I realize that the frequency of updates on the Musician Page here, as well as the official website, have been at a minimum over the last year or so. Its been difficult coming to terms with many things over the last 18 months. But, I felt the need to say thank you this morning. I guess it was the fall of 2003 when I first began writing original music. In my wildest dreams, I never thought Id spend the next 10 years performing & traveling across the U.S. in varying venues. Never once. But after that very first show at The Java Garden in my hometown of Morristown TN, it was like a snowball effect. From October 2004 through March 2009, I spent my weekends (and any nights through the week that I could travel & get back for work) going anywhere that would let me get on stage. Going to a little hole in the wall in Asheville NC might as well have been Radio City Music hall in my mind! The distance of travel grew. My desire grew. The songs got better. How much I loved being on stage intensified. It just kept going. Every week, Id go to New City Cafe in Knoxville. Id sit & listen to the numerous other writers perform songs. I finally got up the guts to start participating. I heard Kyle Tallman singing about life. Taylor Corums Cold Shoulder...I hear it every time Im in the old city in Knoxville now. Chris Perkins covering Andy Davis songs. A guy named Josh Johnson singing & playing in a style that just made you stop & say whoa...this guys got IT. (You know him from ElenOwen & The Voice, now). What Im saying....is that I found people just like me. And just like that, I knew what I wanted to do. Id play in rooms with 30 people. 10 people. 50 people on a good night. 3 people (counting the staff!) on bad nights. There were countless nights Id lie sleepless on someones couch and ask myself what are you even doing. It was a night in Dallas in February 2009 when I answered myself with ....Im gonna do this full time. That April , I left my job & set out with a plan that would either make me or break me. I decided to invest at least 3 years into my attempt to make it. I planned out every little detail I could, down to the penny. Anyone who thought (or still thinks) that I just acted on impulse & put no thought or planning into my decision...well, Ill leave that alone for now. I busted my tail networking & making connections. Worked with a few artist relations groups, a few artist development teams. Got burned financially a couple times. I grew up quick & learned fast. It wasnt long before I had an established circuit of venues Id travel to each month. The number expanded. The cities expanded. My confidence grew. Opportunities grew. It was really happening. Six months became a year. And that year became 2. Then 3. I was traveling all over the southeast. I was writing all the time. I was meeting so many people & making true, lifelong friends. Anytime now, dude...youre gonna make it, I kept telling myself. Youre in Nashville all the time, man. Youre playing great venues. Youre opening for legit acts.That break is CLOSE! I was paying the dues & earning my stripes, I thought. Doing everything the right way, the honest way. Not cutting corners. Doing everything the way Marty Singleton raised me to do things. An independent artist awards show/performance in London, England. What kid from Morristown gets to do THAT?! Open for Dave Barnes at a sold out Bijou Theater. What kid from little ol Morristown gets to do that?? Wampler Pedals wants to give you an artist endorsement?? Record an album in Nashville...thats got Peter Keys & Brian Nutter playing on it....cmon man! I was waiting and waiting for the big break to come. I spent a year in Nashville, working on what i believed to be the final piece of the puzzle. And that album is by far my proudest achievement. Those songs....are more ME than anything on this earth. That album is everything Ive ever wanted to do as an artist. Every way Ive ever wanted to sound or represent myself as an artist & songwriter. But sometimes, things just dont work out the way you think they should or how you think theyre going to. I woke up one morning in January of 2013, and had one of those wow....this is where my life is?? moments. I was in debt to my eyeballs. My savings account showed $0. My checking account made me laugh. Not in a funny way. More of a oh, god way. And I just sat and evaluated everything...and I didnt like anything i saw. I didnt like who I was anymore. I got depressed. I couldnt understand what I had done wrong. What had i done to cause that break not to happen. Sometimes...things just arent meant to be. Thats not for lack of effort or lack of desire or talent. Its just not supposed to be. And you either accept that and get on with life. Or you wallow in self pity & try to force things. You have to make decisions that are tough to swallow. Stubbornness & pride had clouded my judgement for such a long time. I had to accept the truth of my situation. I will always play music. I will always write. Music is who I am. That will never change. I have no regrets whatsoever. Ive done more & accomplished more than I ever dreamed possible. My experiences can never be taken away from me. The influence & friendship Ive won over these last 10 years....will never have a price on them. To imagine my life without ever knowing Taylor Corum, Kyle Tallman, Josh Gilbert, Jeremy Ezell & The Wellreds, Parachute Musical, Gio, Tyrone Carreker, Sam Hunter, Joe Stutler, Tony Cox......theres so many more....I cant imagine how it would be without their friendship & support! I have ZERO regrets. Most importantly, theres been YOU. Youve stood by me & believed in me no matter what. When people I loved & trusted gave up on me & walked out on me....you didnt. My gratitude could never be put into words. My love for you and for your help & belief will never fade. Thank you all, with everything in me. TS
Posted on: Sat, 26 Apr 2014 13:18:28 +0000
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