Music is the ultimate time machine, Certain songs and sounds take me way back to being a little boy. One of my earliest memories of hearing a guitar was when I was about 3, and my mum was playing Cat Stevens. When I hear those songs, I go back to that time. Other songs also take me back to memories with other people now sadly gone, and it is an amazing way to reconnect with them in that sense. Music also takes my imagination and emotions to places I cannot articulate. Where does music take you?

I worked for a period of time for an Elvis impersonator. He'd been a stripper, but as age started to catch up with him, he changed his career trajectory and became Elvis instead. It was an interesting experience! You might like to consider subscribing to my Patreon site, or perhaps you could buy me a coffee? https://www.patreon.com/scottyburfordguitarist https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottyburford

I played a gig once, and the next time I saw the host, he was on national news for murder. www.patreon.com/scottyburfordguitarist https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottyburford

About 30-minutes into the first set of our short tour, the singer felt the need to punch the drummer mid-song. I had joined the tour to replace their guitarist two days before, and had only met most of the band and crew as we set up for the first gig. What else was I in for? If you enjoy these podcasts, you might like to support me through Patreon for as little as $3 per month, or you could buy me a coffee. www.patreon.com/scottyburfordguitarist https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottyburford

Your integrity, your reputation, are the calling cards you have as a musician. How do you treat others? Do people want to be around you? Being a temperamental git only lasts so long, no matter how talented you are. One well-known Australian musician said to me once that someone can always improve on their instrumental, improving themselves as a person might be a bit harder.

"If my father were alive today, he’d tell you all to fuck off" isn' t how most funerals start! But this was an outlaw bikie Gand funeral, so it was a little different. And why was I there? To play music for the ceremony. Not the sort of job most musicians expect they'll be booked for!

Why Should Someone Book You As A Musician? I know some musicians who wonder why they are never booked, but never look at what they are offering. At the same time, I regularly receive comments and questions as to how I am so busy. In a very good year, I'll play around 250 gigs. The pandemic has produced many challenges over the past couple of years with the live scene, but I am now back playing 3-5 gigs every week. Hopefully it stays that way! In response to some of the questions I have fielded from other musicians, I am going to try and answer them the best I can.if you find this helpful, perhaps you could "Buy Me A Coffee", or consider supporting my Patreon page? https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottyburford or www.patreon.com/scottyburfordguitarist

When John Lee Hooker sang "The Healer" with Santana, he was stating a universal truth. The blues (and beyond that genre, all music) really does heal us. It is there for us in every part of our lives, and can bring us hope, joy, comfort, laughter, meaning, and inspiration. This episode is about an encounter with a young man a number of years ago, and his experience with writing and producing a song, and the smile that was left on his face.