This CD means so much to me because, as
cliche as this may sound, it's the first time I'm comfortable
in my own shoes. I have done a lot of songwriting and recording
for the past twenty-some years, and I usually walk away liking
maybe a quarter to about half of what was recorded. It's not
because they're bad songs, it's just that I usually walk away
thinking I could have done better. But with this record, I
walked out of the studio saying "man,
was that cool or what". For the first time ever, I can listen
to this CD with another person, and not feel the need to talk
over the parts I hate.
I've been influenced by many genres of
music, and it shows in my songwriting and performing, and I've
found that diversity doesn't always make one's career as a
musician, easy. However, as I reflect on the artists I love
most, the one thing they all have in common is the courage
and ability to ignore the boundaries and pigeonholes, be it
blues, country, rock, or gospel. Man, for years I've described
my music to people, with the simple phrase, "it's just music relax!" I'm
into real musicians playing real music, which seems to be a
dying breed when it comes to a mass audience.
I miss a man or woman, sitting down with a guitar, playing their
hit...all by themselves if they had to. That's always been my
idea of music, and that's what I keep trying to do. This new
CD has a little bit for everyone, I hope. They're just songs
about life, love, hope, and believing in something bigger than
any of us. I didn't worry about categories or styles... maybe
that's why I never fit in anytime, or anywhere.
Many different things inspired this recording; I didn't want
to write a record with a lot of fluff to it. I wanted it to hit
people, the way others' recordings have have hit me...everyone
knows what it's like to be so lonely, the only thing that helps
you to feel anything at all is that one song, played over and
over again...or we all know about being so much in love with
someone, that being away from them, even for a few hours, makes
you miss them like you never knew you could miss anybody. Now
that I've written all this down, I realize that it probably sounds
like a whole lot of fluff to somebody, but just remember even
the biggest feel lonely or helplessly in love, at one time or
another.
Anyway, I feel comfortable with this recording,
and that for me means playing or singing, or just being an
all around better musician this time around. Not to mention,
this is my first experience with a producer, and not just any
producer either, but Jim Gaines. That kind of pressure is not
good for you, or is it? Being able to sit down with someone
and explain what you hear in your head and have them not think
you're crazy, was very cool! Not once did he say "hey, that's too country", or "hey,
that's too rock," he just let me be me! It was a great feeling
knowing the guys you brought to do the recording, could play
anything you ask them to. It was also great to know that the
songs I wrote for the CD didn't have to be changed one bit...and
could mean exactly what I intended them to mean. I feel, one
of the secrets to a successful career is finding someone to believe
in you, for the first time, I not only found one, but a whole
team to believe in me. And that's the blessing I've been dreaming
of.
