I grew up during the 60's and 70's.  It was a time when music was exploding all across the world with new artists, new genres and new meaning.  Groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were introducing music the likes of which no one had ever heard.  Individuals like Bob Dylan and Paul Simon were writing songs that carried messages and meaning.  It was an awesome time to be alive, and I loved every minute of it.  Music was no longer just something you danced to.  It was something that moved you, motivated you, opened up new worlds to you. 

 

Of course, the prevalence of drugs added to the drama and excitement!!

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I got an old Hawaiian guitar from my aunt and taught myself some basic chords, formed a band, and spent a few high school years playing covers of  The Animals, Simon and Garfunkel, and whatever else was popular at the time.  Sports, college and then marriage came along and playing in bands took a backseat, but the love of music was still there.  So in my late 20's, I formed another band, and we spent some more years playing covers of Creedence Clearwater, The Beatles, Aztec Two-Step, and whatever else was on the charts.  We were a fairly popular local band, and I found myself paying more attention to drugs and partying than to music.  So that ended and began a long stretch of just living life, making a living, enjoying a family, and dreaming of music.

Fast forward many, many years and another opportunity to form a band came along, and I did.  We were pretty good, playing all kinds of covers from the 60's, 70's, and on.  

But through decades of playing in bands and being involved in music, I was growing frustrated with playing covers.  Trying to sound like Bob Seger or The Moody Blues or the Eagles felt disingenuous.  It was fun, but not at all fulfilling.  I remember a quote by the late Eddie Van Halen, who told an interviewer that when it came to playing music, he "would rather crash and burn playing his own original music than to be the world's greatest cover band".   I'm not sure why, but that statement totally resonated with me.

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And so, here I am....writing and playing my own music!  The satisfaction of composing a song, start to finish, has finally consummated my love for the art form of music.  You begin with an idea, an inspiration, and you end up with something that has never before existed.  I'm doing something that Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Carol King, Keith Richards, David Gilmore, and so many others have done.  Perhaps not on the same scale or with the same talent (obviously!). 

But I did it. 

I created my own songs.