Well you could say the same thing about getting played on the radio, or scoring a place on the Cambridge Folk Festival bill, or being on Jools Holland or even simply having an album out.

No - I don't agree with those analogies. Sorry - we'll have to beg to differ on that.

As far as being a professional, with commitment and "determination and focus and hard work", goes - well, that's true of all jobs and professions. It takes all of those things to be good in anything, but to single out a few for an award seems daft.

I've spent a large part of my adult life playing music - much of it for real money - and for most of those nearly 50 playing years (apart from the odd shite gig here and there), I've thought to myself: "Here I am, doing what I love, to people who mostly like what I do - for money, even - how much better can it possibly get?" Compared to many other jobs I've done, it's great.

Coincidentally, I received an email from a guy I hadn't met for quite some time - he's spent the last three years in his boat, sailing round the world. Here's an extract from what he wrote to me:

During my working life I managed to get blown up in an IRA bomb, was shot at, stabbed and went to the Old Bailey as a defendant. I also spent most of my career investigating rapes and sexual abuse against children. By the time it came to retire I was totally wasted mentally and physically. I had done 30 years and spent a long time away from [wife's name] and our two boys.

Where was his award?