Greg Hayden Music

The Great Equalizer

2010-12-22T06:55:00.000-08:00

So, I know it is hard to believe, but today's entry means that I have actually blogged twice within a 24 hour period. I know it is definitely hard to believe but with the down time to unwind and write new material, I am finding lots of things to write about. I am basically sharing a lot of my thoughts that could potentially find their way into my new material.

So, I was very hard on "Time" in my first cut off of the Weightless project where I basically wrote the song about my struggle with Time and getting back the days that are so often lost. Many have asked me about that song and what it's meaning is. I have always described it as a conversation between me and time about how we were such good friends "back in the day" before time ran away. I like the whole concept (obviously) because it paints a clear picture of our struggle with accepting the passage of time.

In light of my recent (public) argument with time, I thought I would give time a break here and share some of my more positive thoughts about how it can serve as the coolest healer of many of our disappointments or wounds. Sometimes, time can just be what the doctor ordered when we are flustered. As I grow up, I learn that sometimes I can actually look forward to getting away from situations to take time away and re-evaluate. I know with my work, I am often consumed with so many aspects of it that it is literally impossible for me to ever have a fair perspective on the qualities of it. In some ways, I have embraced the idea of separating myself for periods of time in order to see things for what they really are. As I stated in my last blog about perspectives, as much as we try, we are not capable of seeing things clearly when we are consumed with them.

Like most of you, in my life, I have encountered experiences where events or people have severely disappointed me. Of course, this is part of life and something we all must live through and understanding how best to deal with it is the ultimate test. In all of these situations, I have always found time to be the great equalizer and healer. Someone that I have a lot of respect for in my life once told me "Hey, People get over things you know?" It is an interesting thought because when we are so upset about something, that quote seems almost impossible to believe. But then, in the eleventh hour, time comes along and rescues us. Day after day, the idea of what you learned about the disappointment or shock becomes easier and easier to face. I don't know if the event ever really goes away but I think we are designed to somehow move these thoughts to the rear and to live. Life is the most fascinating phenomenon because it constantly requires us to deal with imperfection and disappointment. In those moments, time comes along and brings the medicine that we so greatly need to move us down the road to progress.

Finally, time can often help us through minor confusions about situations or people in our lives as well. Sometimes, the best prescription for confusion is to just step back and watch the clock. Let the seconds pass and trust that the minutes will clear up all of the confusion and bring reality to light. It's funny, but in my life, I have always noticed that when I have been able to step back and trust the clock, the true colors of a situation always manifested themselves. It is a crazy remedy but one that works. So, next time you are troubled by someone, your work, your family, the holidays or any situation, just take a glimpse over at your clock and remember that the second hand always wins!!! Wait, is this a blog or a philosophical forum????????? I really didn't mean to preach here but I got carried away..... I told you I was in my writing mode this week!!!! Beware!

I am loading the guitars and heading out to write and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful weather. Have a great day!!!!

Watching the Clock,
Gregory

Stepping Back

2010-12-21T20:46:00.000-08:00

You will have to pardon my philosophical and reflective entries these days, but it seems to be the mood that I have been in lately. Hey, I just write em like I see em from my own mind and my own perspective. With all of that in mind, and speaking of perspectives, tonight's entry is about perspectives and how important it is to sometimes pull yourself away from things that you can become so involved in that your vision becomes clouded. It is obvious to me that people on the outside of situations can often see things way more clearly than those who are consumed emotionally and invested. I have found personally, that if I am seperated from the emotions of a situation, I can often make a sound decision and judgement on it. In contrasts, when I have often found myself invested, it has always been difficult to see things clearly and to have the best perspective. I think the age old saying about seeing the forrest for the trees certain applies here. If I back away far enough, I can surely see the forrest. Trouble is, when you care deeply about something, it is sometimes nearly impossible to back away for a better perspective.

