Taking the Stage

Well, I'm about to head down to Sticky Finger's for the first round of the Arkansas Times Musician's Showcase. I entered the contest on a whim and I guess on that same whim I got in.

Frantically I put together the band that will join me on stage tonight at approximately 11:00.

We're the third slot.

I'm nervous.

With the Mercers I don't get that way. We're such a well oiled machine, and at the end of the day I can pretty much know how a show is going to end up.

But this is different. This is my music! Up until now I've mostly kept it all to myself, but after tonight it's out there. Its up for debate and to be processed thoughtfully, or casually in one ear and out the other. I put some of my roommates maxi pads in the arm pits of my shirt for fear of being docked points for obscene pit stains. Luckily they are sticky on one side so hopefully they won't fall out when I lift my arms during emotional/ showy sections of the set. At first I thought she wanted me to put the sticky side against my hairy pit, but after a moment of giggling she explained that "the sticky side goes against your shirt...idiot."

Hopefully that will be the only hiccup of the evening.

I've very proud of the work me and the guys have pulled together in the past two nights.

More than anything, I'm proud to expose this little bit of my creative outlet- the window to my soul if you will.

Here's to seeing things through.

I'll keep you abreast of the results!

The Year of the Self-Made Man

Well here we are again, off to a great start.

I'm so very excited about the new year. All my loose ends are finally being worked into the weave of things. Tori Houston took photos for my album last week and I absolutely can't wait to see them.

My idea for the concept was realized with Mark's help. He knew the exact location of the exact motel I described to him. I wanted to find a dingy old motel that was sort of locked in 1972. Success came in the form of a little motel in Conway. It was very clean, but was a time capsule if I've ever seen one. IT WAS PERFECT!

I'm going to pick up the pictures tomorrow. Then it's up to Rosemary to deliver with her eye for graphic design.

I don't know what I'd do without my talented friends. Most of the time I try to do it all, and then right when I think I'm unstoppable I remember that I can't take pictures of myself and I can't do the graphic layout for my album. What can I say, it takes a village.

2010 is fast becoming "The Year of the Self-Made Man." I'm literally making something out of nothing when it comes to the launching of my quote, unquote "music career." But with each show, and each blatant request to be featured in local magazines, and each facebook fan request I seem to be tracking a little progress.

At the end of the day it's up to me anyway so why shouldn't I be the man behind the curtain?

Sorry to disappoint you but, yes, that's me back there pushing all those buttons and pulling all those levers.

Before long, everything will come into focus.

We'll understand it all by and by.