Jay Roy Sims

For Spring and Summer, 2010: Hello, I'm Jay Roy Sims; I'm a native Arlingtonian. I'm also a member of NASCAR Nation. I thought I'd update my profile after 2 years on MySpace.............................I still pick up an instrument every day, be it guitar, mandolin, harmonica, bongoes or bass guitar. I am trying to learn something new or reinforce something every day. For harmonica, bongoes and mandolin, when I get some money, I would like to take lessons, but I am still trying to play new stuff all the time (For mandolin, I can strum 9 or 10 songs. For harmonica, I can do what Dylan does. For bongoes I can play most country, but Ennio Morricone's music is tougher.)............................I didn't play many places in 2009 because I still don't have that elusive, likable, well-paying job that would enable me to put aside money to get a car loan and haul my gear around to play places. The job market is very tight: those who ARE hiring--and that's VERY few--won't hire me for various and sundry reasons. I just don't get the corporate world. But I keep plugging. I'll get that job; things can't stay bad forever. But look out: when I get that job, the money will come, and the car will come, THEN the gigs will come. When I get that paying gig, it'll be in Virginia. There's a lot of country between Arlington and Charlottesville and Richmond and Winchester, and I don't want to play in DC anymore (why risk getting assaulted?). I still write when I'm inspired, and a song comes pretty fast when I do. I only play places for pay now; I don't grace open mikes and give them the benefit of my presence and my talents. I still practice, though: I have 2 hours of my own music (about 50+ songs) and 1 hour of covers (about 23 songs)..............................I still have the same style (wearing racing gear and my Cookie Monster pick holder), and I sing about lonely and hard times and trouble, like my heroes Hank Williams and George Jones and Merle Haggard and Don Gibson and Waylon and Willie, and Stonewall Jackson and Dave Dudley. So, I'll be back on the scene soon, and I'm still building material towards that paying gig. Hope to see you out there in the crowd................................