Mark, good to see you posting again. As for practice, well, when I had to perform 7 days a week, often more than once a day, and frequently 9 to 10 jobs a week, I figured I was getting all the time I needed for practice while working on stage in front of a live audience. Additionally, because I got to know a lot of my audience members on a first name basis, I was able to be a lot more creative and experiment with new and exciting songs. For me, this went a long way in improving my performances and enhancing my playing ability.

Unlike a piano player, thought, and primarily performing as a singer, my main concern was my vocal abilities. I didn't do a lot of right hand improv or fills, but instead, concentrated on how to sell the song vocally. In my part of the world, and pretty much throughout the US, if you're not a singer, the jobs tend to pay less and are few and far between. Singers who have mastered the arranger keyboard, IMO, can find all the work they wish and at top pay rates if they take the time to market themselves in a professional manner.

So, have things really changed here on the Zone? Not very much since I have been here. Gear was always the main subject, and most folks were looking for the top gear that made them sound best. I traveled most of the east coast of the US and across the southeastern US to meet and hear other zone members and see what they did and the gear they used to entertain their audiences - I learned a lot from those trips, some of which exceeded 5,000 miles of driving. The only difference was that I got to hear and see the zone guys and gals while they were on stage and working their magic.

All the best,

Gary