[Harp-L] Mars contest/what constitutes a pro

[jason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Larry that really hurt man....Anyone that knows me can say a lot of  
negative things about me ..but dishonest has never been one, at leats  
not since I got sober..

  The Mars Contest. I think was the year 2000. It was suggested to me  
that I enter the contest by the band leader of a local band I was  
playing with in south FL at the time called the Nucklebusters mainly  
for the purpose of winning an amp which at the time I did not have.  
The rules for entering the contest WERE You must be an amatuer player  
not a pro. I aked at Mars in very clear language several times what  
constitutes a Pro? Their responce each time was someone that makes  
less than half of their money each year from music and one who has  
never had a record deal. they even became annoyed at me and thought I  
was some how bragging becuase I keptmentioning the Nucklebusters. At  
the time and for one year prior to the contest I was working at a  
local record store in Lake worth fl and gigging weekly with a local  
band, incidently former harmonica players from that local band and  
other rival local bands were in the contest along side me......prior  
to that I had been working at a restaurant in Del ray for a year and  
that year I didn't play one show for money the whole year....prior to  
that I had lived and played with Junior Kimbrough, had been to Europe,  
had made money in the past from music...With Junior I made 30.00  
dollars a week 100.00 if I was lucky and I sold drugs to make a  
living. When I went to Europe and toured I had to take a vacation from  
my job at Rich's Deparment store in maine as a stock boy to go when I  
got back from Euorope my Job was gone so I began work at a dry  
cleaners. The list goes back and back like that! I always had day jobs  
up until I got the gig with Big Al and the Heavy Weights two or three  
years after that...Tons of the Mars harmonica contestestents worked  
weekend gigs as well and thats all I was or had been doing...If I ever  
made a living from music prior to that it was because I was making way  
more selling dope and did't have to get a regular job...Both CD's I  
had made in 95 and 97 were self produced with Mom and I's  money 500  
of each were made and most were sent to clubs,labels, radio stations  
and friends in an attempt to be a pro.

  Larry what bothers me is I thought we were friends and I once  
explained all this to you at a show I think, you should be more sure  
about facts before you accuse people of lying, cheating, etc....  
Either you don't or won't believe it what I said...But do believe my  
feelings are hurt from your post...
 I had to deal with enough of this from players that didn't win after  
I won in 2000 and the Mars Music Store took my pay stubs for the last  
year from the record store i was working at to prove to all those  
people that I had enterd under Kosher circumstances...so if you need  
more proof find their number cause they got the pay stubs...and the  
Rules were less than half your income from music

 A Pro is some one who isn't bitter from harmonica a contest from 7  
years ago. Sorry bout that but you had deserve it.