Keith's Custom #27 Replica Bass

[David Houck]

... I was 13 years old living in Texas when a Ray Price style shuffle band came through town playing the local rodeo in August 50 years ago. Their bass player didn't show up, so they were up a creek. My brothers were there watching them set up and heard them talking about it, so they told them that I was a bass player. The band said go get him, and I showed up. They started up playing and soon realized I was mostly a bass 'owner' and barely a player, if at all. So the leader stood beside me and said 'play whatever note I point at'. So I did. We got through the gig and they paid me 35 bucks. After the gig the leader drew a picture of a bass neck with notes and said memorize it, and when he hollered out a note, I was to play it. They said they would carry me around with them for a month or two with me watching their bassist, seeing if I could do the job, letting me play here and there. In a couple of months they fired the original guy and hired me. These men were all 40 to 60 years old, and lifers so it was an interesting mix. Soon I quit school in the 9th grade, and made enough money to buy and drive my own car illegally (under-age) to bars across the Texas Panhandle. I left Texas 5 years later and headed to LA. I was on my way. 

Wow; that's quite a story.

[pauldo]

Wow thats one cool story on how you got started playing bass. Cant wait to see your custom unfold. Congrats man!

Thanks Chris. A ranching and farming kid living in the middle of nowhere getting an opportunity like that. I took to it quickly and had purchased 3 Alembic Series 1 basses by the time I was 19.

Keith - that really is very interesting.  You need someone to do a documentary on your career!

[KR]

Wow thats one cool story on how you got started playing bass. Cant wait to see your custom unfold. Congrats man!

Thanks Chris. A ranching and farming kid living in the middle of nowhere getting an opportunity like that. I took to it quickly and had purchased 3 Alembic Series 1 basses by the time I was 19.

Pauldo, it's been quite a trip. I knew at age 5 that I wanted to be a bass player, so I'm lucky that I knew my path early on. I've had some incredible successes, and some completely avoidable, costly missteps because I wasn't always the sharpest stick in the woodpile. My story is pretty simple: Keep at it for life, try to be sober about your shortcomings, and never give up being a student of the craft. Because of that attitude I find that I suck a little less each year -LOL

Keith - that really is very interesting.  You need someone to do a documentary on your career!

[edwardofhuncote]

I'm with Dave, great story... and you made $1 more than me on that first gig. I got $34, my cut of a New Year's Eve party 1988-89. I couldn't believe they would actually pay me for playing bass. It took another 8 years to chuck it all and move to Nashville and do it full-time, but I was hooked from that first tip-jar paycheck. Get better, fast.

[KR]

I'm with Dave, great story... and you made $1 more than me on that first gig. I got $34, my cut of a New Year's Eve party 1988-89. I couldn't believe they would actually pay me for playing bass. It took another 8 years to chuck it all and move to Nashville and do it full-time, but I was hooked from that first tip-jar paycheck. Get better, fast.

I hear you, Greg. Even now to get paid for playing and having fun --a miracle. Nashvegas has always been chock-full of bass monsters--not for the timid.

[KR]

Wow thats one cool story on how you got started playing bass. Cant wait to see your custom unfold. Congrats man!

Thanks Chris. A ranching and farming kid living in the middle of nowhere getting an opportunity like that. I took to it quickly and had purchased 3 Alembic Series 1 basses by the time I was 19.

Keith - that really is very interesting.  You need someone to do a documentary on your career!

  Pauldo, it's been quite a trip. I knew at age 5 that I wanted to be a bass player, so I'm lucky that I knew my path early on. I've had some incredible successes, and some completely avoidable, costly missteps because I wasn't always the sharpest stick in the woodpile. My story is pretty simple: Keep at it for life, try to be sober about your shortcomings, and never give up being a student of the craft. Because of that attitude I find that I suck a little less each year -LOL