After 36 years of playing in a band professionally, Roger Potter still doesn鈥檛 know how to sight read music.
The guitar-drum-harmonica player taught himself by ear when he was 11 years old, and that鈥檚 how he continues to play today.
鈥淛ust out of spite I taught myself to play,鈥� Potter said.
Everyone told him he couldn鈥檛. According to his parents, he was too young to take lessons, and according to his older brothers, he was too left-handed.
鈥淲e always had guitars hanging on the wall,鈥� Potter recalled.
鈥淎nd I said to my brother, 鈥榗an I switch the strings around?鈥�
鈥淎nd he said, 鈥榥o.鈥�
鈥淎nd I said, 鈥榝ine I鈥檒l teach myself this way.鈥欌��
Practising in his bedroom with his non-dominant right hand, Potter soon mastered the instrument.
At age 15, his best friend asked him if he wanted to try playing with his father鈥檚 band.
鈥淚 thought it would be fun to play with other people, I hadn鈥檛 done that before,鈥� Potter said.
鈥淚 played with them for a couple of nights and they said, 鈥榟ow would you feel about joining the band?鈥�
鈥淭hey were all older than I am now, I was only 15 years old. We played weekends, and as soon as I finished high school we went on the road.鈥�
As it turns out, Potter has a knack for imitating sounds.
Not only can he listen to a song and play it back on a guitar, he can also sing it.
鈥淎nybody I鈥檓 singing I kind of sound like them,鈥� he said.
鈥淲hen I sing like the Beatles, I have a bit of a British accent. I鈥檒l put on a Scottish accent for 500 Miles, I鈥檒l do Trooper. You try to make it sound as much like the song as you can with one guitar.鈥�
Though he is good with many famous voices, Potter鈥檚 real talent is Neil Young.
After playing in more than a dozen different bands through the 1980s and 鈥�90s, Potter has found his passion fronting the Neil Young tribute band, Live Rust.
It doesn鈥檛 take much for him to get into character. A lifelong Neil Young fan, Potter has grown up listening and playing along to his albums.
Equipped with an old Les Paul guitar and an authentic soundboard formerly used by Neil Young himself, Potter has the artist鈥檚 distinctive sound and presence down to an art.
鈥淚鈥檒l put a cowboy hat on, tuck my head down and wear the flannel like Neil does,鈥� Potter said.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 mostly about the music though, and the feel.鈥�
Potter also enjoys meeting the patrons of his shows, many who share his same love for Young.
鈥淭he greatest part about it for me is that every time I play with the Neil Young tribute, I always hear Neil Young stories from people,鈥� he said.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e met him, or 鈥榠t was my favouite song when I was young.鈥� The Neil Young fan base has a real connection with Neil Young.鈥�
When he isn鈥檛 traveling and playing gigs throughout Canada and the Pacific Northwest, Potter plays right at home in 91原创.
Every Sunday he sets up at the Artful Dodger Pub for open mic night.
Potter begins the night with an opening song, then opens the floor to anyone who wants to perform.
鈥淎 lot of time open mics or open jams can be cliquey, and I鈥檓 not,鈥� Potter said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 open to anyone and everyone, no matter what you鈥檙e doing. If you鈥檝e got the nerve to come up and be a comedian, I love that. And that鈥檚 a tougher bracket than music. Funny is funny and not funny is not funny.鈥�
It鈥檚 a show Potter has hosted for years at numerous venues, and it is also one of his favourite ways to experience music.
鈥淎 guy came to my open mic that I had in Abbotsford. He said to me, 鈥榗an I get up?鈥欌�� Potter recalled.
鈥淗e said, 鈥業鈥檝e only been playing the guitar for three weeks.鈥�
鈥淎nd I said, 鈥榟ey if you鈥檝e got the nerve and you鈥檙e ready to go, three weeks is fine by me.鈥�
鈥淎nd he got up there and he was looking at his fingers. But the crowd knew exactly what he was doing and was fully behind him. He got up there and did three songs. It was the first time he was ever up on stage.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I like about it. You see somebody for the first time. They鈥檙e shaking and scared, but they go through with it. And that鈥檚 what I like to do. Keep it low key and keep it supportive so anybody can get up. 鈥�
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
Open Mic nights are held every Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Artful Dodger Neighbourhood Pub, 2364 200 St.
For more information, visit or call 604-533-2050.
For more on Roger Potter, visit his website .
