Thank you, Ed, both for starting this time-of-the-year thread and for the kind words. I really appreciate both.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Superior Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa, and above all, let us welcome the new year with anticipation of all good things. Can't Wait for 08!
Since Ed did such a grand job of calling in all the brothers and sisters, let me take just a minute of your time to thank you for your interest in the Barker Bass and your enthusiasm for what we're doing.
It is literally true that when I realized I had something of a unique instrument on my hands, I went home to Linda and said, "I don't want to die saying I had a good idea and did nothing about it."
We discussed that that meant closing my business of 23 years and leaping out into space. This encompassed financial issues, fundamental insecurities about doing something new, and the fear of failure. And she said, literally, "Let's go for it!" Without her, you'd have no bass, period. You can email her directly at
itinerantartist@bendcable.com
All our children are supportive too, and they are LiAndra, Pete, Joel and Joe. (hey, it's a blended family, we wouldn't name two kids "Joe" and "Joel." At least not two who are that close in age.) They bring spice to the recipe. And honesty too!
These complicating issues that we identified--the financial realities and so on--are but specks on the back of the bug on the barn, a bb in a boxcar, when I read your posts on this forum, when I get emails from you about some kind of curious turn of events at a gig, and when I get the phone calls. That you and you alone are excited about playing your Barker brings happiness to my heart, the kind that can't be trumped by the next little roadblock, the kind that makes the UPS driver say, "What's got into you, Lee?" as she hands me a package with pickups or bridges or any of the various findings that go into this inert object that comes to life only when it's in your hands.
I'm only playing music in church these days. I make it a point to be there first on Sunday morning because I appreciate the quiet time. At the moment when I am placing my bass on the stand, tuning it and plugging it in, I am thinking that out there, somewhere, someone in this great cloud of witnesses, if you will, is doing exactly the same thing at the same moment, and we will in essence be playing a duet right now.
You have created this community, and I am very grateful to be a part of it.
In all kindness,
Lee
