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 David Allen Coe?
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| Author | Topic: David Allen Coe? |
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Steve Howard Member From: High Ridge, Missouri, USA |
posted 31 March 2006 09:36 AM
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Anyone ever work with him? My band is opening for him tomorrow night and I have heard nothing but bad things about him? Is it even worth trying to get a picture with him or should we just not plan for any communication? Thanks, |
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Glenn Suchan Member From: Austin, Texas |
posted 31 March 2006 09:58 AM
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Steve, You won't see much of him before or after the show. He's usually on his bus. As for the shows: When I was playing in the Kevin Fowler Band we did several shows with DAC. He is very particular about things. One show he wanted the house A/C turned off (or, it seemed, set at about 95 degrees). He also wanted some of the tables, which the club provided for patrons, placed right in front of the stage (without chairs). I think the idea was to keep the fans from crowding the front of the stage. What ever you've heard about DAC shows probably has a kernel of truth to it. Be aware of that and enjoy the fireworks. Keep on pickin'! |
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Marlin Smoot Member From: Atlanta,Georgia, USA |
posted 31 March 2006 10:35 AM
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I got a picture with DAC in Oklahoma City back in the middle 1980's at Jamie Dee's, It wasn't easy, but I'm glad I was able to get that one. I would only suggest you give it a try and no matter what happens, stay cool & calm...can't hurt...besides, you're a steel player...who wouldn't want a picture with a steel player? I would suggest to try and work something out with his road manager (if he has one) or the leader of the band (flip the guy a $20 or give'em a band tee-shirt for his effort)...maybe something just before he goes on stage; a quick picture and out of there. He didn't do a lot of talking off the stage, so don't plan on much in that department unless something has changed in the last 20 years. When I've seen him, he was kinda grumpy. But that's the fun of DAC.
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Stu Schulman Member From: anchorage,alaska |
posted 31 March 2006 10:43 AM
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I've done a couple of gigs with David after the Tenn.Hat band had quit..This was in the late 70's.I've seen him moody,and shooting strange looks,I've also seen him in Austin hanging out at our house and just as nice and polite as he can be?I would'nt be afraid to talk to him,Give it a shot.Before I worked for David I played with B.W.Stevenson,and we did no less than 30 gigs with David and the Tenn.Hat Band.We were always glad to see each other,they had some great stories,none of which I can repeat. |
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Roger Rettig Member From: NAPLES, FL |
posted 31 March 2006 11:45 AM
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I did a tour with him in '87. He was unpredictable, to say the least, and didn't seem overly concerned with such niceties as tuning - if we wanted his guitar to be in tune, we had to do it ourselves -  !He never was a favourite of mine, so getting a photo taken with him wasn't near the top of my list of priorities. I agree with an earlier 'post' - that would probably depend on his mood at the time. I have a bunch of DAC war-stories that resulted from that brief two-week engagement, but he's not someone I'm in a hurry to work with again.... RR |
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Steve Howard Member From: High Ridge, Missouri, USA |
posted 31 March 2006 11:51 AM
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I'm honestly not a big fan myself. Pictures are always good for your website though  The guy had a few great songs, which I hear he doesn't even play at his shows. I heard he is incredibly vulgar and a racist too. Most likely, after we are done playing, we will go into the bar area to setup for the after show and I might catch a few songs from the door. That's about it. But I had figured some of you guys have crossed his path before so I thought I would ask. Thanks. |
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Brendan Mitchell Member From: Melbourne Australia |
posted 31 March 2006 11:51 AM
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No matter what you think of the man , he has written and sang some fine songs Brendan |
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Fred Shannon Member From: Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas |
posted 31 March 2006 12:10 PM
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He'll either be on the bus until 30 seconds before showtime or he won't be talking to too many folks. You prolly wont get too close to him because of the hair. It is a mess. Phred ------------------ |
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Jim Phelps Member From: just out of Mexico City |
posted 31 March 2006 01:29 PM
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quote: Yeah, like "(N-word) Hatin' Me". ??? I wouldn't play with this jerk or any of his songs for anything. [This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 31 March 2006 at 01:37 PM.] |
