The world of music owes Tony Coe a great debt. When I was about sixteen, I had been playing tenor for about two years and thought I would conquer the world.
Then I saw Coe on TV, probably with Humph, and realised I was never ever going to be good enough to go professional. It was one of those forks in the road that, accidentally or deliberately, changes your life.
That decision to stay at school didn't stop me from having a great life in semi-pro and amateur music and, through that connection, making wonderful friends in a number of countries. And of course, I went on listening to his wonderful music whenever I could.