Re: [Harp-L] Re: who do you play for

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim McBride wrote:
<...  I do feel a little funny when people come up after I play and tell me how great
<I was and that I'm the best harp player they've ever heard. Have they never
<heard a GOOD player? I'm intermediate at best and I have to just bite my tongue
<and smile and say thanks. I have an overwhelming urge to go get a Sonny Boy or Little
<Walter CD and make them listen to it!

For heaven's sake, man! 

1)  If they think you're good, you are.  You were good enough to make it worth their hiring a babysitter, leave the house, and drive to the place you were playing.  And you gave them a good time for all their effort.  That's plenty good.
2)  If they think you're good, you are.  If you have to bite your tongue, bite it hard enough so that the next time the memory of all that pain makes you smile and say "thank you" FIRST.  But you'll need that tongue later, so don't bite it on every gig, okay?
3)  If they think you're good, you are.  Instead of telling them to buy a Little Walter or Sonny Boy CD--both of whom have died, and surely don't need the money--ask them if they want to buy a copy of your CD, or get on your mailing list.  You can never have too many fans, no matter how good you are.
4)  If they think you're good, you are.  It's an insult to the audience as well as yourself to tell them that they really don't know what "good" is.

I used to play that "I am not worthy" number too.  But what's the point?  If you got them off, you were good.  If we're all going to compare ourselves to Beethoven or Charlie Parker or Little Walter every day, we can all pack it up and stop performing right now.  And after a few years the audience would get pretty tired of listening to the same Beethoven/Parker/Walter records over and over and over anyway.  

In case I forgot to mention it: if they think you're good, you are.  

Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com
latest MP3s always at http://www.broadjam.com/rhunter