Resolution Completed!
So, it happened the other night! I got to perform in front of a crowd for the first time!
The Home Ranch Hands is a non-profit organization Arizona that is dedicated to preserving and promoting America's western heritage through western music & poetry. They have a jam session the second Sunday of every month and my wife and I made the trip. I thought I would sit off to the side and strum along and see if I could pick up on some of their repertoire. But while I was busy truly minding my own business I was called up on stage to do a song. I had no clue what I would do except to just put my butt up on stage and see what came out of it.
I decided to do a Bob Nolan/Sons of the Pioneers tune called "Cool Water". I knew it well enough...3 chords and I could sing it o.k. so besides being a little nervous, what could go all that wrong?
Well, about everything. With all the other instruments up on the stage I couldn't hear myself and I completely lost the chord progression. I forgot a verse. Also, since there so many different recordings of the same song (all with different versions) what I thought would be a "standard" was a jumbled mess of many variations in my head. I was lost! I had a blast!
The wonderful people on stage did their best to back me up and they did! They were so supportive, understanding and talented. Most of all...I had a blast! When it was "my turn" again, I was called up again. The next song I did, "Tumblin Tumbleweeds", was a bit better. I followed all the chords and sang just ok for being nervous. At least I sounded better than the previous song.
It was odd being up there. It was another world. Not just another world but being flung up into the air like a baby being played with. With hind-sight I am surprised I could follow some of the other players as much as I did even though I was playing and singing. I thought to myself at time, "Wow! That was a really nice accent they played!", or, "They sound really good!"
So, with a thin sheen of sweat on my brow and encouraging applause as I left the stage with a New Year's Resolution fulfilled! With that done can that extra 10 pounds be all that hard to lose?
The Home Ranch Hands is a non-profit organization Arizona that is dedicated to preserving and promoting America's western heritage through western music & poetry. They have a jam session the second Sunday of every month and my wife and I made the trip. I thought I would sit off to the side and strum along and see if I could pick up on some of their repertoire. But while I was busy truly minding my own business I was called up on stage to do a song. I had no clue what I would do except to just put my butt up on stage and see what came out of it.
I decided to do a Bob Nolan/Sons of the Pioneers tune called "Cool Water". I knew it well enough...3 chords and I could sing it o.k. so besides being a little nervous, what could go all that wrong?
Well, about everything. With all the other instruments up on the stage I couldn't hear myself and I completely lost the chord progression. I forgot a verse. Also, since there so many different recordings of the same song (all with different versions) what I thought would be a "standard" was a jumbled mess of many variations in my head. I was lost! I had a blast!
The wonderful people on stage did their best to back me up and they did! They were so supportive, understanding and talented. Most of all...I had a blast! When it was "my turn" again, I was called up again. The next song I did, "Tumblin Tumbleweeds", was a bit better. I followed all the chords and sang just ok for being nervous. At least I sounded better than the previous song.
It was odd being up there. It was another world. Not just another world but being flung up into the air like a baby being played with. With hind-sight I am surprised I could follow some of the other players as much as I did even though I was playing and singing. I thought to myself at time, "Wow! That was a really nice accent they played!", or, "They sound really good!"
So, with a thin sheen of sweat on my brow and encouraging applause as I left the stage with a New Year's Resolution fulfilled! With that done can that extra 10 pounds be all that hard to lose?
posted by Cool Water William @ 9:49 AM
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