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Michael Lee Allen Member From: Fresno CA USA |
posted 31 March 2006 02:23 PM
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I doubt that David Allen Coe wrote that particular set of lyrics. He may have used the same title but those lyrics were recorded by "Johnny Rebel" as part of a series of racist anti-black 45rpm singles, some by very well known country singers, that were sold "under-the counter" in southern record shops. The Johhny Rebel record was out before Coe's career started. He would have been a teenager at the time. Coe's first LP "Penitentiary Blues" was actually a decent blues-rock LP with lots of harmonica and session player Mac Gayden playing slide. A friend of mine once opened for Coe years ago. A couple of Coe's band members tried to steal one of his guitars. Coe refused to leave his bus. There was a confrontation with security. My friend did get his guitar but no apology. He described Coe's band as "Filthy dirty stupid worthless rednecks" and hasn't worked a bill with any country "artist" since. [This message was edited by Michael Lee Allen on 31 March 2006 at 02:47 PM.] [This message was edited by Michael Lee Allen on 31 March 2006 at 03:17 PM.] |
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Frank Parish Member From: Nashville,Tn. USA |
posted 31 March 2006 02:31 PM
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I could've played with him on a New Years gig here a several years ago and turned it down flat. I knew the drummer and bass player very well and they didn't have anything good to say about him. I knew a guy that roadied for him for a while and he got screwed out of his money to the tune of $500. Actually about everybody I knew that worked for him got screwed for money along the way. The drummer may still be working with him. He lost his hi-hat foot from infection but Coe don't care. I wouldn't walk across the street to see him. |
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George Plemons Member From: Corsicana, Texas, USA |
posted 31 March 2006 02:44 PM
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I had a heart attack last Sunday, and the only thing thats hurt me worse than that in the last few months was opening up for the worst show I have ever seen. David Allen Coe. |
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Joey Ace Sysop From: Southern Ontario, Canada |
posted 31 March 2006 04:50 PM
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Interesting comments folks. I did a little Internet research and found two sites and [This message was edited by Joey Ace on 31 March 2006 at 04:51 PM.] |
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Jim Phelps Member From: just out of Mexico City |
posted 31 March 2006 06:39 PM
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I guess then that Coe is really a super nice guy; not many people in show-biz would allow a known bootleg web site to continue to exist and sell bootleg and phony CDs.  |
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Bob Hayes Member From: Church Hill,Tenn,USA |
posted 31 March 2006 07:11 PM
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According to an Ex Wife...that i know very well(she had Thankgiving & Christmas here) He's lots different on stage than on. And personally from my memories that I worked in warm up bands with him back in his Great days, what you see is what you get. A great musician,songwriter, and performer....with an attitude. But....That's why people love him and he still sells a show. Grouchy David...if you read this......Janice is hangin' in there! Contact me at...Grouchyvettn@Yahoo.com |
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George Plemons Member From: Corsicana, Texas, USA |
posted 31 March 2006 10:49 PM
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I did not say he did not have some good songs in the past and that he had some good ones he had written, however, that was not the question. The question was what kind of show does he have now. Unequivically, without any competition that I have seen in over 30 years I have played, can I think of any garage band, let alone professional act, that sounds anywhere close to that horrible. I was embarrassed for the guys who were on stage. |
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Chuck Cusimano Member From: Weatherford, Texas, USA |
posted 01 April 2006 08:50 AM
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*&^%$#$^&(^%$@ |
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Ben Jones Member From: Washington, USA |
posted 01 April 2006 09:57 AM
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I bought a greatest hits album to see what all the fuss was about. I was very surprised to hear him use the "N" word in a song. I watched a couple videos of him on youtube (go see for yourselves). "here's one Kid Rock and I wrote"...blah blah blah "Kid Rock this, Kid rock that"...blah blah blah. http://youtube.com/watch?v=YAcnAWGhV60&search=david%20allan%20coe I'll let you all make whatever you will of that and just say it aint for me. I gotta ask tho why you would want your picture taken with him in the first place if you dont respect him or his music? The guys gotta take time to pose for a picture with people who dont like him or his music? No wonder he stays on the tour bus till showtime. |
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Ron Kirby Member From: Nashville ,Tennessee USA |
