There are so many “natural” ways one must navigate the choppy waters of a musical career that it is hard to really come up with any specific “rules of thumb” when it comes to getting a foothold in the business. Still, even though it’s not anything like climbing up the typical “corporate ladder”, there are still many words to the wise that I can give you based on my extensive experience in the music business. And this goes for me as a multi-faceted person, as not only a guitar player, but as a solo artist, author, entrepreneur, columnist and on and on. I can safely say that I have truly “seen it all” when it comes to all sides of the industry; a very tough industry, to say the least.
First and foremost, you must be true to yourself, and have a deep belief in yourself and your abilities as a guitarist. You must treat others fairly and with respect, even though your competitive drive is what is really pushing you forward. You should always be complimentary of your fellow musicians, because regardless of what you may think of their abilities as opposed to yours, they will always have something good to contribute! Keep a good list of all your “contacts”, because you’ll never know when these people may come in handy for you personally, or for your career. Always show up early or on time for gigs…this will relieve both your stress level, as well as the others around you. I can recall one time when I had to do the Dick Cavett show with Art Garfunkel, and I was stuck in Manhattan traffic, and literally walked into the show the second we were to begin taping, as opposed to about a half hour early, which was what I was shooting for! I ran into the studio in a near-state of panic, and to my surprise, there was Art, with a totally serene look on his face, as if he had never really ever doubted that I would get there on time. It was a true testament to his level of professionalism that he treated me that way, because I’m sure he was aware of what I must’ve been going through, trying to get there on time! I was instantly relaxed by his demeanor, and sure enough, we pulled of a flawless, as well as “relaxed” performance that day on the Cavett show.
So, in general, it’s this level of professionalism one must always strive for, and I find that players are learning this at a younger and younger age all the time. The competition is just too great out there for any of us to take the chance of ruining a good situation by being less than cordial, professional or helpful, and we must always keep these things in mind.
I’ll be talking more about this very important subject in upcoming blog installments, so please stay tuned for more “words to the wise!”