influential records - 3/10/08

last night my wife and i were talking about major records that changed our lives. i’m not talking in the sense of just enjoying the record or a few songs, but more of an epiphany based on the disc. i’m sure things would have eventually lined up and the change would have happened regardless to the record, but they definitely pushed me in the right direction. i’m sure that so many of us can identify parts of our life with different record albums or even particular songs, so in this entry i wanted to give a shout to two different records that influenced me and my music.

#1 - 1996-97 - Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband - “If I Were a Bird.”

at the time a local sensation (now a national phenomena), rsrb was doing gigs like no-one that i’d seen. they were rehearsed, refreshing and not doing all the folk and bluegrass covers that every other utah band was doing. i bought this cd at a concert and wore the sucker out. at the time i was a freshman at byu playing bluegrass music with the area’s best. we played local gigs and most were for the corporate world, but rsrb were doing concerts for people that paid money to see them. i wanted to do that. this record was the first spark for me to take a leap of faith into the world of professional music.

www.shupe.net

#2 - 2000 - Nickel Creek - Nickel Creek

i was at borders with a 20 dollar bill burning a hole in my pocket. i was cruising through all the latest in bluegrass and folk and stumbled across a brand new album by nickel creek. i must admit, i wasn’t to thrilled to buy it based on the cover, but they were young and i was looking for something in the bluegrass world to re-spark my interest. the album was one of five featured in the bluegrass/folk section so after listening to a few tid-bits from the songs i purchased the album. both my wife and i agree that this album completely changed us. wow! it was another affirmation that this is what i wanted to do. it was also a helpful insight into young bluegrass kids making it in the “old timey” bluegrass world. little did i know at the time of buying this album, that nickel creek would have crossed all musical boundaries and generations. i followed their careers from a concert of 25 in park city utah, to their final utah concert that was sold out at abravanel hall in salt lake city. pretty amazing journey i’m sure for them.

www.nickelcreek.com

the "whole" package - 2/22/08

i had to write a quick note on my experience at guitar center this week. i was there buying some new gear for a gig that i have this weekend, and i just happened to notice a grandpa and his grandson in the store. they were buying an entry level p-bass package (amp and all). i could tell it was for the grandson, whom was about 8 years old. i didn’t go and talk to them and i don’t really know the circumstances that surrounded the situation, but it did my heart good seeing the excitement in his eyes. maybe it was a list of chores done, or maybe good grades, or maybe just a desire to play the bass so badly that grandpa finally obliged; whatever the reason it made me think of walking into burt murdock music store 25 years ago. i really didn’t have a desire to play an instrument. i think my only desire at that point was to throw dirt clods on my grandpa’s farm and ride bmx bikes. in that music store i had a choice to make. piano or violin. at the time i had no clue to which that decision would effect and enrich the rest of my life. i guess i could go on and on but it was just nice to watch that situation unfold this week. my thanks to that old grandpa and his grandson.

christmas spirit - 12/20/07

last night i was reluctant to take a youth group from my church christmas caroling. i was in charge of the activity and, truth be told, didn’t really want to have anything to do with it. at 4pm i called a local nursing home in our area and asked if we could come sing some christmas songs later that night. they hesitantly said yes, and the evening was planned.

the night before i had expressed to lacey how i wasn’t really in the christmas mood this year. being very busy at work in a inner city high school, i’ve just not caught that spirt of christmas for some reason.

we showed up to the nursing home, and after quieting them down some, we found 4 elderly folks in wheelchairs out in the hall. we circled around them and started to sing. it was no mormon tabernacle choir, but the songs touched those that we sang them too. one lady in particular, named helen, didn’t even want us in her room but we started to sing anyways. halfway through silent night, she brightened up and started to sing a long, thanking us over and over again for coming to visit her.

growing up my family performed around 100 shows a year. all 5 boys and mom and dad clogged (www.doubletoe.com) and played a bit of bluegrass music. many of these shows were at retirement communities and nursing homes in the san francisco bay area. during the christmas time we would sometimes do 3 or 4 shows a day leading all the way up to christmas eve. in fact for 10 years, our very last clogging show of the christmas season was always sunnyside court at around 2pm. it capped a 30-40 show season in the month of december and we were excited for that show in more than 1 way.

