I prefer the Bobby "Blue" Bland version of "Stormy Monday" but the Allman Bros version is also high on my list. And every guitar slinging blues singer owes a debt to T-Bone Walker for that matter.

Now I won't go out of my way to listen to "Mustang Sally", "Brown Eyed Girl" and a lot of other songs that I make my living by playing, but when I'm playing them, I'm into them, enjoying them, and doing the best job I can.

It's all about attitude. IMO, Get the negative thoughts out of your head and enjoy yourself.

There are songs that simply work with the audience every time. I wish there were more of these types of songs. I take the "let's have fun with my duo partner, Leilani and the audience" and we enjoy. I get an improvised sax solo in Sally, I get to play my guitar in BEG I'm having more fun than any day job I have ever had or can think of --- and they are going to pay me money at the end of the night. Come on! What can be better than that?

When you make a living doing what you would do for free, you'll never work a day in your life. I'm making a living doing what I would do for free. I charge people to move the PA set, and play for free.

When someone has requested a song more than once, I'll remember that person, their request, and when they come in and get settled down with their drink and/or meal, I'll send that song out to them without their asking for it. It makes them feel special, they in turn smile at me and/or thank me and that makes me feel good. I've brightened somebody's day, and they in turn brightened mine.

Music is a dialog between the entertainer and the audience. It's not a lecture or a lesson. It's a game and the audience is playing along.

I read an interview with Tony Bennett. He was asked, "Do you ever get tired of singing "San Francisco"? Tony replied (I'll paraphrase), "Never, it's the song that put me on the map, it's a great song, the people want to hear it, and they are the reason I'm here, I'm lucky to be able to sing it to them."

I respect that attitude.

I like to play old 'war horse' songs and I like to play new songs. I like to play challenging songs, and I like to play simple songs. I like to play to the audience I have in front of me, give them the best experience I possibly can, and they return the love hundreds of times over.

To me simple songs are like charcoal or pencil must be to an artist. I have a smaller palette to work with, but that doesn't mean it has to be less artful. The music is in the nuances as much or even more than in the notes.

If I'm lucky I'll get to play "Mustang Sally", "Brown Eyed Girl", "Yakety Sax", "Electric Boogie", etc., for thousands more times each.

Insights and incites by Notes

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

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