Normally when I have a show coming up I post the details and add an enthusiastic sentence fragment with a bunch of exclamation points. But this one’s different. I hope you’ll permit me to go lengthy and personal on you.
I've been a musician for as long as I can remember. I started gigging when I was 12. That whole time, I thought of myself solely as an instrumentalist. I enjoyed singing, but usually only with friends, or maybe backup vocals on a gig. The few times I did sing lead, I thought of myself sort of like Ringo: he gets a few songs here and there, and yeah, he can hit the notes, but wouldn't we all rather listen to John, George, or Paul? Still, this persistent vision of myself as a singer-songwriter/front man wouldn't die.
Finally, about a year ago, I decided to challenge this belief about myself. Maybe I’m not like Ringo at all! (Sorry Ringo.) Maybe it was just fear that was holding me back. If I wasn't the best singer to start out, I'd certainly improve with practice. And for a long time, I've believed in my songwriting abilities, but the work was stagnant. I suspected that there was something in me that needed to be let out; that if I wrote for myself, I'd find a new, deeper motivation.
It seems to be working. Last year, I spent 8 months as a nomad, wandering the west coast, mostly on my bicycle. During that time, I really applied myself to songwriting, arranging and re-arranging, obsessing over little lyrical details, and singing a lot (especially while riding, it's a great way to practice!) I’m definitely a better singer than I was, and I now have about fifteen original songs that I know inside and out. I'm ready to take a leap. Next Wednesday, I have my first real show performing my own songs under my own name. To take it even a step further, I'll be joined by a brilliant band.
This music means a lot to me, and I'm excited to finally share it with the world. I've been receiving positive feedback from folks I've showed my stuff to, and I can confidently say that you will enjoy yourself at this show. This music is all about trying to give the audience a fulfilling experience.
In addition to this milestone, plenty else is in the works. Soon, I'll be releasing two new videos and launching my re-vamped website. Stay tuned for more info about that. If you want updates on my shows, projects, releases, and more, you can sign up for my newsletter by clicking the menu button.
I’m trying to contain my excitement here. There’s a LONG road ahead to get where I want to go. But I can finally say for certain that I’ve started down that road.