SL5BLinked sim -Linden Lab's SL5B committee gathered a panel of live musicians and others to talk about ways that SL has contributed to their real world success to kick off two weeks of panel discussions at the 5th anniverary celebration today.

The panel included SL musicians, Slim Warrior, Takamura Keiko, Dizzy Banjo and Hep Shepherd as well as successful SL/RL DJ, Nexeus Fatale and Music Academy CEO, Benton Wunderlich. Blondin Linden facilitated the panel.

Hep Shepherd aka Jeff Krantz in real life, was featured in Newsweek last fall as part of a comprehensive story about Second Life. As a result of that feature in the national American news magazine. Shepherd says he's seen more success in real life in his musical career. He will be doing a real world tour of Europe this summer with other SL musicians, a tour made possible by connections he made in Second Life with real world concert promoters.

Likewise, for Slim Warrior the real world connections came through her Second Life, begun two and a half years ago. She's been featured in Rolling Stone and the UK talk show, Richard and Judy. She said she especially appreciates the community that has grown around the live music scene in Second Life and credits her fans and friends with having helped her not only make real world music connections but also to have the confidence to go forward with her music in real life.

"I found a tremendous opportunity to showcase not just my own music, but I have a great passion to support the musical community in Second Life, or anyone who has the same passion for music that I do. I'm very grateful to see how it's grown over the past two years," Warrior said. Warrior has just released her first single in the UK, crediting her friends and fans in SL with encouraging her to do so.

Takamura Keiko, known simply as Keiko to her SL fans and friends, said that although having a musical career in SL might seem like an easy thing, you have to work hard at it.