My weekend with Dave Gunning

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of opening for two Dave Gunning shows at the Union Street Cafe. He is, in my mind, a great example of professionalism in music. His songs are polished, his guitar work is solid, his voice seems effortless (even when he is suffering from a cold) and his stage patter, though well planned, does not seem rehearsed.

Some artists don't want to hear it, but the competitiveness of the music business makes professionalism a must. And you have to work at your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Many of us contemporary singer-songwriter types took our inspirations from the Bob Dylans and Neil Youngs of the the world. And we think, if Neil could get away with singing flat and pitchy, we can too.

Well, maybe if you can write like Dylan, you might have a chance to have audiences overlook your weaknesses in other areas. But I'd be willing to bet that the young Bob Dylan would have had a harder time of it today than he did in the early 60s.

For every gifted poet that plays guitar sloppier than Kurt Cobain, there is another gifted poet out there who practises their butt off on guitar. And in today's climate, the spoils are going to the artist with professionalism, whether we agree with that ethic or not.

So besides having a great time playing and hanging out and sharing stories with Gunning this weekend, I came away even more determined to hone my craft. OK...I have to go practise now.