My Uncle Vic is the family philosopher and would explain to anyone who would listen: “You know why my nephew Steve is a very happy guy? Because he loves what he does for a living!”   I am one of the lucky few, he contends, that can actually say that.

Every morning of my whole adult life, I have gone to work and have been surrounded by the most beautiful guitars and of course the occasional famous celebrity on music row. Come to think of it, my uncle Vic is right, what a happy guy I am indeed!

Sometimes I feel like I am living a rock and roll version of “It’s a Wonderful Life!”   Each and every morning, I sprint up the subway stair well  and see the ‘Times Square’ lights and I know I am in the crossroads of the world!   Millions of people from all over the globe visit every year and there are plenty of guitarist among them! Now for the good news, I am smack in the middle of all of that action.  Just think in the  twenty   five years that I have worked on music row , how many  of those people I personally sold guitars to- its staggering!    I must say it takes a unique personality to persevere on music row  or for that matter just about any job in one place for that many years.  Some of my friends (outside the music community) have said I must be a little deranged to last this long in one place.

To prove to them and to you, I am not crazy  (or not the only one that’s crazy at least!), I’ll tell you about some people who — despite extraordinary wealth or celebrity –took jobs or sent their family members to work on famous west 48th street, music row!

About a dozen or so years ago the   managing director of Jennifer Lopez’s  signature   designer clothing label — that has grossed a whooping 50 million dollars in sales the last several years — Andy Hilfiger (the fashion Icon’s brother) was a top guitar  salesman on music row!

To this day, Andy stops by the store whenever he’s in the neighborhood to share a few a laughs and reminisce about the good old days. He’s so down to earth, if fact, that sometimes I forget who I’m talking to. For example: Just this past Labor day weekend, Andy stopped by on    a Thursday morning to pickup a few items. We got to  talking  and he mentioned that he was heading to Martha’s Vineyard for the holiday weekend. “Hey you better think about leaving tonight to beat the traffic,” offering some off the cuff unsolicited advice.

“Steve, that’s not a problem,” Andy replied soberly, dryly enjoying my puzzled expression. “We have our private family plane to fly us there.”

“Woops! Oh yeah,” I said. We both cracked up. In my mind it would always be, “Andy  & Steve from the block,” so to speak.

During my early years on famous west 48th, the Jazz guitar legend George Benson was a frequent visitor to the street. George would stop in a test the new music gear with the guitar solos from his hit ‘On Broadway’, while the staff gathered around him with our mouths wide open in awe. One day George talked the manager of the store into hiring his son Steve Benson to work part time for the summer. Steve Benson came in to work a total of 3 times the first two weeks before he officially retired.  I guess that little episode    reminds me of the time I heard the shock radio DJ Howard Stern interview Bob Hope’s son:

“What do you do for a living?” asked Howard Stern.  “I am Bob Hope’s son’ he replied!

You Rockers might remember Vinny Vincent’s had a short stint playing guitar in KISS , well before that he had a gig selling guitars at ‘We Buy Guitars’ in the heart of music row!. He was know as Vinny Cusano in those days!

On the other hand, the less glamorous have gone even farther lengths to be associated with music row.  There was this one grumpy bastard who stopped by the store regularly to purchase guitar accessories — and to ask me for a job. He was young, in his early twenties, but of course already fancied himself a guitar expert. He was always unhappy with his purchase and seemed to have a complaint with just about everything.

Of course, the single most important skill required of music store staff  (besides a basic  knowledge of music gear) is to be a “people person.”  I can teach anyone how to use the equipment, but if you are not friendly and outgoing the chances are you would not be very successful in sales. I blew him off over and over again.

Finally after months of pestering, I let him take a test we give all applicants to evaluate their knowledge of the music gear we sell, and he flunked.  He even had trouble with basic questions! I politely explained to him that I would keep his name on file but there are no openings at this time.

About an hour later, he shows up again in the store. This time he is very excited and almost out   of breath when he blurts out: “I just got a job on the street!”

“Holy Moses” I said to myself, which manager of what music store would hire THAT GUY?  I glanced back at him, wished him luck    in his new position, and asked who hired him. (I just had to know-it was killing me.)

He looked at me with that excited expression still plastered across his  smiling face and said,” I just got hired to work at the DELI there on the corner, but at least I am finally working on music row!”

Lesson Learned- there is a place for everyone if you just keep looking