Music City Madness

I've been dreaming of being a music star since the first time I saw an 8 year old Michael Jackson singing on tv. I was dancing in front of the tv going crazy. I immediately got in the local "Broadway Night" at our parish church and sang a song off of my Three Stooges album. I did that every chance I got. My parents were always supportive, although they were not musical in any way. Really no one in my family played music. My sister Patty sang in my band years ago and one of my older cousins plays the accordion, but that's about it.
I've literally spent a lifetime dreaming of the day when I would be a star.
I performed in theater, speech, band, choir all throughout school.
I never considered not being a star.
It was just what would happen.
But dreams don't just "happen", they take a hell of a lot of hard work.
Then I grew up, moved out, got a job, got married, had a kid.......
Of course, reality sets in and you start to see that this may not happen, at least not in the way you thought.
Like everyone else, I always thought you were either Michael Jackson or you were nobody. I don't think I ever considered that you could just be a musician by trade and make a living.
Few people realize this reality.
You just get good at your craft and play gigs every week and pay your bills.
Like any other job.
It's not about a success that equals fame and fortune, it's about a success that equals doing something you love for a living.
This reality is very much possible.
It is a dream come true for me today.
I am very satisfied with my musical career these days. I was satisfied when I made the above realization. Because what I realized was that I didn't really wanna be famous, I just wanna play music. All the time, everyday.
I don't need all the money in the world, just enough so that I don't have to do anything else but play guitar and sing.
In all of these respects, I am very satisfied with my musical career.
Heres the kicker, once I made this realization things start to really take off.
One day I'm happy to play the After Dark club in Sulphur, La. the next day I'm in a van with the Royal Southern Brotherhood on tour!
We hit Nashville this past Friday night.
I was excited to get to town and have a great show. I lived there for a while in the 90's and have a lot of friends in town. We hit the ground running. We had a list of interviews, radio shows, and an in-store performance all after a late night in Memphis and a long enough drive. Straight to the club to load in, then off to a radio station.
By the time we hit Grimeys Record Store to do a short set I was getting very tired and crabby. I was thinking this is just not fair that I have to do all of this. I need a nap!
Then I started looking around at all the old records. All of my hero's in front of me. I spent 20 years dreaming of being like them and it's happening right now in one aspect or another. This is what I have dreamt of, and I'm complaining about the small success I'm dealing with. Right away I sat up straight, put a smile on my face and thanked God for all my blessings. This is a hard job most of the time and playing music is the easy part. I should be so lucky.
We played at 3rd and Lindsley that evening to a gracious crowd and had a great show! The band was rocking, Johnny Sansone opened the show and Bart Walker played with us too.
All of my friends loved the band.
Everyone hung out for awhile backstage and even helped us load out our gear. Johnny told stories, I lost a bag of peaches and everyone was laughing.
When I think of all the things I could be doing for a living, I'd say my dreams have come true playing music.
I may never be super famous, and that's ok. Fame doesn't interest me so much anymore. I get to play my guitar and sing for my supper and that is true fortune.
I realize now when I tell my kids
" You can be anything you wanna be"
it's true.......