Martin,

I agree with you. However, there are gentle ways to accomplish most things, and I am not presuming you don't know or do that. I think you would. And I have gently directed a few people to their real vocations in management, backstage work, sound work, etc. However, writing is about trying. If I had been told that when I was sixteen, I would have quit most likely. I did my best songwriting from the time I was about 23 to now. I had thought I'd never write songs again, and at the tender age of 56 I just finished the best thing I've ever done. However, there wasn't ever a new song I tried out that I didn't think was the best thing I'd done. Retrospect most often gave me the view I needed to hear it and make the call myself.

I did have a teacher in high school who told me I was wasting my time writing songs and singing and playing guitar. Another teacher told me to go to NYC and find out. I was never famous, and I never will be, but I managed to get four record deals over the years, and I hope to have another one on the go within a year. So, I'm glad I listened to teacher two.