John Higgins

Guess I'm one of the lucky ones-everything that I do to support myself is related to music-but I guess there are some who wouldn't see that as good fortune-too bad for them! I still gig a fair amount, and most of that is done with a group called The Flying Mules, who have been around for about 10 years.....we're a bluegrass/folk/americana sort of group, doing everything from Bill Monroe to the Grateful Dead and a lot of what lies between those spaces......I also play in a couple of more straight ahead blugrass groups, but not a whole lot. I spend a most of my time as a luthier (a person who builds and/or repairs stringed instruments), and my main focus these days is the repair and restoration of vintage guitars. I am really fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to bring some really wonderful instruments back to life, not to mention being able to play them when they are completed.....I'm also involved in 2 educational programs for elementary age schoolchildren that are produced by the Sheldon Concert Hall here in St. Louis. One teaches the history of folk music in the US and is called "Folk Music In The Melting Pot", and the other is called "The Music Of Lewis And Clark", which tells the story of the Corps Of Discovery using both period pieces as well as original songs. It's really a joy to be able to pass these types of music and traditions on to a new generation-they are usually a bit skeptical at first, but by the end of the shows you can see some genuine interest develop, and we get a lot of really interesting questions from the kids at the end of the programs. I also get calls for studio work and enjoy that a lot-it's a real challenge to invent parts on the spot and then try to pull them off-most of the time I get calls for pedal or lap steel, dobro, banjo, or guitar. Sometimes a producer won't be sure what they want, and will ask me to bring 5 or 6 insruments-those days can really be a challenge, but I love it.........keep playing your music-talk to people, keep your eyes, ears, and mind open and you may just find yourself with a career...........peace to all.whateverlife.com