OK, so here's the real story...
I've played bass since age 13 (the year of my first session gig when I played bass for a country/western guy named Bob Foster's single, both A and B sides. He was just too way the coolest guy ever to allow me that honor).
6 years later, when I was 18, I was big brother to a young, troubled teen. He came to my place one day, after returning from his school's anual outing to the local amusement park with a gift for me.
It was a T-shirt that he made at the park that read, "Dave...Boss of the Bass".
I wore that shirt until it literally disintegrated, and the nickname stuck amongst musicians who know me (not until the endless ribbing and fishing jokes wore off).
I decided, a few years ago, when I finally had Michael Dolan custom build a bass for me that I designed, to have the fret markers spell it out, because that little gift meant so much to me.
After not having heard anything from this fella for 25 years, he called me over the holidays, which conversation lasted 3 hours.
He owns his own business, is married, the proud father of 3 beautiful kids (who I got to talk to during this call), and has been clean for many years, all for which he thanked me repeatedly.
...It don't get any better than that.