posted 01 April 2006 10:26 AM
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Ben,, I watched the vidio ,,Sounds like the man is having fun, the ticket buyers too,,Maybe Hank did it that way to !! Ron |
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Ben Jones Member From: Washington, USA |
posted 01 April 2006 11:12 AM
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Yeah Ron, the audience seems to be enjoying it. Thats cool, like i said just not really for me. I beleive that may be his son on the 12 string? edit: and do you REALLY think Hank done it that way? Hank 3 maybe (I love hank 1, 2, AND 3 dont get me wrong, just jokin)....hehe.... [This message was edited by Ben Jones on 01 April 2006 at 11:17 AM.] |
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Roger Rettig Member From: NAPLES, FL |
posted 01 April 2006 06:00 PM
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I don't know that his 'racist' attitude was real - it seemed to me that it was more of an affectation put on for 'shock value'. When we turned up for our first rehearsal in '87 at Wembley, we were told that he had a Music Director. This turned out to be an African-American gentleman named Kriss Famous (really!) who stood behind a bank of synths, but didn't seem to know the changes on DAC's songs! I imagine that his presence in a honky-tonk in rural USA might have raised an eyebrow here and there but, in Europe, it was vaguely puzzling and nothing more. He was, by the way, a liability on the ensuing string of dates. We really drew the short straw on that tour - the other acts were Emmylou and the Hot Band, Jerry Lee Lewis (there's another character!) and Newgrass Revival. Lots of class on the tour, but we got Mr Coe.... RR [This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 01 April 2006 at 06:05 PM.] |
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Don Barnhardt Member From: North Carolina, USA |
posted 01 April 2006 09:13 PM
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The few celebrities? I've had occasion to meet struck me as jerks. They're probably entirely different people amongst family and friends. My policy anymore is if I like their music I'll buy a ticket and enjoy it but I don't care to meet them or get their autograph. That probably suits them too. In regards to DAC he's never claimed to be a choir boy. |
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Tony Prior Member From: Charlotte NC |
posted 02 April 2006 05:06 AM
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we did a show with him last Sept. Everything above is what we experienced..and worse. He has I guess ,body guards ,and when he does make that walk out of the old piece of S..t Bus,, they make it very clear to stay away. The look like they are working for Tony Soprano. But after you actually do see him..it becames clear you WANT to stay away... we left, we didn't even wait for him to sing.. we listened to the band at sound check and they were basically a rock band . We did talk a bit to one of the guitar players as he was running the monitor board when we did our set. He was pretty nice and a good player. end. No more to say. |
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Tom Sullinger Member From: Texas, USA |
posted 02 April 2006 07:24 AM
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ALL CORRECT, I worked security at a biker rally last summer and being a musician, I volunteered to stay beck and watch over him. He got there about 8:AM in his Cadillac Escalade by himself and the bus pulled in about 11:am for the 9:PM show. He would not allow anyone around his car, or the trailer we had for him and he made the whold day a pain in the butt. I bet he did not say five words to me and ant much more to anyone else. The band was but 20 year old son and three of his young friends. DAC kept his thumb on everything they did. VERY BAD GIG. |
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Steve Howard Member From: High Ridge, Missouri, USA |
posted 03 April 2006 04:03 AM
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Well, I do want to make it clear, I am sharing my opinions on the board and not necessarily the opinions of the band. A couple guys really like him mainly because he has written some great songs. So whether I give a crap or not, this was a good resource I thought to find out. It was all a wash anyway, guess what? The guy cancelled his show on April fools day We stilled played the venue in the bar. Thought the night was going to be pretty bad but a ton of people stuck around anyway. A lot of people asked if Haywire was still playing and went ahead and paid the $7 cover to get in. Probably close to 200 people in there. Overall a very good night for us. So, we didn't have any strange encounters with Mr. Coe and maybe it was for the better. Thanks guys. |
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Fred Shannon Member From: Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas |
posted 03 April 2006 05:02 AM
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Steve, you lucky rascal you. Time for you to buy a lotto ticket.  Phred ------------------ |
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David Kurrasch Member From: Royse City, Texas, USA |
posted 03 April 2006 10:07 AM
