In case you missed it, below is todays announcement from Jake. First of all, wed like to reiterate that we fully support our brothers decision and he needs to do whats best for him and his family. We dont want this, but he needs it and we will always...always...be here for our friend. Secondly, we will soldier on! We love making music for yall and will keep the flame burning as long as you guys keep coming to see us play. Weve been preparing for this possibility for a while now and we think youll like the slightly revamped show...but it will still be a Boat Drunks show! So...check out our schedule through March (more coming soon) on boatdrunks and be sure to come see us if you can to wish our brother well in his newest chapter of his life. And: the star vocal channel will always be open on the mixing board...just sayin. Friends: Happy New Year to you all. It is with great sadness and relief that I come to you today. In the past nine months my life has completely changed and I have decided that I need to take an indefinite leave of absence from my second family, the Boat Drunks. I plan on making this effective at the end of this coming March, making my appearance at the Havana Daydreamin event sponsored by the Quad City Parrothead Club my last with the band. The band will continue to make good music... but without me. First and foremost, let me state that I am doing this with the FULL SUPPORT of ALL of my brothers in the Boat Drunks. There are no, and never were any “hard” feelings. The band knows that I am taking this rest for myself and my family, and that it is greatly needed. In the past nine months, I have been offered and have accepted a new “day” job which will limit my ability to travel as easily as I had been able to in the past. Obviously, this puts a cap on the shows I am available to play. The band wants to continue playing and I can’t let my limited availability stand in the way. This new job opportunity also offers a more stable retirement plan for both me and my family, something being a musician does not offer. I have also experienced a personal trauma that has caused me to re-focus on what’s most important in my life right now -- and their names are Jackson (my son) and Leigha (my daughter). I have missed most of their youths while I was busy being Jake the Musician; Jake the Father needs to re-dedicate that time to them. Is this the end of my life as a Boat Drunk? I certainly hope not. If things fall into place at my new job and my batteries hold the charge, I’ll be back. To quote Jimmy Buffett: “Once that bug bites you, you live with the sting.” I have always adopted this an explanation-- THE explanation-- for why I play music. The music bug bit me years ago, and I have been happily living with the sting. I want to reiterate that I am doing this with the FULL endorsement of the band. I am asking you to continue to support them as they collectively push the band towards bigger and greater things. I will NOT be disappearing musically, either, and I am asking that you support me as well. You can expect to find me playing every once in awhile as both a solo act around the Champaign-Urbana area (I’ll play both piano and guitar, but not at the same time ;)), and some duo shows with my brother Andy from the band. In fact, I already have a few solo shows on the books. I need to maintain my musical life and will do so as much as my new schedule with my kids and my job will allow. I want to sincerely thank you all for the 14 years of support you’ve given both myself and the band. I cannot begin to demonstrate how much better of a musician and songwriter I have become because of all of you. And I want to thank you all in advance for your continued support of both the band as they continue to push forward and me as I explore a more limited but exciting new musical path. Approximately fourteen years ago I started playing the music of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band; last November, I listened on the beach in Key West as the Coral Reefer Band played MY song. I have come full circle. Jake
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 17:07:51 +0000
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