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.