Martin Hayes: I saw Rory Gallagher in Chicago one night. I had been a fan of his since his music was introduced to me by my friend Andrew McNamara. I had heard the recordings but had never seen him live.

I was full of anticipation when I heard he was coming to town, and I wondered if he would measure up. I had been living in Chicago for a number of years and had been exposed to all kinds of music, including the famous Chicago blues.

I think it was around 1989 or 1990 when he came. It was at a point in my own musical journey when I had to make some choices. I had to decide, first of all, if I was going to remain a full-time musician and, if so, could I do it just playing what I wanted. I wasn't sure if I had the courage to step off the cliff and find out.

I was ready to hear Rory that night, as were a lot of other people. The place was packed and the atmosphere was electric. Here was the man from Cork playing rhythm and blues in front of a huge Chicago crowd. He took the place by storm. The energy was palpable and he never let up. He filled the room with his presence. He loved what he was doing, and the integrity of his performance was clear to see. Nothing was held back. He gave it everything, as did the band, who were also brilliant.

The lesson I learned that night wasn't so much musical; it was more about the art of performance. In traditional music, we have ambivalent feelings about performance. We often limit the depth of expression and commitment to playing music on stage because of false humility. In my opinion, this comes from a fear of being misunderstood or even ridiculed. I was carrying the baggage of opinion that suggested performance of traditional music on stage was almost a corruption of the music itself and that reaching out to an audience was akin to selling out.

After hearing Gallagher that night, I decided that the real sell-out is when you don't pour your heart out on stage. You shouldn't worry about how you will be perceived; you should worry whether you will give it your all or not. I saw the value of pure committed performance, and I realised that the depth of emotion and sincerity with which you reach out to the audience is the true measure of success for a performing musician.

The fiddler Martin Hayes plays on Thursday, February 21st, at Birr Theatre and Art Gallery; on Friday, February 22nd, at the Gleneagles Hotel, Killarney; on Saturday, February 23rd, at Christ Church, Cobh; on Sunday, February 24th, at Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford; and on Sunday, March 3rd, at Vicar Street, Dublin