re: [Harp-L] Death of Live Music

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Michael Rubin wrote:
> My belief says you are the obstacle.  Argue for your 
> limitations and they are yours.  If you want to make a 
> living playing originals in an unusual genre while 
> staying in your hometown, make it happen.  I just 
> cannot believe that a clear vision, determination and 
> hard work cannot overcome any of these issues you guys 
> are talking about.'

I admire people who have such a passion for a thing that they're 
willing to give up everything else in pursuit of that passion.  I 
see guys like Joe Filisko and Jason Ricci at the very pinnacle of 
what our humble instrument represents and I realize that that will 
never be me.  I love playing music, and I love the harmonica, but I 
love my wife and my kids more, and I want the best for them.  
Ironically, though I know my wife would be undyingly supportive if I 
decided to shuck my day job and pursue music full-time, my father 
instilled in my a profound sense of responsibility for the welfare 
of my family that drives me to provide for them to the best of my 
ability, passions be damned.  He played golf on Saturdays; I play 
the harmonica with a jazz band.  

So, while I may be my own biggest obstacle toward a goal of playing 
music professionally in my own hometown, I learned long ago that 
there are other ways to pursue that dream.  I don't love the thing 
enough to give it up, to play whatever and wherever and whenever I 
have to, just to be able to play, and support myself at it.  My day 
job affords me the luxury of playing what I want, when and where I 
want, compensation be damned.  In fact, many time when we play the 
lower paying gigs Michael describes in his follow-on post, I give my 
cut to the kid who plays bass for us, because he needs the money to 
eat and buy new underwear.  At the end of the night I drive home my 
family all snug in their beds and thank God for what I have.  

-tim