CMT’s “Day Jobs” – a.k.a. I met Ringo while working retail…

CMT’s “Day Jobs” – a.k.a. I met Ringo while working retail…

Posted on 30. Apr, 2012 by annie in Notebook

I’ve been loving CMT’s “Day Jobs” show. It’s so much fun to see country stars grinding out tasks they once tackled in another life and witnessing the hilarity that ensues. Over the weekend, we played in Raleigh, NC and I ran into a blast from the past, Scully, who worked on the Hootie and The Blowfish tour I nannied on in 1996. It got me thinking back on my own history of employment and I thought I’d write an homage to those brave souls who’ve employed me as I started out.

I’ll tell you straight up, I haven’t held many jobs. Like, only two real ones other than playing music. I also realized I could never be on a show like “Day Jobs” because it would just be 5 hours of video of me sitting in a law office library filing paperwork and taking regular “mental health breaks” to play internet solitaire. Doesn’t make for great TV. But it did get me through those first couple years post-college of needing part time, flexible employment during the day so that I could play gigs at night and get started on this whole wacky music thing.

Resume’ in the year 2000 – Babysitting and Mowing Lawns

It took the entire first semester before my college roommate figured out that I had actually never had a “real” job. The problem was, in high school I was making money hand-over-fist babysitting and eventually playing gigs with my dad around town. My earliest streams of income were tied to the rock and roll life style and I was living the dream. I was a nanny for the daughter of two of my favorite musicians, Peter Holsapple and Susan Cowsill, and my nannying adventures took me everywhere from a hippy commune in Austin where I slept in a cabin normally occupied by a man named Thor (real name) while they played South By South West, all the way to sold-out arenas where they opened for Hootie and the Blowfish. I made enough cash nannying on that Hootie tour to hit my savings mark for my first car.

Here I am in 1995 with my charge Miranda on our way to SXSW. She’ll graduate HIGH SCHOOL this month. Time freakin’ flies people.

me and miranda

Then came the gigs with my dad. Our band was called The Cranston Clements Healing Machine. For much of my senior year, we had a regular Wednesday night set at the Howlin’ Wolf which started at 10pm. This meant that every Thursday I was late to Chemistry class, usually not having done much homework either. (I actually had to clean the chemistry lab to graduate high school because my grades were so pitiful that this was the only way to rack up some much needed extra credit. Thank you for throwing me a bone Mrs. Sonier!)

Me and dad here with The Machine. I usually wore some hot pink wig, or the skirt from my belly dancing costume to these gigs. Here I am in said wig along with stockings that make my legs look like they have fish scales. I was loving life and paying for my own gas!

the healing machine

Then came college and the realization that the rock star life would have to be put on hold. Mom got tired of me hitting her up for cash and when my roommate Ashley (who had been managing Subway chains since she was like 15) found out that I had never held down a real job, she pushed me out the dorm room, down the street to the nearest boutique (which sold Tibetan imports) and filled out the application for me. Resume’: babysitting, gigs in local clubs, assorted lawn care maintenance experience.

Much to my disbelief, the kind gentleman at the Tibetan imports store decided to take a chance on me. It was the first job I’d ever applied for and the first job I ever landed. And it was awesome. During the summers I would work 10+ hour days, along side my best friend Laura Distasi whom I was able to put in a good word for after a year of employment. We sold jewelry, clothing, tapestries and incense, and for 3 years I reeked of Nag Champa and LOVED it.

This doesn’t even look like me, but it’s a great shot of this slice of my life. Working hard or hardly working? You be the judge.

Shambala Tibet

Our boss would take off for several months at a time to go on buying trips in India and Nepal and me and Laura would have the run of the place. It was awesome. One day I was sitting behind the counter practicing my bass (it was a very lax job) and Ringo Starr walked in. He was with his band and they started talking to each other about how their bass player had nearly missed the gig last night. I blurted out “If you’re looking for a bass player, I’m your man!” There was an awkward silence until Ringo started chuckling and said “I’ll bet my bass player would be pretty upset about that!” and then everyone started laughing nervously and Ringo bought a ring and when he left I bought 2 of the same one he’d picked out to give to my mom and her college roommate PLUS I got the whole thing on the surveillance camera which the owner let me take to New Orleans to show my dad. Awesome!

I’d probably just have worked at that boutique for the rest of my life if the owner hadn’t decided that his kids were starting to get pretty fat here in America and decided to move the family back to Nepal. At that point, I had graduated from Berklee and got the call from Theresa Andersson to come tour with her back home in New Orleans. In between gigs with her, I worked at my stepdad’s law office, doing my filing and playing my solitaire. I’ve got nothing but gratitude for both of those jobs and especially for the fact that I’ve gotten to try my hand at making a living playing music for so long now.

