pros and amateurs
I recall a time when some people (not many) thought to have a thriving local or regional music venue there was no need to court local musicians. I understand some of that thought process. I wouldn’t drive five hundred miles to hear a guy like me play either but Marty Stuart or Alison Brown, now that’s different.
BUT the amateurs do have a role. Due to a long string of charity events. teaching school kids about bluegrass, (Darin always helped me with those gigs ) and also from sitting in with the pros when they toured through, good old Doc still the #1 played artist on the Don Gibson stage. Talk about bluegrass trivia!
It’s like golf. The serious amatuers drive the pro game (they buy the clubs, balls, shirts, etc.). I once played a charity event with Bob Charles, the 1963 British Open champion. He was 62 at the time; I was in my fourties. I couldn’t play like him but I at least had some idea what he was doing and how hard he must have worked at the game to get that good. I asked him ,”Mr. Charles, other than eight million practice balls and thirty years of touring the world playing golf, what’s the difference in our golf games?” He just smiled.
It’s much the same in music. The great ones didn’t get there by accident.
So, if you love the music, figure out a way to pitch in even if you don’t play like a pro. We need us all to make it work.
Dr.B
Tags: pros and amatuers
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Dr. Tom Bibey: Stories of the Bluegrass Music Road 
August 16, 2011 at 5:25 pm
stopping to say , Hay
hope ya are havin a good week! 🙂
did ya C the melted ice cream truck?
it was a sad site 😦
August 17, 2011 at 7:12 am
jel, Bad news for children of my age everywhere. zotherwise all is well Dr. B
August 18, 2011 at 8:23 am
Amen and same with venues. Have to have the small dives and coffee houses or the big ones are isolated.
August 21, 2011 at 1:05 pm
Correct! B