Sometimes, separation from a situation can accomplish the task of improving a person's perspective by allowing them time to re-gain a better out-look. In many ways, our perspective on people, events, times, and places can be partially skewed by us being too close. In my life, I am learning to step back from situations where I notice that I am getting too concerned or involved emotionally. I think being able to take a step back is a gift and it should be used more often. Sometimes, one night or one day can completely change our entire perspective. Crazy thing but I am certain that taking a step back always helps to improve things. I am a very passionate person and I devote myself to whatever it is that I believe in so I have often found myself needing to take a step back for a better perspective. I will continue to work on this and I am sure my perspective will once again change.

I am eagerly looking forward to tomorrow as it will be my first day to devote to writing new material. The weather is going to be nice and I am looking forward to a productive day of writing. I hope your lives are all going well and the preparations for the holidays are going great. So, when you feel yourself getting flustered, panicked or emotional about all of the holiday madness, just remember to take a STEP BACK and improve your perspective. It always works!

Have a great Wednesday!
Gregory

Anticipation

2010-12-20T08:13:00.001-08:00

Hi ya'll! Been a while but it is good to be back blogging again. Today marks the beginning of a two week break which I have really looked forward to. I am eager to spend time in my studio finishing up on some new material and I am eager to start working on some new songs. As I have stated many times before, writing is my refuge and a source of spiritual therapy. If there is one revelation in my life that I am absolutely certain of now, it is that I was born to write music and for the rest of my days here, while there is blood in my veins, I will do so.

As I approached this break amidst the constant grind of rehearsals each day, I eagerly anticipated my days off. One night, on my way home from one of those rehearsals, I started exploring the thoughts in my mind of anticipation and our tendencies to do so in every aspect of our lives. It occured to me that we spend most of our lives in anticipation of what is coming. You name it, Fridays, Weekends, Holidays, family gatherings, etc., we are always anticipating something. In some ways, you have to feel like God's design was for us to always look forward to something. In the absence of something to look forward to, we can find ourselves struggling to find anything to smile about. Anticipation is a constant force and it always leads us to hope for something. In many ways, anticipation can cause us to look past the present and sometimes miss the great things about the moments right in front of us. It is definitely food for thought!

As I drew closer to my break, I began to think about how much I looked forward to time off and I wondered if the time off ever lived up to the anticipation. I wondered if the events or times that we so look forward to ever live up to their billing in our minds. I wonder now if the days leading up to something we anticipate are actually better than the events or times that we build up in our minds. Maybe it is the anticipation of the events that we enjoy more than the actual event itself. I have certainly spent time in my past looking forward to big events only to be disappointed by how they didn't live up to my expectations. In that regard, maybe the best part of those days was actually anticipating the events rather than experiencing them.

In my short run through this life so far, I have always been more impressed by incredible, (spur of the moment) times that I could have never predicted. Sometimes, wonderful things land in your lap without you ever anticipating any part of it happening. To me, those moments are the most memorable and enjoyable. As I have said in my blogs so many times, life is about enjoying the times that you have while you have them and not waiting years to realize it. There are times in my life where I really wish I could have stopped the clock and suspended time. In many of those situations, I never anticipated how wonderful they would be. In my opinion, this is what makes life so exciting and adventurous. So, when you start looking forward to something, take a moment and think about the time that you are spending anticipating the event and enjoy it too because it may actually be better than the event itself.

Well, now that we have all of that settled, I guess I will bid you Adieu until next time. I will keep you posted as to whether these two weeks off are living up to their billing and my month long anticipation................................

Have a wonderful day!!!

Gregory

Real Wisdom!!!

2010-12-08T19:44:00.000-08:00

Ok, so it has been a looooooonnnnnnnnnnng time since I blogged but I deserve mercy from my readers just because I really do deserve it. Not to make excuses because there are none but I have been teaching and directing music with a very busy schedule. In the next five days, I will direct two Christmas Concerts. One Sunday with a combined group of singers from Amite and a group of musicians from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and then another on Tuesday with my bands at Juban Parc. This will not be a long blog because like most days that I teach, I am very tired. No short stories today..........sorry but at least the effort is here, Right?

