On my 42nd birthday my mom gave me a gift of $60, thinking I would probably go buy something practical with it, like new bathroom towels(I think she was secrectly appalled at the condition my old ones were in). I happily accepted the gift and started thinking about what I would buy with $60 and soon realized whatever I bought with it, the initial thrill of the buy would fade very quickly and I would probably be bored with any random purchase anyway after a day or two. Then I got that sudden epiphany that one starts getting when you reach forty and beyond; it's that sense that time is getting shorter and shorter and no longer does the horizon seem limitless.
I had the sudden thought of "what if I found out I had only two years to live? What would I regret not ever trying?" The first answer that popped into my mind was that I would regret not ever trying to learn to play the guitar. I had always wanted to learn ever since high school, when I imagined playing like Jimmy Page, but I never asked to take lessons or anything ~ I never learned to play any instrument, period.
So I took my $60 and walked into the local guitar shop and signed up for 4 lessons. I borrowed my sister's old nylon-string guitar from the '70's, and by the third lesson I was totally, completely hooked and bought a mid-priced Alverez.
It's been 4 years now and I am having a blast! I wrote my first song after the year or so, and haven't stopped since. To date I have about 15 songs and am constantly working on trying to become comfortable performing them on stage.
After being told time and again that I had a great voice for the blues, I started performing at blues jams as a vocalist, and that is taking over! What a freakin' blast!!!! I am currently searching for committed musicians to form a hard-core, Texas-style Stevie Rae Vaughan, Angela Strehli, Deb Davies, Etta James, Allman Brothers influenced blues band for gigging around my neck of the woods ~ seems like the right time for a female to be in front !
I'd like to thank all the local musicians I have met who remain ever so encouraging and gracious to a newcomer on the scene!
P.S. I splurged in May 2006 and bought a Taylor 310 CE - I had been eying it for months and playing it at the local store for many more months until I could figure out a way to finance it without going into debt. My rule was no credit cards, couldn't use my tax refund, and couldn't dip into savings either! So this is what I did _ I set up an account at the local resale/consignment shop and started unloading all unused and unwanted household items there. I put up ads to sell my metal smithing and jewelry tools and supplies. I managed to raise about $1100 cash this way and used gift money and such for the rest! I love that baby, and tonight I just put new strings on her! Sweet! Peace and Play ON!
