Back in my early teens I started my lifelong love affair with drums and percussion. And I remember getting a cool, metal flake blue, snare drum for Christmas. It came with instructions on how to do paradiddles, flams, rolls, and more. And I was hooked. Drumbeats have been playing in my head ever since. As I took to drums and percussion my brother … The rest of the story…
Category Archives: singer songwriter
Poetry in motion Back in the 80’s music took a sharp, electronic turn. Synthesizers were ubiquitous in top 40. And even drums were digitized. A lot of it was cheesy. But there were plenty of songs I enjoyed, too. One of them popped into my head, early this morning. And I think it was because of one short line in it. “She’s poetry in … The rest of the story…
Hard work and dedication It’s not the same thing to everyone. For example, farmers need a lot of physically demanding hard work and dedication to grow food. And there are guys who somehow manage to wrestle steel, glass, and concrete into skyscrapers. But it’s not just the guys. There are plenty of women doing amazing work every day. And let’s not forget the nose-to-the-grindstone … The rest of the story…
Since you’re not doing anything right now, got any ideas for a song? I’m kidding. Well, about the “not doing anything” part. But not about the ideas for a song. I’m in the process of writing, composing, recording, mixing, and mastering 12 tracks for a very important music project. And I’m down to the last two tracks. So, I’m tossing this out to readers … The rest of the story…
My songwriter journal Over the years I’ve seen my songwriter journal go from a spiral notebook to what your reading right now. This blog post. I remember carrying my nineteen cent Bic pen around in my teeth like a chewed up cigar. And my trusty notebook in the seat of my car next to me. But now I can just tell Siri to “take … The rest of the story…
Come on over to the light side It’s counterintuitive to me. And I wish it was to every musician. I’m talking about going “dark”with the art and craft of music. Darkness is so prevalent in the music business that going to the light side is what makes you counterculture. That’s not just sad…it’s predictable. And I thought cool dudes didn’t wanna be predictable. [powerpress_player] … The rest of the story…
Where are the whole Jesus Christian music artists? I just watched part of a Hillsong “praise music” song included in a video news clip and I just about got a toothache from the sugar-coated message. Before I explain, I’d like to point out the vocals were very good. And the singers looked sincere. Raised up arms and hands. Swaying back and forth in time … The rest of the story…
Have you ever pondered the wonder of music? I don’t mean thinking about the notes or the beat or the even the instrumentation. I mean have you truly pondered the unimaginable, inextricable, undeniable force, the gift, and the wonder of music? (To ponder: to weigh carefully in the mind; consider thoughtfully: He pondered his next words thoroughly.) Think about what music is… It’s intangible. It’s really indefinable. … The rest of the story…
My years in the spotlight had quite a humble start For a young singer songwriter, a chance to be in the spotlight, even for just a few bucks, is something you gotta take. And that was me, way back in the early 70’s. After a couple of years teaching myself how to bang out some chords and riffs on the piano…and after writing a … The rest of the story…
Fan mail doesn’t get better than this This illustrated fan mail has everything I could ever need or want from a young fan. Creative illustrations…Calling me “a great singer” and “my favorite”…and even signing her name sincerely. What else could a singer want? My wife got this letter a few years ago from a young girl, named Azure, who had listened to some songs I wrote … The rest of the story…