adimatis..........

Maybe I came across a bit too harsh....but my experiences here have been better to be very defensive rather then sorry.I was not directing my statements at you but in a general business sense. I would be glad to speak with you in private if you'd like email me onemanband52@yahoo.com
Different countries would certainly require different musical traits & styles but some tings are mostly the same on stage.
Please dont take my post personally.

Best Regards

Don, yoiu sound as good as ever ! That Ketron should be GLAD to be in your hands! It sounds great. Wonderful sax sound, guitar, drums .... it's all great.

Russ ... You are one EXTREMELY lucky SOB !!! ... GOOD FOR YOU !!!
t.

Don ... I have to DISagree with UD ...

I think you sound even BETTER than ever, if that's possible ...

I am not a big CW fan, but if I lived in your area I would be a regular at your gig !!! ...
I could just picture the crowd country swing dancing to your playing and singing ...

you CERTAINLY are a master of your craft and your kb ...

gotta love it ...
t.

Don is THE man !
Great RH fills...
Tasty vocals......
Wide repertoire.....
I'm just glad he lives/works over 1000 miles away from Phily !

Wow, I appreciate the kind words guys.
Dave first turned me on to Ketron, then Solton, some years back.
At his suggestion, I drove to Dallas to see one, and ended up bringing it home. I got back about 4 p.m. and had a job at 8:00. I called Dave and he said, "Hey, it's so easy to play, just take it on to work and figure it out on the job."
Maybe that's the one time I got BAD advice from Uncle Dave! Not about the keyboard, but it was a LONG night trying to figure out that thing on the fly. Before I left the house I had found how to call up styles and sounds, and I thought it would be pretty easy.
However, the styles weren't always what I expected them to be when I started them. Many times that night, I just started playing a style, listened to it for a few seconds and thought of a song that would fit. It was pretty ragged, but I got through it.
I would never have attempted that ordinarily but it was a Monday night and I knew there would only be a handful of friends there anyway.
Needless to say, that was the last time I was THAT unprepared for a job.
I plan to post a few more songs pretty soon, so be prepared for more punishment!
DonM

[This message has been edited by Lucky2Bhere (edited 03-19-2008).]

that's all very true!
thanks for sharing!

for my type of playing/singing for example, probably is a good idea to interact alot with the audience. usually i play song with a christian message. maybe doesnt make alot of sense for american culture, but in here there is quite a big difference between christian and non-christian songs. so, doing this type of music, my jobs are quite different than most of the OMB guys from my area. a (almost) totally different aproach.

anyway, an interesting way to interact seems to be the karaoke moments. it's NOT something i enjoy very much, but the audience. and usually, i try to pick up people that i am pretty sure do not have a very accurate musical ear, so the funny is guarantee!
on the other hand, another good idea is to invite people that do sing very well to share their songs. this also work very good.

Keep 'em coming, Don ...
t.

Donny, I can't imagine what any of us could share that would come back to bite us in the a**. To me, that sort of reeks of either insecurity or a bit of an ego.

That's just me, however, and I'm not suggesting that my opinion is right or that your approach is wrong.

I even give "walk-in" musicians the name and number of the person in charge of booking where I'm working and wish them well when they try to book a job. If they're better than me, they deserve the work. If they're not, they won't get it.

As I've gotten older, I take great pride in the times I've been counted on as a mentor, and vicariously enjoy the success of some of those I've helped along the way.

My musical life has been richer and easier with the assistance of Ray Brown, Ella, "Pearlie Mae", Herb Ellis, and many others who gave a kind word or serious advice to "the kid".

That, in great part, is what's so cool about the business.


Russ