Memoirs of a Musician: Recent Episodes
Scotty Burford
Scotty B is a professional musician from Sydney, Australia. He's had his 15 seconds of fame, but most of the time he has been the guy making a living as a guitarist standing to the left or right of the spotlight. He's also played thousands of gigs in pubs, clubs, weddings, private functions, and more. He's seen a lot. Some good, some great, some awful, and some downright hilarious things that make people laugh when retold. As a musician, Scotty has worked at all levels of the industry. Professionally he has played rock, pop, jazz, blues, folk, country, classical, funk, ambient music and more. He has also been involved in hundreds of recording sessions that have ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. The podcast will be a reflection of all his experiences and stories. Whether you just want to be entertained, or want to learn more about making a living out of music (and not being a star) this podcast might be just what you are looking for! In 2018, Scotty made international news by playing guitar continuously for 125 hours. he did this to raise money and awareness for the charity "Musicians Making a Difference". In 2023 he is planning to set the world record for the longest busking session, and in doing so, raise money for the Sydney Children's Hospital.
Billy McLaughlin has been one of my favourite finger style guitarists for many years. To my delight, I was able to hang out with him for 3 or 4 days when he came to Australia. What an incredible story he has, overcoming massive challenges to continue playing music. Things are not always easy, but the willingness to stick with it will take you far.
It's been a little while since I have been able to record an episode. A lot has happened since the last. Many gigs, studio work, some private teaching, the loss of some people in my life, and time to make some big changes. Our approach to music and how we play it is a reflection of who we are as people. If you want to do something, then go and do it and don't look back.
Narrell Brown, aka Naz, aka The Fairy Gig Mother, aka my agent, advocate, mentor, and friend. She successfully ran Jaybees Booking Agency for many years, and was by far the best agent I ever dealt with through all that time. But beyond just booking gigs, she has been a great friend and mentor for a long time as well. Naz has had a lot of challenges of late, and the way she has met those with love, courage, and dignity is an example to us all. This episode also features a brief cameo by the dogs!
Being a musician can be a challenge. I've had self-doubts and temptations to sell my instruments many times. At one stage I was in a very low place. Phi Emmanuel, world-class guitarist, and a really good guy, took some interest in me, encouraged me as a player, and told me to stick with it. Maybe I wouldn't be playing now if it wasn't for Phil.I can't thank him enough.
Music is worth so much more than dollars and cents. Playing for the kids at Ronald McDonald House...priceless.
I've had a few beliefs I have held onto for far too long, that have really impacted my growth as a musician. I'm learning all the time, and I think I am becoming the "best" version of me on a daily basis. Negative self-talk has been a constant my whole life - but the kid who used to go bright red playing guitar in front of others has now played on national TV and at major festivals in front of hundreds of thousands of people. There have been other silly beliefs I have held at times - about how certain things must be done, or not done, or about holding myself back until I was ready. Some of the best periods of growth musically and personally have been messy performances and periods of playing where I wasn't ready to do it, but I did it anyway. And from that, I learnt a lot and improved a lot too.
I had a regular gig at a gay, cross-dressing, trans club at one stage. I didn't know what to expect, but they were some of the best gigs I ever played, and some of the most gracious, encouraging, and receptive audiences I have ever played to.
How amazing is it to have someone say something like that about one of your own compositions! Sometimes life throws you a massive curveball and some big challenges, and it may cost you something, but maybe other good things can come from that too? It happened to me with the impact of Covid on the music industry.
Almost everyone , if not everyone, I have met or known who has said that has no reason to be known by strangers. Playing in an unknown or obscure band, or appearing on a TV show such "The Voice" doesn't grant you special recognition or privileges. Some of the most arrogant and entitled musicians I have met are the ones who have done very little. Conversely, I have met and played with some world-class musicians. Most have been great people, easy to get along with, and humble. I talk briefly about the time I met Mike Stern and Dave Weckl in this episode. They are two titans of modern jazz, with incredible international careers and achievements - and they are two humble and friendly guys who wanted to talk to me about me. Unbelievable!
“When people say you can’t do it – that it’s impossible – never lose hope. Just because they couldn’t doesn’t mean you can’t.” I have been told time and again that I am not good enough. Not good enough as a guitarist, not good enough as a musician, not good enough to achieve anything of note, not possessing any real talent, so don't bother trying. But this story shows that if you want to achieve something, no matter how big, or how silly and audacious it might seem, then go and do it.
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.