Most of us know how cruel and devastating the music industry can be to individuals. It is a high-risk business, with most folks trying to make it ending up in other professions, or, at best, barely breaking even with monies earned barely covering their expenses, and often only because they were careful and frugal, not that they were earning that much in the first place. So why be mean and ruthless with the people you meet? Why refuse to share information on upcoming contests or recording opportunities? Why not give a few leads and a shoulder to cry on when things go badly? Here are a few reasons you should try to be nice to your fellow musicians, and not just because you might owe them money.
PAY IT FORWARD
As in the movie by that name, many of us did get to places we are because someone was kind enough to help us out. Sure, you can pay that person back, but why not send the same goodwill onto others? Why not help someone out just for the warm fuzzy it gives you, and, especially if they have no possible way to pay you back, just suggest they do the same for someone else, someday? Oddly enough, this is exactly how some of the biggest names in music got their starts-someone wanted someone else, but that person passed on the opportunity and suggested some struggling newbie in their place that person thought deserved a chance. In some cases, they just were sick of that person sleeping on their floor and wanted them out of their house, but they still gave that person a chance, and that is what is important. Sure, you could be ruthless, and try to suggest that person do all sorts of humbling things to make it up to you for the rest of their musical lives, but why not just be proud of the part you had in their career, and insist, instead, that they do something to help out the rest of the music community, like serve on a seminar panel, do a free column in a well-known magazine, or other things that could help a lot of people, so others can thank them for being generous, and build up that person's confidence. If you keep things positive, and get your followers to do the same, the industry will be much better off for it-things are negative enough as they are.
