Ian - wise words indeed - for someone in the UK. However, Bruce lives in Virginia - with not a lot around either side of him. As our Cousins across the Pond tell us over and over again, we're very lucky to have the variety of venues to perform in over here, and close networks of friends to jam with. I could play somewhere or with someone every night of the week if I chose to, without travelling more than 30 minutes in any direction.

That's not the case for Bruce and for many like him. It's no wonder, with the wealth of performance riches that we have over here, that our cousins are amazed at the way we often squabble and fall out over these same riches!

Bruce is a member of the discussion board I run at the Front Porch, and one of the things that we do is to give active encouragement, advice and help - where we can - for people like Bruce to get up and do their thing. I'm really pleased for him that he had the moxie to play at the open mic - perhaps a difficult and slightly traumatic experience - but he did it!