How did an Italian guitarist from Genoa come to be invited to play bluegrass at a Czechoslovakian folk festival?  I wondered this as I enjoyed the diverse and captivating music of Beppe Gambetta at a house concert recently. As his music and story unfolded, I understood: Passion and Perseverance. 

He read a story from his pandemic memoir that he kept trying to break in by calling the United States from pay phones constantly, as he said, like a religious group is known to keep knocking on doors. He was spending $10.00 a minute until a US medical student gave him a tip to hack the pay phones.  When I bought his book, he shared that his passion for acoustic flat-picking was sparked when he was 17 and heard eventual multi-Grammy winner Doc Watson on the radio. I read later that after many gigs, it was in his late twenties that he set his goal of becoming a professional musician.

What might you have a passion to do that you have been putting off from fear or lack of discipline.  Or perhaps you’ve not committed yet wholeheartedly. Or are you getting discouraged from lack of success or others lack of support?

Below is some inspiration about perseverance from an excerpt of the dedication of Beppe’s book, Declarations of Love; Unexpected encounters, passions, music and recipes to reunite us:

“This book is dedicated to those who have supported me over the years and, paradoxically, also to those who did not believe in me and thus gave me the stubbornness and dedication which has led me on a journey searching for and discovering new outlets for my art.”

Beppe Gambetta

It’s ok to not have a passion and maybe just admire and support folks who do, whether they are artists, entrepreneurs or adventurers….or all three.  I did by purchasing Beppe’s book.

For more information on this international acoustic guitarist who blends Italian folk music, bluegrass, and jazz: https://beppegambetta.com/