The Best Gift For a Guitar Player or Any Musician

Howdy Gang!  As Christmas time rolls around once again, I've been really sad (I'm one of those who always gets this way at the holidays).  Why?  Well you see, over my decades long marriage, my wife never enjoyed hearing me play or sing; not even some classic Christmas Carols at Christmas time.  Yep, seriously. When I was still a single guy, all the girls I dated LOVED to sit and marvel at my incredible talent, or at least they did a good job of pretending to :)  But my wife, as soon as we were married, pretty much banished me, my instruments, and my music to the garage or the room over the garage ... it was NOT proper or acceptable in the home.  We COULD debate how I married such a girl in the first place, but that's not the point.  And now I'm alone for the first Christmas.  Guitars are now all over the house and my dogs seem to really enjoy my playing, but holy cow could I use an actual human to listen to me at night by the fireplace, and maybe even sing along ... and be happy with me.  But nope.

And so I'll jump right to the greatest gift for the musician: 

As a significant other, parent, child, or good friend ... just ask them if they would play for you!  Eyes will light up, and you will have given more joy than a Mercedes with a big bow on top (okay, maybe not QUITE that much). I'm being playful, but my point is dead serious. It totally ruins a musicians life and sense of well-being when those close to him or her has no interest in what they LOVE, what makes them ... them!

And so I task you with this:
Spend some time really listening to the music made by the musicians in your life.  Especially in these awful days of most live music performances having the huge hammer of Covid and social pressure smash them to bits!  It's more important now than ever before, and it's ALWAYS been a top priority!

See ya next week.  Anyone wanta come by and sing Christmas carols by the fireplace, I'll supply the guitars and hot coco :-)