Musings

I'm on the last day of a 10 day spring break, spent totally alone, except for the company of my beloved canines. And they're good company, only they don't talk much. And they don't do dishes.

I have had ample time to reflect over the past couple of months here in Levelland, and I am now fully convinced that I am where I should be.

I LOVE SCHOOL!!! There, I've stated it, and I won't apologize for it. I feel so privileged. I know a lot of musicians who deserve this education a lot more than I do. I feel like a really small minnow in a really big pond here, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. There is so much to learn! It's wonderful! It certainly has broadened my horizons. (A note specifically to those of you who are aspiring musicians: South Plains College's Commercial Music program is awesome! You need to come here! The teachers here are some of the best in the country, and I still have trouble believing I get to be here!) There are so many talented people here.

I came here with the purpose of being a professional musician, and I still want to do that, but there is so much more in the music world than just playing or singing. I find that I am very interested in my promotion class, and every class time I learn more things that would help the struggling musicians back home. I am starting to wonder if maybe I could have a career in music promo back in PA, and I am becoming increasingly convinced that maybe I should be involved in promoting specifically Bluegrass, in my home state. I know there are a few Bluegrass radio stations in PA, but there are none in the Jersey Shore-Lock Haven-Williamsport area. How fun would that be, to be a Bluegrass DJ? PA has some fairly awesome festivals (Smoked Country Jam rocks!) going on every year, but Bluegrass is still thought of as 'old-timey' music. Most people have never heard the whole spectrum of it, from Bill Monroe to 3Fox Drive.

I'm interested in being a 'band manager'. I'm not sure if this is the right term, I'll have to ask Mr. W. What I mean by this is: most bands I'm familiar with have no organization. Either there's no one calling the shots, everyone's trying to call the shots, or the wrong person's calling the shots. Practice times are not very effective, because from one practice time to the next, no one keeps track of arrangements of songs, or someone changes arrangements continually. As a result, precious time is wasted by rehashing such things. Or practice times are treated more like jam sessions instead of work sessions. No one makes a note of what sounds great, or not so great. No one says "This is what needs work" or "You know, the banjo break is fantastic. We'll keep it." Or someone changes the set list at a totally impractical time, or introduces new material right before an important gig (AAARRRGGGHHH!!!), or WHATEVER, I hope you get the drift. Oh, how many times have I and my Beloved been in such situations!

Or how about this: I could be a booking agent! One very fantastic band I know back home has the crappiest gigs. These guys are talented and have the benefit of years of experience, but whoever books their gigs always has them in obscure dives that pay next to nothing. Now, I know that a bit of that is necessary when first starting out, but these guys are years past the point when they should be going for and getting the bigger, better paying gigs. They're just spinning their wheels. They have no promo materials, very few contacts, there's been no one who has done any serious PR work for them, and their talent certainly deserves better.

So, as you can see, there's a lot more to making it in the music world than performance.

I know this has been long. Most of my posts will probably be on the long side, as I can get windy about things, as most of you know.

Till next time. - The Sparrow