band. The 'older' ones who love and play this music are only doing it occasionally and for fun. With a mixture of country, not excluding the contemporary country, being mature and experienced with audiences works well. But, to find suitable people is almost impossible.
And, yes, the need for the honky tonk pianoman, is uppermost for that great sound. Pedal steel, mandolin also, but they don't seem quite as difficult to get hold of as the pianoman!

SO, here is the location; in between Naperville, Downers Grove, and that part of the West Burbs in Illinois. Even Chicago is not coming up with the goods! It's heart-breaking not being able to get my band together.  I see you are from Las Vegas. I bet there are some good musicians over there!

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5 Topic by DuskyDee

(9 replies, posted in My local band and me)

I've been advertising for years in America for a honky tonk pianoman. Not every REAL piano player is already situated in a band are they? In Britian I found players who used their left hands to play boogie and the best country, so why no-one here in the USA?

My father was a multi-instrumentalist and in a band in the swing, rock n roll era. He was self-taught, playing all instruments by ear, double bass, banjo, accordion, drums, ukelele and piano, and he played from Gershwin, Glen Miller, Ray Charles, Bill Hayley, Fats Domino to Jerry Lee. My father played damn well! Sadly he's passed on and I need that type of playing for my honky-tonk country blues band. Non-existent until I find the right keyboard player.

Much of the blame goes to the same musical virus which took many drummers out of the equation. CHEATING instruments like drum machines and keyboards with transposition abilities and controls to do most of the work. Others might think differently, especially those who never put the dedication and hard work in to learn to play truly well, but none of this sounds as good as the natural ability. I know human error is programmed in at times, but it is still not as good.

So, where are you REAL competant, versatile pianomen? Anyone left? Darn it, I'm a guitarist and I can partly play 3 boogies, obviously using the left hand, with chords on the right. So, where are you all?

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