One thing I learned is that you're never playing in a vacuum. One summer, I hired into a really bad band to spend the summer at a Catskills resort. (I hate NY in the summer.) I figured "who's gonna know, right?" And I'll get to fish in the lake all summer.

Some act came up on a Saturday night to play the main auditorium - and I knew half the musicians from home. And these were A-list type guys I loved playing with. When they came into the lounge to check out the band, I was mortified to be part of such a shitty band.

Later that night, I found one of those musicians (a guitar player I'd done a gig with behind Stephanie Mills at Shea Stadium) to explain away the amateurs he saw me playing with. And he was really cool. "Hey! It's work. There's no shame in making a living," said he. I felt so much better.