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I'm with George P. on this one. A couple of years ago, I opened a show for him. The guys I was working with had seen him before, so they all left after our set, and advised me to do the same. Since I'd never seen his show before, and I knew he'd written some good songs, I decided to stay and check it out. I was very sorry I did. I've never seen such an offensive, vulgar trashy show in my life. He never played a complete song all the way through; just bits and pieces in between his ranting. He was not entertaining in any way. The music was bad, he had no respect for the club or the audience. He came across as a bitter, hateful old man who really did not want to be there. As he walked off the stage, we heard him say something along the lines of "f**k all of these people." What amazes me is that the guy still gets work. I just don't get it. |
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Bob Wood Member From: Campbell, California, USA |
posted 03 April 2006 12:11 PM
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I played with a Bass Guitar player on a few gigs that told me he had played with DAC. He also said one time he saw DAC beat up his guitar player on stage right in front of a big audience because the guy didn't play a song the way he wanted it played! But..., my Daddy always said: "If you don't have someting good to say about someone..., don't say anything at all!". Bob |
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Peter Dollard Member From: |
posted 04 April 2006 08:45 AM
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In the mid eighties a friend of mine gave me a tape of someone who sounded exactly like Davivd Allen Coe with all sorts of racial garbage on it. I never copied it for obvious reasons but to me it sounded exactly like him. It was probably recorded before he had his first legitimate hit in the mid seventies but it sure sounded like him...Peter |
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Jesse Vargas Member From: Bellflower, CA |
posted 23 June 2006 01:32 PM
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I played with a band a few years ago that opened up for him at the House of Blues, Anaheim. I quit the band the week before the gig (not because of Coe), but I was warned by several people of his unprofessionalism. I always wondered what the guy was like, but after reading the posts, I don't care to meet him or open up for him, etc. |
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Smiley Roberts Member From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075 |
posted 23 June 2006 11:01 PM
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Good news,bad news: Good news: Bad news: ------------------ |
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Jason Odd Member From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
posted 25 June 2006 02:39 AM
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He's not Johnny Rebel. |
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John Daugherty Member From: Rolla, Missouri, USA |
posted 25 June 2006 03:17 AM
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I have never met DAC. I just want to add some info I got from a local newspaper. When David performed at our local Fair a few years ago, Michael Spinks was said to be hanging out with David. Michael said that he went to see David everytime he was close enough to St. Louis where Michael lives. They apparently have a close relationship as friends. This would sort of dispute the idea that Coe is a racist. On the other hand, who's gonna tell Michael Spinks to go away? ------------------ |
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Stephen Gambrell Member From: Ware Shoals, South Carolina, USA |
posted 25 June 2006 05:49 AM
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DAC claims to be a big Hank III fan. Says III is better than Hank OR Junior. That puts DAC right up there with Hank Williams as a misunderstood, tortured genius, right? We opened for Coe, back in the 80's, when that black guy was in the band. Coe kept calling him "my n....r." It was the middle of August, the place was PACKED with bikers, and Coe walks off the stage, saying something about the A/C. I don't care HOW much talent somebody has, if they're gonna be a jerk, I'm not wasting time on 'em. |
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BobbeSeymour Member From: Hendersonville TN USA |
posted 25 June 2006 11:56 AM
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I have known David A. Coe and worked with him on and off for over 40 years, REALLY! Knew him long before he was a "star". Never thought he would be either. I produced three albums for SUN records president, Shelby Singelton on David Allen Coe in 1996. David really knows nothing about music, he's just a word man. He can't tell the difference between a lead guitar and a steel guitar on tape. He is truly a lot of fun to be around and I like him a lot, however, watch him on the money, he'll figure a way to get all he can and keep it for himself! (I sure hope he doesn't read this!). His American express card is valid, and has an unlimited ceiling, so if he does owe you money, he CAN get it. Over all, a pretty good guy to be around. Funnier than you'd believe. Bobbe Seymour |
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Paul Norman Member From: North Carolina, USA |
posted 25 June 2006 01:10 PM
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I feel like you owe it to an audience, paying or a free show to be courteous to them. They are your customers. ( They pay the bill.) |
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