Re: [Harp-L] re: I want to be famous

["Bob Laughlin" <rlaughlin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"I dont need stardom. I love music but I love my house my wife and the
pension I will receive when I put my years in. Starving never proved
anything to me.
This is my opinion and everyone can take issue with all or part of what I
have said."

That's the way I feel as well. I put in many years as a highway electrician,
for the State of California, at times digging ditches to lay conduit, in the
hot summer sun, using pick and shovel, or a heavy digging bar, for days or
weeks on end. Before that, I worked for years with a crew that resurfaced
the pavement, shoveling hot asphalt day after day. As a junior member of a
highway maintenance crew, I've run for miles, day after day, dressed in
cloth overalls and hard-hat, tossing big pieces of debris into a truck, in
front of a line of sweepers driving the center median, again, in the middle
of summer. It was hard, sweaty work. I could legitimately sing about
"working on a chain gang",,

(Somehow my comedic sense tells me there's a scene coming where Peter
Graves, as a Caltrans official, is asking "little Johnny" if he's ever
worked on a road crew with "big, sweaty men",,)

Back to the story,,

I've played harmonica for as long as I've worked, but I never felt that
playing harp, even decent harp, warranted as much financial reward as doing
the heavy work. My employers seemed to have agreed, and as a result I have a
reasonable pension for my family to live on. After I pass away, it goes to
my wife until she's gone.

The music business is a gamble, something most would be well advised to
pursue after having done that which earns them a reasonable living.

Especially if you like to avoid using the top four holes,, <G>

BL


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James" <wasabileo@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 5:05 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] re: I want to be famous


I can't tell if this is a cynical joke or what!
Speaking of fame remember Taylor Hicks? What happened to him
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KWfX84pXiY&NR=1
He came and went pretty fast.
As a lover/student of the Blues remarks like that I find absurd. How
successful was Walter Horton or Noah Lewis? Both incredible players but
successful? I think we must make a distinction between being a musician and
a star. Musicianship is somtething we all strive. Personally, I want to
master overblowing so it allows me to play the Jazz Standards and Latin
tunes that I mix with my blues. When I go to the local bars and blues jam
and the music sounds good and I can express myself, I feel great.
I dont need stardom. I love music but I love my house my wife and the
pension I will receive when I put my years in. Starving never proved
anything to me.
This is my opinion and everyone can take issue with all or part of what I
have said.



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