What wacky jobs did you hold down before your current career path? Please share!

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9 Responses to “CMT’s “Day Jobs” – a.k.a. I met Ringo while working retail…”

  1. Sean

    30. Apr, 2012

    In high school I briefly held a job pre-selling memberships for a gym that was still under construction. I sold quite a few. And then the owners skipped town with everyone’s money, I never got paid and the people who had pre-paid for year-long memberships were out of luck. It was a character-building experience.

  2. Karen

    30. Apr, 2012

    First job was at Yankee Doodle Dandy, a fast food place in the Chicago area. Hated it, then a couple jobs in retail in the mall during college. Was in marketing/accounting, now communications. Although, haven’t had my dream job yet. Believe, I mentioned what that would be to you once, Annie! :)

  3. Dennis

    30. Apr, 2012

    This is great Annie thanks for sharing it with us. I knew you were a Down to earth Girl and keep it real thats why we all love you so much.

  4. lori frepan

    30. Apr, 2012

    annie i so enjoyed reading your story of your day jobs you had while growing up i really enjoy reading these things about people i know it makes you feel like you really know that person when i was in high school i worked in school cafeteria giving out lunches to elementary kids when i graduated i worked at floral shop and took floral course on line i also babysitted now im a stay at home grandma and take care of my 3year old granddaughter who lives with me love you your friend and fan lorifrepan

  5. Debbie

    30. Apr, 2012

    The year was 1963. The summer rains came. The nights were warm. The earthworms (giant Indiana farmfield nightcrawlers) were there for the pickin’. I was an Earthworm Entrepreneur at the age of 10. I collected 4 three-gallon buckets of those crawlers. In worm terms….That’s a lot of crawlers! With the help of my dad, we made huge worm boxes. I tended to those worms for weeks. I was going to sell crawlers to all of my dad’s fishing buddies. I would be rich by summer’s end. Dollar signs were flashing in front of my eyes! My first and ONLY customer purchased three dozen of my finest nightcrawlers. I made $3.00 that summer. My Worm Wranglin’ days were over! The next summer, I tried my hand at Pickle Pickin’. That job netted a grand total of $2.50 for a half bushel of pickle-sized cucumbers. I was Dreamin’ Big in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps, I should have advertised a bit more.

  6. Carrie

    30. Apr, 2012

    During high school I too made my own gas money doing LOTS of babysitting. After hearing all my life I should be a teacher I went to college and my last semester decided to major in religion/philosophy. In college I gave tennis lessons, worked at a bakery and babysat some more. Being tired of babysitting I ended up doing something I had never done before. I ended up farming cotton and peanuts. I went from driving a used camry to a HUGE tractor….big difference. I loved it! I did that for about ten years then ended up working in public housing for four years ( I could really tell you some stories from there). Just before Christmas I had my VERY FIRST job interview (I was 38!). I am doing what I was told I should be doing all my life. I work in a pre kindergarten classroom…and I love it! Kids rock!!

  7. Cris

    01. May, 2012

    In high school I bagged groceries at a high end supermarket, the kind where a bottle of syrup cost as much as minivan. One day a woman got angry with me because I offered her the not-so-environmentally-friendly plastic bag option. Although I didn’t say it out loud, I thought, “Does it look like I run the store, ma’am? I’m 17. I’m still listed as a dependent on my parents’ tax forms. Even in my own I have less power and authority than the cat.”

  8. Tom Monck

    01. May, 2012

    Great stuff Annie!
    Mine was when i was in High School. I worked for a Veterinarien. Anyway first day on the job, he calls me into
    the operating room. He’s in his full operation gear and i’m just wearing the norm. Anyway there’s this Cat on the operation table and he’s going to castrate it. He needs me to
    hold the legs open while he cuts! So i’m holding them open and he starts to cut and pull things out and next thing i know i wake up on the floor, solid cement i fainted and fell straight backwards.Lol. now anyway. I wake up to him kneeling over
    me saying “Are you O.k.?’ Funny memorie!!!!! Thanks, Tom

  9. Eliza

    04. May, 2012

    I worked maintenance with my best friend Toni at her father’s car dealership. We painted the entire place, pulled weeds, washed cars, all that fun stuff. Sometimes when I have to paint I pull on (can’t button) my old painting pants that are covered in about 25 different colors of paint. I also worked at the Frederic Remington Art Museum as a guide and shop assistant. Fun times!

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