This thread made me think of this story. Hope you folks do not mind me telling it.

I was a hotshot Tenor Sax R&B, and Rock and Roll player around 1858 or there about. Boots Randolph myself and handful of guys at the time were playing Yakety Sax at the time. An older bass player heard my band auditioning one afternoon at a club and hired me on the spot to play with his band the next weekend because his sax player was not able to make it. This was one of the best bands I ever gigged with. They even did quite a few of the old jazz standards that my band could not play.

Here’s the gist of the story. On the drive from New Orleans to Raceland La. we argued about what was the most popular music. I need to note that around New Orleans, Fats Domino, Bobby Charles, Clarence Frogman Henry, Bobby Mitchell, etc was what was happening in the clubs, high school dances so on and so forth. Of course, I said Rock and Roll and even though he and his band played mostly R&R, he said country. I laughed and laughed.

I reflected on this for several days and came to realize that even in New Orleans there were more country radio stations then all other styles of music combined. I figured then that I had better look for a day gig because I would not be able to support a family on music money. Ha! Ha!

Don is dead on. I wish I never would have stumbled on that fourth chord. I have not been able to support my family on music money since. Don is modest to an extent, but I am sure he makes as much money if not more than anyone here on the forum. And don’t forget he works around and lives in Bossier City, not New York!

The reason he is not rich is that he buys every new thing that comes out. Of course, he sounds great on any thing he decides to play. In addition, he is not making it on his looks. He could probably make a lot more money as a bouncer on Bourbon Street in New Orleans and would only have to stare at the troublemaker and not raise a hand. Man he is big and mean looking too. I don’t worry about him cause he likes me and, I’m sure I can out run him. Ha! Ha!

I have to check out the site. Nigel do you think he can teach me to play as many notes in a bar as Dexter Gordon, Coltrane and Rollins does without one mistake? I don't think that they are or were human. They are probably from some other planet.

It is impossible to play that tempo and play that many riffs and not make a mistake. What do you folks think? How much stuff do you have to smoke to practice 12 or more hours a day. In a good mood on a great day I may have made a 1 1/2 hour practice some time, I think since 1854.