i guess i needed to show a little love to the elderly folks in nashville for it to really feel like christmas to me. spending all that time in nursing homes and retirement homes did had a profound affect on my life. it wasn’t the “cool” thing to do as a 14 year old boy wanting santa to show up, but it enriched all of our lives, and taught me the true meaning of the season.

i guess i can finally say this season: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

guitar hero - 12/10/07

my wife and i went to the tim o’brien show this weekend at the world famous station inn. when you live in nashville TN. it’s no surprise that bryan sutton, and stuart duncan show up to play with tim. it’s also no surprise that they all blow my mind every time i get a chance to see them. over the past few months of living the nashville scene i’ve taken notice to what i like about musicians and performers. i guess the real pleasure for me is to see or play with folks that are real. that’s why the tim o’brien show was so great. it was a bunch of real people doing what they love to do with no pyro-technics, or insane lighting or sound. it was good players playing good instruments playing good songs.

i’ve been lucky enough to play this “real” type of music. one person who’s music is always real, is my brother matthew. it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of music business. i was sucked in pretty quick by large peddle boards, in-ear monitors, wireless instrument rigs, etc. not that any of that is bad. i love music gear as much as the next guy, but i was falling for all the “hype” that is created with such things. i could even see that the music “hype” was dictating what people said and did, and even what the clothes they wore. i was no exception to the rule. i was losing that “realness” that i loved so much about music.

then one day i was put in my place. i won’t share those details, but it very well may be one of the most important musical experiences of my life - not because i heard something amazing, or played a 2 million dollar violin, it was because i had lost that “realness” and my brother called me on it. it was hard to swallow.

i’ve since learned much from that experience and continue to learn from it. i guess we learn the most when we least expect it.

live studio audience - 11/26/07

i can’t help but smile whenever i get the chance to play with sam payne. in my mind (and i stand by it 100%) i am the luckiest fiddle player around to be able to play with such a musician/ songwriter/ and person. for some time now he has been asked to bring that story telling brilliance to a cd. he did just that over the thanksgiving break with ryan tilby and myself. on tuesday nov. 20th, we lit 50 some odd candles and in front of a live audience recorded 20 songs with all the stories. it was captivating and many times tear jerking. those in attendance realized that they were a part of something truly wonderful. i was just glad to be a part of something so great. i’m not sure when it will be released, but i can’t wait to get my hands on it. i think my response will be, as sam says in one of his stories, “no freaking way!”

headed west - 11/13/07

i had the chance to record a little mandolin for the group due west on their upcoming record. if you live within a thousand miles of nashville you should hit the due west website and check out the next concert. i promise you won’t be disappointed.

www.duewest.com

southwest anxiety - 10/15/07

For all us cheap travelers, we seem to meet up at the same place in life - at the airport fighting frantically for a spot in the “A” line. If by chance you forgot to get online at least 24 hours in advance you are probably going to sit in a “B” seat and if you checked in at the airport, it’s going to be “C.” I decided that if I get the “C” ticket anymore, it’s just not worth flying. It always seems like there are 900 people getting on the plane before you (even when the plane only seats 150!) and you end up having to gate check your carry-on’s because there is no room in the inn. Try talking to the gate agent about NOT gate checking an instrument. That concept doesn’t even register to ANY employee of any airline. It’s always the same discussion -

“Sir you are going to have to gate check that item.” “Well I can’t, because you won’t insure it? ..and i’ve seen how they toss the bags off the conveyer belt.” “Sir you are holding up the line, just check that item please.” “I guess I wasn’t clear - I’M NOT CHECKING THIS!” I guess you have to be a musician to understand this little conundrum that we face each time we fly. It would be like gate checking your child I guess. I’ve even seen a musician buy a 2nd seat in order to carry on an instrument. I hope to see you in line “A” in the future. If not, I’ll try to save a middle seat!

Portland Oregon - 9/27/07

good show with good friends, for good people. sam payne, steve lemmon and steve flaig were all there making lots of folks smile. sam was in top form! i must say that i love the portland, oregon area. everytime music has brought me there i’ve loved every second. last time i was there i flew in a day early just so i could drive to the coast. i didn’t know that the show “goonies” was filmed just west of portland, in cannon beach and astoria. that was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and a such a cool place with a cool vibe. if you haven’t, then it would be a place to check out.