In 1995, I started speaking on various financial topics to music retailers at the annual NAMM Trade Shows. Over these years I’ve had the opportunity to meet and befriend many industry professionals who are as smart as they are talented. One of those people is my friend Sterling Ball, President of Ernie Ball / Music Man. Right before the 1999 Winter NAMM Trade Show I got a phone call from Greg Timmons who was head of Artist Relations for Ernie Ball. He asked me if I would be interested in tallying and certifying the judges’ votes for a “Battle of the Bands Contest taking place at the Trade Show, sponsored by Ernie Ball and broadcast live over the internet; of course I said yes. So my partner Don and I dressed up in Tuxedos, tallied the votes from a star-studded panel of guitar playing judges and announced the winner. Two great things came out of this: (1) Don and I were interviewed by and hung out with Dweezle Zappa and Blues Saracino, and (2) I was sent two Music Man Axis Sport guitars of my choosing as a token of Ernie Ball’s appreciation; this was one of them. Don, on the other hand, got nothing (sucks to be him).