[Harp-L] Best reaction to Gus......

["Tom Ellis" <tellis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Years ago Little Charlie came to town, original version of the band.  I had
never met Rick before, but was embarrassed when some guy standing in the
back pulled out his harp and started playing along mid-way through the first
set.  He continued blowing, wrong key, wrong groove, etc., until the set
ended.  

 

The band took a short break outside then came back in.  Rick went over to
the guy and started talking to him, pulling out his harp and quietly blowing
for the guy, talking quietly too.  You could tell that he was having a
direct communication, teaching.

 

After five minutes with the guy they parted ways and I found Rick.  We had a
lot of mutual friends, and after the intros and "who you knows" I remember
saying to him, "I bet you really get tired of that kind of thing.   Has to
be real irritating from the stage."

 

I'm paraphrasing now, from memory, but I seem to recall Rick saying, "I
can't hear anything like that from the stage.  But you know, those are my
future fans, the guys who buy our records.  So I like to help educate them."

 

A great lesson from a great pro was imparted that night.  Tom Ellis/Tom's
Mics