Being a sports nut, particularly NFL football, I was reading an interview of a world class golfer, who is consistently rated in the top 10, in ESPN, The Magazine. The column itself is full of unusual and wise guy type questions and is quite humorous.

The interviewer was asking the golfer what his favorite pass time was other than golf. Well the person being interviewed(interviewee)went on to say that he loved to listen to bands with great guitar players. For a guy not even 35 years old yet, he went on to mention some guitar players names that are not from his generation. Who did he mention? Jimmy Page was the first one he mentioned, along with Eric Clapton, Wes Montgomery, Eric Johnson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Great taste for a young guy.

I though his choices were quite intriguing and convincing. During the interview, the interviewer asked the interviewee what sport, job or activity required the highest level of skill. Shockingly, he answered guitar players. He said that as an avid listener of people who play the guitar, in his opinion, they were the most talented and skilled specialists of all. Apparently he is a guitar player with average chops at best.

To put it mildly, this golfer had the ability and is alert enough to understand what it takes to be considered the cream of the crop. He recognized that the amount of practice time and being coached well and in general, all have the same paradigms when it comes to becoming the best at anything. His personal experience tells him that it takes just as much dedication and loyalty to be a great guitar player as it does to become great at any sport, occupation or hobby.

But he felt that guitar players were the most gifted. He felt guitarists were clearly the most hard working and brilliant wonders in the world. It is a great analogy, guitarists have practice strategies and techniques, that like any sport, require intense repitetion and undivided focus with the ability to practice adnauseam to become really good at it.

Don’t sell guitar players short. Most of us will never make much of a living at it, usually without benefits. It stinks, we work just as hard and maybe longer to develop our skills, too. Shouldn’t we get payed well also? Enjoy.

Tags: guitar players