I’ve got a studio set up in my house and am learning how to use it.
Really, I have homework! I got some great comments about the ‘peanut butter fish‘ cd. Like the one from a friend whose son only listens to the first song. Now, I’m glad he likes it, but there’s a lot more songs on that cd…
I had the pleasure of working with my older brother, Micheal, on a new song. He sent me a tape of him singing, without any music, and I played along and wrote a country version, and then a reggae version. After recording those, he said he always thought it would make a nice swing tune. So I just finished that! Three songs in one! I guess I should be more flexible…
I’m finally getting some new kid’s songs written. Once inspiration hits, it’s like rolling a snowball down a mountain: an avalanche! My job is to melt it down into music…
We (my band and I) had a huge performance at the Adventure Science Museum here in Nashville. They were opening a new planetarium wing and asked us to perform. It was our chance to be stars! It was a great honor and, of course, I wrote a space song for the occasion. And yes, it had Uranus in it. Like I could help myself…
I met a wonderful woman who works for the Nashville Shakespeare Company and because of her, we were pre-show entertainment for Shakespeare in the Park! I’ve opened for a lot of acts, but the Bard is the first literary giant. I made sure I rhymed in all the right places and used proper punctuation. We had clouds and high winds glowering over us, but the rain held off ’til we finished our set. All the world’s a stage!
Another helper bee/pretend promotions manager named Jay got my music on the radio in Virginia! Very exciting. If every radio station in every town played my songs, I could be somebody! (Ok, I’m all ready somebody but I could be more like a somebody on the radio.)
I’m toying with the idea of a live dvd. But, I really want to be a cartoon…
I’ve also been involved with Radio Lollipop, a worldwide charitable organization that plays music and entertainment for children with terminal illness. I contacted them after my brother, Mike—where would I be without my family?—heard about them.
I ended up hearing from a gentleman in England, who thought my songs were perfect for their shows. He asked about the possibility of doing a radio voice-over/commercial. I ended up writing little reggae jingle, playing all the instruments on it (though I’ll admit, I’m no drummer) and sending it to him. After quite a while, I emailed him to ask if he had received it. He wrote back and said, not only had he received it, he had given it to all the affiliates across the globe. Yipes! Maybe, I should’ve gotten a better drummer…
Recently, I was in Florida, visiting the Maas’s and performed at Colonial elementary school. It was fun, the kids sang louder than I did! The teachers had played my cds beforehand and the kids were familiar with the songs and psyched. Now, if every teacher, in every school…
There was a little girl there named Yasmine who had an awesome voice. She practically became part of my show. Apparently, her mother had sent her to live with her grandparents after hurricane Katrina and left her there. Her story puts life in perspective: Count your blessings, people, and sing loud!