Per Billy Joel:

He says, "Son, can you play me a memory?
I'm not really sure how it goes
But it's sad, and it's sweet, and I knew it complete
When I wore a younger man's clothes"

I play memories, and I am lucky that I get to make a living doing that.

Mrs. Notes and I started our duo in 1985. The first year was pretty lean, as we had no reputation. So we took a 3-week-with-options contract on a cruise ship. We stayed on that ship for 8 months, and returned on different ships in the same line for 3 years.

We beat the all-time revenue records for the lounge we played in on all three ships. The management in Miami looks at the revenue to determine where the passengers are hanging out. Since they were hanging out in our lounge, we got the bonus of a passenger sized room with a porthole.

How did we do that?

First of all, we are good at what we do. But that isn't all. There was a pianist in the piano bar that wowed all the musicians. She was a monster and played Thelonious Monk, Gene Harris, and dozens of others so well that the other musicians used to hang there. But the passengers didn't. She lasted 3 weeks.

So what else?

We asked for requests on cocktail napkins. We told the audience that if we can't play it, we'd have it by next week (it was a one-week cruise).

Whatever got requested the most, got learned first.

If you last on stage long enough, the people will tell you what they want to hear. If you ignore them, you probably won't last all that long on stage.

Eventually, we even beat the disco in revenue. The disco held 5 times as many passengers and was open all night.

After 3 seasons on the ships, we gave notice. They offered us a raise, but Mrs. Notes' mother was sick with a disease of the elderly and needed care. We had been working the 4 months we weren't on the ship on land, and by then had a good enough reputation to work all year off the ships.

We still collect requests, and whatever gets requested the most is what we learn, as long as we can do a good job covering it.

I know a lot of musicians who hate playing memories. There is nothing wrong with that, as there is more than one right way to go through life. But for me, playing memories is a great way to make a living. Plus, I really enjoy what I do.

When I'm on stage, I'm in that place where there is no space or time, just the music flowing through me. In other words, I'm in my bliss.

I repeat: For me, a bad day playing music is better than a good day at any other job I can think of.

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

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

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