My Biggest Musical Influence has taught me the following and so much more. . .
Be First to Arrive Last To Leave
Never Miss Rehearsal
Rehearsal is for learning to play together and NOT for learning the song
Keep Gear up to Date
Know a Wide Range of Material
Listen
Hear
Understand
Be Respectful. To The Singer, the Song, the Listener
Always Seek to Improve
Never Stop Learning
Be The Perfect MC at Sessions
Never miss an opportunity to start a live music session
Turn up Wearing Clean Clothes
Polish My Own Shoes
Change My Own Strings more frequently than I would like!
Wash My Hands Before I touch My Guitar
Never Touch Another Players Instrument Without Their Permission
Never Drink While Gigging (After All A Heart Surgeon Does Not Drink on The Job And You Are Pulling at Peoples Heart Strings With Some of Your Songs)
Never Put A Drink On An Amplifier (Are You Listening Drummers?!)
Smile, Even When It Hurts (Nobody Cares That Your Dog Died 5 minutes Before The Gig. Unless You Play Country Music. Then, You Can Write A Song About It)
And much, much more…
Whenever he is asked to play or sing he refuses saying
“Don’t ask me to play an instrument or sing. I haven’t a musical note in my head”
Yet, so much music would never have been made without him. So many people would never have played music without his influence
Music lives in his heart, his soul, every fibre of his being
He is the professional musician that I aspire to be
He is, my dad.
And these are 3 of his favourite chords
They never fail to take him to a magical place in his mind, tug at his heart strings and so much more
He does not know these chords
He does not need to know them
You do
And every time that you play them, or any other chord, you have no idea of the memories that you are about to create in yourself or in your listeners. So, choose your chords with care and play them with every fibre of your being. Because every note matters.
To someone.
To my Dad.
To You.