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When I was a kid, I was courted by several conservatories.  I had done a little gigging prior to that - was bass player in a playhouse orchestra, had played in a studio band for a Christmas album as part of a brass choir.  It was fun, but there was no way I was going to make a living at it.  I decided to go to school for business instead. 

But I've got some friends that have done the pro thing.  One of my good buddies was in a touring band when he was only 16.  He met Joe Walsh in a basement jamm session and learned Funk #49 from Joe Walsh himself before it was even released on an album.  Some other friends are in a Country top 40 band in the U.S.  My niece was good friends with the child of a 'famous' musician.  The first guy has a day job - even though he's still in a band that headlines bars and does opening for national acts.  The other guys ride the tour bus, and most would say have 'made it in the big time', but they still have frequent periods of unemployment.  And when they are employed, they wake up in a bus with a GPS unit built into their bunks so they know where they are.  They communicate with their wives and kids via cell phone.  The child of the famous musician met my niece at boarding school.  Seems her mom loved her very much, but wanted to make sure she got a better education than life on the road and international travel 40+ weeks of the year can permit.  Not a life I'd like.   

Seems like most here are playing for themselves.  But for those who want to be famous, don't think that you're going to get the life you see on MTV Cribs or Biography interviews.  Those folks are the elite of the elite.  For every one of them, there are 100 "famous" folks just scraping by, not knowing where they are or who they'll see.  Sitting bored at the backstage of a venue letting the roadies do their thing and just waiting for the opportunity to get on stage and "work" for an hour or two. 

- Zurf

25Frankster -
I'm going to send you a song from a fellow Buckeye that I think you'll like.  I have permission to distribute his music. 

- Zurf

Just got some of these.  I feel like I have a lot more control.  But mine do not have any bend and  it is LOUD!  I'm going to try some more of these with a thinner construction.  One of the next things for me to learn is picking arpeggios, inversions and scales, which will require far more pick control than I have now. 

- Zurf

Well, I for one am very pleased to have grown up.  Based on how recklessly I used to live, there are a number of people who didn't think I'd make it.  I did.  Not without reminders of my carelessness every time the weather changes, but I made it.  At least one member of the new generation is showing early indications of my recklessness.  I may as well go get to know the emergency room doctors now.  I was on a first name basis with most of the ER staff by the time I graduated high school. 

- Zurf

Yeah.  A friend sent an Andy McKee clip to me a few months ago.  I forwarded it to my sister, who's been playing longer than Andy McKee has been alive.  Her only comment was YOWZER!!! 

I think it's wonderful to see how differently people are blessed.  It's tough to imagine someone playing like that without there being some sort of special gifting of talent.

- Zurf

Depending on how much you may have trained your voice, you may not have a key yet.  If singing is something new to you, just getting on pitch at all can be a challenge.  If you CAN carry a tune in a bucket using your voice, then trying different tunings of songs will certainly be helpful.  There are several suggestions for how to do i in the "Singing" thread, as mentioned by Des.From.Liverpool.

- Zurf

Oh you're on your way!!!  Go out and find some songs on the Artists or Songs section of this site.  Then start playing them.  Don't worry about playing then the original artist (or the cover you know).  Play it the way you want to play it.  With that repertoire of chords, and the ability to do some barre's (especially F#m), you're as ready as ready can be.  The hard part now is learning to transition between chords smoothly (or if roughly, then roughly with style - like George Thorogood). 

- Zurf

It changes regularly.  My favorites of the moment:

Redemption Song, Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
Promises - Eric Clapton
Dixie Highway - Hillbilly Idol
Country Life - James McModerator (or whatever our esteemed moderator's name is)
Forever & Ever Amen - Randy Travis

Only the last two do I attempt to play. 

Current favorite songs to play are:'
Crocodile Rock - Elton John
Fever & Ever Amen - Ibid
Country Life - Ibid
Hippie Chick - Selso
Tim Cup Chalice - Jimmy Buffett

This could go on  for hours, though, so I'll stop there.

- Zurf

Right! You'd think that they'd be targeting drummer sites. 

Thanks SouthPaw for your extra effort on our behalf.  Thanks Roger and James too. 

- Zurf

I play because I enjoy it.

So far I have been wildly successful at avoiding fame.

- Zurf

Here's what a buddy of mine tells his students:

Once you start playing, you're going to suck.  You're going to want to quite because you'll think playing chords without buzzes and mutes is impossible. 

After six months of playing, you're still going to suck but you might not buzz or mute as much.  You'll feel like you've had some progress. 

After a year, you're going to start getting better.  While you'll want to play for others, they won't want to hear you.

After two years, you're going to sound OK.  Some folks may ask if you know a particular song.  You probably won't. 

After five years, they're going to send you back home to get your guitar if you forgot it. 

____

Six months and still working on chord forms and changes to play songs - no worries.  No worries at all.  You're right on target. 

I've been at it about a year now.  I can do pretty good on open chords.  I'm just beginning to play simple barre chords - but they're slow and painful and sound poor.  I know a couple of strum patterns and a couple fingerpick patterns.  I usually use the wrong ones with inconsistent timing.  With that poor playing, my buddy the instructor thinks I'm progressing very quickly and well.  I'll take his word on it.  I've only twice played with friends.  The first time they voted as to whether my singing or my playing was worse and they couldn't decide.  The second time everyone was drunk and they sang along and couldn't give a rat's patootie how I sounded.  I mean, how can you go wrong playing Take Me Home Country Roads when sitting on a campground between a country road and a river in West Virginia while pasing around a mason jar?  Can't.  Carefully selected song. 

- Zurf