[Harp-L] What Constitutes Being A "Professional"?

["Billy James" <billyjames@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Larry, plus the wikapedia quote. Quite frankly, I felt like a bit of a dick after posting that last rambling tome and blabbing off at the mouth; yet again?  However, a good friend made an excellent comment to me later when he said that when he was playing 'professionally with the 'Airborne Blues Virus' and numerous other outfits around here; the most important factor was the 'professional attitude' of actually turning up on time to any arrangements made. Being dressed and prepared, responsible to the client and with his gear organised ready to roll. I've hired and let go literally dozens of guitarists and drummers [particularly], who were on the 'smoking hootch' and completely unreliable [Several guys were absolutely deplorable, I've got some astounding stories ha ha..].Drunks are obviously 'not on deck' either [no matter how talented they may be or think they may be].That's all rather sad really and a massive muck around. I'd rather work with guitarist who is 'green' and not particularly talented but firmly committed, communicative, helpful and very reliable.That's definitely a professional musicians behaviour.As for the original post...hey anyone who can really work a chromatic harmonica has my vote. I simply use a Chrometta 8 and a Slide Harp in my shows [I own a few others] but not I'm not anywhere in the league of wonderful guys like Johnny Sansone, Piazza, Carey Bell, Brendon Power, Jean-Jacques Milteau, the Harmonicats and personal favourite Tommy Rielly ad infinitum. Also a set of those suckers is darn expensive! By the way, The 'Steve Martin.." I'm getting paid for this"...factor [which was put forward earlier] was a good point and it does figure in there [somehow] especially with lot's of rather basic Chicago bar-room, barbeque music clones [out there getting there $50] *[I prefer performing seals or smaltzy wedding singers] and God bless those awful one man band, human jukeboxes with the standard retro MOR backing tracks.Frankly, I'd rather stay home and watch a DVD with a bag of cornchips on my lap than to be stuck in a bar listening to that soulless boredom.One wonders when players are actually gonna use a 'little more imagination' and play tunes more 'left of centre' and away from the obvious.Some 'standard' tracks are well overdone.Mind you Lady Ga Ga is out there?