I decided to document my musical journey. Unfortunately, or maybe interestingly, this story is picking up mid-stream. I’m 45 years old. I’ve been playing guitar since I was 15. I played at the Whiskey A Go Go in my high school band in my senior year of high school. I’ve been in the recording studio a couple times. That was almost 25 years ago.
I’ve given myself into a wonderful marriage and have been raising a family for 20 years. I’ve been working in my current career for 15 years. For maybe 5 or 8 of those years, I didn’t play music. I got rid of my guitars. For whatever reason I had to undergo a musical dormancy. Drinking and playing Hendrix and SRV was predictably unsatisfying.
In about 2015 I got the itch to begin playing again. It’s weird how things go on beneath the domain of the conscious. I had to piece together a counterfeit Fender Telecaster. I could have afforded a cheap one, but the one I put together is custom shop quality at my own specifications.
In about 2017 I became immersed in classic soul music, and as a result of that love, decided that I needed to be able to sing like Al Green, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and James Carr. I’m still working on that.
In early 2019 I came to the conclusion that my life had been made to make music. I had some vague ideas of how to proceed. Most of my time has been spent just thinking about that, and not doing much about that. It’s pretty difficult to be good at being a husband and dad, while being good in a demanding career. Being a musician isn’t easy on its own, but on top of my responsibilities to the people I love, it’s daunting.
I have learned that the things worth doing are never easy. I have decided to do this: To write music, which I have done little of. To record music, which I have done little of, and to perform music, which has been a long time since I’ve done any of. To sing, which I have not really done in front of anyone.
I’m terrified, but I’m determined. I know I have the capacity to be great at this. I pray to find a way to move forward.
