Hello All.
Been a while since I put thoughts to fingertips and keystrokes. I've discovered this blogging thing is a discipline. If only I could type as fast as the thoughts in my head.
So. Changes coming. That's the topic. However, its not really what I'm here to talk about today. I'm here really as close to how I personally got to the change.
The changes are two. One, we are adding a new female member to the group. No names yet as it's an exciting announcement that should be given its just reward when we're ready to go. So be ready for that one.
The second has been the most difficult. I'll just come out and say that as a country artist, who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, it's time for me to evolve. You know what kind of Country music I play as well as the kind I've tried to avoid playing. It's time to stop doing that. In a market such as I'm in where Merle and Waylon are often referred to as "who?" it's time to start playing the more modern music if I plan to make a living at this profession. Idealism is great.....except idealism hasn't been paying the bills. I imagine some of you may think I'm selling out, but for my family I would do just about anything to provide for them. My only real regret is that I've taken this long to reach this conclusion. I'm reminded of a guy I once knew in my younger, cockier years I was giving a hard time about some of the songs in his catalog. I asked why this one particular song I felt was ridiculous and he sharply (and correctly) told me that he plays the songs people want to hear. Damn.
I've been holding on to my idea of what Country music is and how it should be handled for so long that I lost sight of the obvious: I am supposed to play the songs the crowd wants to hear. I've been playing the songs that I wanted to play assuming that "real" country fans wanted to hear them. I was called a snob today because of that fact and it occured to me that it was an accurate assessment of me. As a cover band, it's my job to think of the crowd first. I can be the same entertainer no matter the song I sing. When the crowd's right, I can play the songs I want to play, the songs I know they want to hear. Those are called rodeo crowds. Cowboys and country music fans are not cut of the same cloth despite liking similar music. Epiphany. As the saying goes, "you're never too old to learn." Or perhaps, in my case, never too old to accept the truth.
So, in conclusion, I'm choosing to evolve as an entertainer. I'm not changing personally. I'm not even giving up the music I most love to play. I'm adding to what made me who I was before that's all. I can choose do it regretably or begrudgingly or I can be happy about it and make the most of it. I'm still singing. I'm still getting paid to do a job I love. Why not be happy about it? Why not take some of these songs and make them my own? Oh wait, I do that with most everything anyway!
I look forward what's on the horizon for STHDD! Hope you are too!
p.s. I'm still not going to sing Red Solo Cup.
