I hope this is not taken in the wrong way, or meant in the wrong spirit, and despite a lot of reticence on my part in the past, I’ve given it a lot of thought and feel it may be appropriate now. If not, then please forgive me. As many of you know I have been hosting a Tuesday show at The Last Concert Café with my buddy Tom Turner since March of this year. Also with the indispensable assistance of Ceefor and now Charity-Ann. I/we do not get paid a single penny for this. I pay the acts from my own pocket. I am on SSDI due to numerous health problems, not the least of which is a rare blood clotting disorder that caused DVT’s in both legs and countless blood clots in both of my lungs. The valves in my legs are damaged (my lungs probably too), and some of you have seen the effects of the venous insufficiency in my feet and legs. So why do I continue to perform at LCC, and not only not make a penny, but lose hundreds of dollars? I do it for you. I do it for the artists I believe need to be heard. I do it out of gratitude to LCC for giving me a place to learn how to become a performer. I do it out of gratitude for being able to do what I love to do and for being given the opportunity to share my songs. If I am ever meant to make money at this, then that will happen when and if its supposed to happen. But I know it cant be my primary focus. Making better art has to be. All that being said, it is disheartening when I pay the acts out of my small resources to make the events “Free” to the public and few, if anyone, shows up. It is disheartening when I play and push myself (as do all the acts) to the point where I can hardly walk or breathe or get up for hours or days because of the pain in my legs and arms, to an empty room. Don’t get me wrong, I will give 110% of myself for even 1 person, because I am grateful for that 1 person. Or even if it’s just Tom and I, I’m not going to leave that stage until I’ve given every ounce of strength I have to give, because I’m thankful just to be alive, much less to be doing what I think I was born to do. I have other opportunities to make “money” outside of LCC that I pass on because of my loyalty to LCC, and for the reasons I’ve already listed above. Again, making “money” is not my top priority. Sharing my music at LCC and allowing others to share theirs there is my main priority though. But I’m just pleading with you to please take advantage of these shows. We don’t ask for your money. We give away our CD’s for free, and we play for tips, which is usually none. What we do need is your presence. That’s all, but that’s way more than enough for us. And trust me, we are eternally grateful beyond words for each and every one of you, because without you, there is no one to share our art with. Thank you, cb
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 19:46:46 +0000
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