Marc...
A most excellent analogy! Very true indeed. As an outsider living in Florida for so many of the years I've been writing and making music, I understand the necessity of making connections and becoming a "good neighbor" in the music community. For so many years I tried the long distance approach. Rare if ever that will work citing your fine example. Personally for me, I've decided that my pilgrimage to Nashville will have to wait until my graphics career here at the spacecenter is over either through retirement or lay-offs... and it looks like the latter will become reality very soon. I really haven't wasted much effort or money in sending my "kids" out to look for things... I'll wait until I can move them into a nice neighborhood where i know they will be nourished and grow to be fine old songs and in the process I hope to have some fun doing so... at any rate, your analogy explains so much about the true nature of the music business... people and their comfort zone.
thanks for the post.
Rock on,
R.