When I was about 5 years old, I stood on chairs and sung and
well -
meaning relatives threw pennies at me. Some of them really hurt
but it was worth it. You have to start somewhere and a little bit of suffering
on the road to riches doesen't do any lasting harm
Unfortunately the riches eluded me and my
audiences probably did more suffering than me. When I was 16, a clairvoyant told
my mother "Buy the boy a guitar, now!"
We had no money at the time but somehow she managed to get hold of an old
Hofner for me and this coincided with the skiffle era and the birth of the
most momentous happening since the ice age:
Rock and Roll!
Whatever certain pundits might say about the late Fifties and
Sixties being the beginning of the end of manners, family life, discipline,
normal civilisation and general peace on earth, it was a great time to be alive
and making music. Since then I have wailed and plucked a lot, hopefully most
of the time in tune, and tried to give the public what it wants. Sometimes,
much to their disgust, I give them what I want!
Don't care. I sincerely hope that, like me, there are thousands of you out there still doing what you do and loving every minute of it. - Keep it up!