I think I was born wanting to play music. My mom encouraged me when I was about 10 years old to try some instruments. My dad bought a piano, but I never wanted lessons. I wanted to figure it out on my own. But after a year of trying, I begged for lessons. I loved it. I started writing and improvising and playing every chance I got. My mom thought I was cool. She was the only one. Anytime anyone came to the house, whether it was an insurance salesman or the mailman or anyone. They were forced to sit imprisoned on the couch while I played piano for them. While I loved that my mom thought I was the greatest thing in the world, I quickly became convinced that the only reason anyone wanted to listen to me was that my mom made them. It took me years to discover that sometimes people actually liked my music and were not just afraid of my mom. From the time I was 14 until the time I was into my 30's, I played guitar or keyboards or bass in one band after another. I once played stand-up bass in a group that played 350 shows in 13 months. That's where I learned the most about performing and getting your music across to a wide variety of audiences in a huge spectrum of venues. We played everything from small rooms that would only hold a couple of dozen people to outdoor concerts in front of 10,000 plus. We recorded an album, were interviewed on radio, TV, and newspaper and even performed for major dignitaries and political officials. We thought we were pretty hot stuff. But, it all came to an end with some personnel changes. We tried reconstituting with former members but were never able to replicate the success. I continued playing and performing solo every chance I got, but marriage, career, raising kids and supporting a family became a much higher priority, so my musical adventures were limited. But now, kids are gone and my business is at a point where I have a little bit more time, I would like to start writing, recording and performing again. No high aspirations, just want to play music for people. Don't care how many, how old or how young. I just want to play.
Music lifts my soul and carries me to places that inspire and sometimes surprise me. I listen to music nearly every waking hour of the day. I suppose my life has a soundtrack.
Well, I'm an old guy now. I've been playing and singing for a very long time. I have not been serious about it since I was about 30 or so, but now I'm in a place and time of my life where I can start doing music things again. I would like to write more. And record more. And I would like to perform more--even for just small groups. I don't need to play huge audiences--although that would be fun--but I've accumulated some performing "dust" over the years of not regularly being on stage and I need to get my chops back.
I think the thing that needs the most changing is the attitude that if someone disagrees with you, they must also hate you. The hate and polarization are tearing us apart.
Wow! That's a hard one. Music has had such a huge impact on me from the time I was little. I remember as a small child sitting in church and recognizing harmony for the very first time. I was probably 5 or 6 years old. There was a woman sitting in the pew behind me who was singing alto. I thought, "What the heck is she doing? That's not what I'm singing!" And then it occurred to me that it sounded good. It blew me away. It was one of those moments that you remember like it was yesterday. I've been a harmony freak ever since.
I tend to like simple acoustic guitar singer-songwriter types. Jackson Browne is one of my all-time favorites. But I also like rock and roll and blues. Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, Carlos Santana are artists I love nearly everything they've ever done. But also like fingerstyle acoustic guitar pickers like the late Michael Hedges.
My music comes from experiences that I have had or thoughts which have come to me. I rarely do any "purposeful" writing. What I mean by that is that I don't often think, "Hey, I'm going to write a song today." The song idea finds me and then begs to be written. Usually at 4 am. :-)
Depends on the song. For the songs I have written and even the ones that I haven't written but perform, there is always a story associated with it. I want people to feel that particular story--whether it's funny or sad or heart-warming. I want my music to communicate that.
I love to perform. My biggest frustration is performing in a situation where I only get one number. It takes me the first number to get rid of the jitters and start connecting with the audience. I love to perform in front of audiences where I can talk about the songs and tell the stories behind them. We do a lot of laughing and some crying too. Hopefully I leave people feeling uplifted and entertained.
It's probably easier today than ever before to get your music "out there", but it's harder to make any money doing it.
Drooble is a brilliant idea. I wish I would have thought of it!
I'm an old guy and I get that, but so much of what passes as music today is just junk. I listen to what is popular now and there is nothing to aspire to. I don't ever think, "Wow, that chord progression was so beautiful!" or "That melody is so inspiring!" I think audiences today have been fed so much fake junk that they don't appreciate when they're hit with something that's real. It's sorta like loving strawberry flavored candy and turning up your nose at an actual strawberry.
Yes I do. I attend events where local musicians are playing. I support them by buying tickets to their events and showing up and giving them encouragement.