Diki,

I think I need to say something about myself at this point.

I maintain a low-key profile in this room because I'm basically a humble person who is thankful for what he received (music talent). I don't need nor do I want to tell everyone how wonderful I am like some do here. Do I try and pass on information that I've learned in all these years of playing? That I WILL do. I always try to help other musicians with what I've learned, but when I'm not doing that I stay "low-key."

There's only one point I'm going to make here. Any musical entertainer who plays to an audience goes one of two ways. You either play for yourself or you play to the audience and try and make a difference in people's lives. I chose the second way.

That means you do WHATEVER you have to do to "entertain" people because (as I said before) we are “chosen” to do that). Do you really think I'm proud to say I'm a DJ when people ask me what I do for a living? But if that's what the people want for entertainment, that's what I give them. But you don't just "hand" it to them. You make it into an art....and believe me, if you DJ the right way, it IS an art! If you think playing an arranger is hard, try multi-tasking the way a DJ has to do when he’s at work. One doesn’t just spin a disc, and go lean against the wall until it finishes. There’s 100 things going on in your head at one time. And when that one song ends, you‘d better have another lined up immediately…there’s no such thing as “dead space” or “breaks” when you’re doing DJ. It really ain’t easy if you want to do it right.

Now for my capabilities as a musician. I'm been doing this full-time since stagecoaches were around. I think that says a lot about my qualifications right there. I’m first and foremost a musician and proud of it. I do other musical things for two reasons: a) it helps me develop as an all-around entertainer/musician, and b) it helps pay the bills (no, I never made it to “superstar” status like I dreamed of….I “humbly” say I remain a big fish in a little pond).

You asked: Seriously, Lucky, the thing is, were you fully employed BEFORE you started DJ-ing? Did you enjoy playing keyboards, were you REALLY good at it?

Diki….you’d be amazed to hear me play a keyboard. I’ve only ever know playing an instrument since I was 12. I love music…never knew anything but playing music all my life. Yes, I was “fully employed”….playing music!

I said to John DiLeo in one of my posts: it’s all about gaining “respect” in this forum. I wish it wasn’t but that’s the way it is here and in life in general. One always has to “prove” himself before anyone gives credence to what you have to say.

Now I wrote the original piece about DJ-ing (above) because I wanted to give you folks an idea of what it was like….doing both live AND DJ. I really didn’t need to spend 30 minutes typing that out. I think I need to keep reminding myself what I said previously……folks don’t “explore” new ideas, they “rebuttal them.”

Now I have to be careful about saying what I really want to say here because my ear is starting to hurt again and I’m soon going to have to ask for everyone’s help again in a new message about my possible tinnitus!….another downside to doing music all your life.

Keep on truckin’

Lucky