Originally Posted by Bass Thumper
<...snip...> Even though one might say that learning/being successful in music is for the privileged and fortunate and that the earlier you start the better, there are notable exceptions. Think Dolly Parton and Brenda Lee.
That gets me to the question of what is the definition of being successful?

I started young, my first gig was when I was in Jr. High school. When I was rejected by the military (4F) I joined a road band. Eventually, we opened concerts for big stars with #1 hits on Billboard. We were courted by Motown to be the first all white rock band to be on the Motown family of labels, but negations broke down over money. When Motown dropped us, the other labels ghosted us, too.

Motown wanted to pay 2 cents per record, and take exaggerated recording, promotion and distribution costs out of our royalties. Then they wanted to own our name, be our sole publisher, and give half our songwriting royalties to a ghostwriter who did nothing. They quit talking when our manager tried to get 2.5 cents per record.

So we got close, were treated as equals by the stars of the day, but never made the big time.

But for most of my life, I've made a living playing music. When I was young, and especially in that road band, I had romances with quite a few pretty young women.

Years later, I joined a 5-piece band, fell in love with one of the musicians, and when that band had personnel problems, broke off and started a duo with her. I eventually married her.

That was in 1985 and the only time we were out of work was during the COVID lockdown. We live a modest life, not luxurious, not poor and the mortgage is paid off plus we have no debt. We are happy, still in love, still best friends, and enjoy making a living doing what we would do for free.

I didn't become the big star I dreamed about when I was young. But I'm living a very happy life.

So is that considered a success?

Happy life? I think so.

And I still haven't mastered sax, wind synth flute, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, or vocals. But I'm better at all of them than I was last year.

♫ Notes ♫

Last edited by Notes Norton; Yesterday at 06:25 AM.
Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
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