\u201cI’m really into blues and rock. Is there a scene here for that? I asked innocently. \u201cThere is, but you\u2019re going to go broke if you only play that stuff here\u201d <\/em>was his reply \u201cPlus you’ll get pigeonholed\u201d. <\/em>\u201cWell if all this activity is basically hired guns, how do you just have a band for fun?\u201d I asked, not wanting to accept this new fate. His solution was so simple – \u201cAfter you get to know and become friends with some good players, just pick a night, book a gig, and go make some music with your buddies.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n While his advice made a lot of sense, it would take years for me to fully realize this new potential. I began digging in to the scene, networking, sitting in, and this approach worked. I played hundreds of gigs around the city during those first couple of years – Broadway gigs, Printers Alley gigs, gigs on the outskirts, showcases – you name it I played it. These gigs eventually lead to touring work and a couple of years later I began playing on songwriter demos too.<\/p>\n Now it’s 2011 and I’ve been here for nearly 10 years. I can’t believe how fast time flies, the last decade was a blur of endless activity. I didn’t move to Nashville to become a superstar or a songwriter, I came here to work as a player, and I’ve succeeded in that endeavor. I make my living (or the bulk of it) as a freelance musician, something I was not able to do prior to my Nashville days.<\/p>\n But something has still been missing and I just recently figured out what it was. I haven’t been playing music enough for the sheer joy of it. Nearly all of my music career dreams have come true. I’ve played in every state in the lower 48, Canada, parts of Europe; So last fall I finally decided it was time to follow ol\u2019 Ds advice – \u201cPick a night, book a gig, and go make some music with your buddies.\u201d <\/em>I’m not sure if it’s just because I’m getting a little older and my priorities are changing, or because working as a freelance musician allows you to be a part of everything, without actually belonging to anything, but making some music for the soul on a regular basis with my friends is now a big priority for me.<\/p>\n While I’m making my living as a hired gun within the country side of this town, I have a new found love for my side project \u201cEndless Boogie\u201d, a band project that has no goal other than to simply provide me and my buddies with a night or two a month of self-expression through fun music. My good friends Fran Breen, drummer extraordinaire originally from Ireland (with the accent to prove it), and Mike Chapman, bad-ass bassist and member of Garth Brooks<\/a>\u2019 famed session band, the G-Men<\/a>, were the first players I called for the gig. Even though they’ve both been here far longer than I, perhaps their love of just getting out there and playing is even more telling about working as a career freelance musician long-term.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/nashvillemusicianssurvivalmanual.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/ericplaying2.jpg\" "\\"ericplaying2\\"")
<\/a>I’ve learned how to play guitar on recording sessions; I’m good friends with some of the finest musicians on the planet; I’m earning a living from my craft. But where\u2019s the self-expression within all of this? Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of good music involved in what I do. But a lot of the music I do for pay is the result of somebody else’s expression, and at times, lacking a personal connection to me.<\/p>\n