So, someone that I was visiting with recently made a statement that has stuck with me. She said "Wisdom is being able to appreciate things while they are happening instead of waiting til three years after. The more I think about this, the more intrigued I become. Things happen in my life that are sometimes mind blowing and very often, I don't know when it will happen or where these things are coming from. I guess that is what makes life exciting but it sure does keep me looking at each moment with more value than I ever had before. Crazy! Just Crazy, you know? Just this morning, I woke up and the day looked like any other that I had seen recently until it all played out and I found myself passing one of those places where I had to stop and savor each moment. Life is sometimes so filled with unexpected encounters and surprises that can change everything in a moment. I want to be wise and value each of those moments instead of waiting til they are gone. This is my quest and I think I am getting better at it.

Think of it like a great dinner out where you enjoy every bite of a great meal while imagining simultaneously that you may not be back at the same table with the same chef in the same atmostphere with the same company.........ever again. Oh sure, you can go back and order the same dish off of the same menu but all of the factors that were there originally may have changed. Appreciating things while they are happening and not waiting for them all to be gone is what my friend described as true Wisdom. I 100% agree with my friend's definition of Wisdom. I soak myself in the memories of the great times in my life and today, I really strive to gain wisdom by paying tribute to life changing things while they are happening.

How would our lives really be if we truly lived each moment with this previously mentioned definition of "Wisdom". If we had some clue that could convince us that we may never again see the very places that we pass each day, our outlook would most certainly be different. It would be like leaving a vacation spot and knowing that you could never go back. Life Changing! So, take a moment tomorrow and observe what is happening in your life, you may find yourself in one of those places that you will never pass again in your life. Stop, take a deap breath and let yourself feel and enjoy the moments that are passing right by you.

Ok, it is late, I am falling asleep at the keyboard here and if I keep going, I may end up writing in Swahilian which would be horrible because it would be impossible to read. I have a big day tomorrow and I hope to be WISE in living each moment.

I hope your day is terrific and be Very Wise about every minute of your day!!!!

Gregory

Sweet Wind

2010-11-18T20:09:00.000-08:00

Sweet Wind Blow Through Me, Sing Your Melody, Tell I'm The Man I'm Supposed To Be, Sweet Wind Blow Through Me.

Sweet Wind is my newest song and I should be close to finishing it by the end of the weekend. Sweet Wind deals with my love for walking the grounds where I grew up and feeling the familiar winds blowing through me. The song is about the struggle each day to get back to those places in our lives where we connect spiritually, emotionally and physically to certain places. It truly is a powerful force in this life and after years of being away, I have definitely acknowledged the importance of me getting back to my Sweet Wind often to re-charge my batteries.

Speaking of writing, I am excited about the upcoming week and the promise of having time to finish a lot of very important writing that I have wanted to complete for a while. Teaching, while very rewarding, can take a lot of time out of your life but the days off are impossible to beat. I am eagerly anticipating the week ahead and a chance to soak up some good sun and to feel the sweet wind on my back. I will re-string the Manuel Patterson and bring the Taylor along for a mixed bag of writing. I have re-formatted my studio and I have set-up the place for writing this fall and winter. Gonna Be Great!

It's late, I'm tired and just consider this payback for all of the criticism that I have recieved in my blogs for being longwinded and writing books..........this one is for you!!! Revenge will be mine soon when I write my first chapters to my novel in my blog, but for now, this will just have to do!!!

Have a Great Friday!

Gregory

In A Moment

2010-11-10T18:43:00.000-08:00

In keeping my week of philosophical blogs going, I must share some thoughts that have been running through my head. Maybe I like to share these things because I think it offers a window into my thinking and subsequent writing samples that end up becoming songs. However, the possibility does exist that I just like to reflect on experiences in my own life and sharing them with you is important. Throughout the fall and winter season I will be writing for my new project so I thought I would be reflective in my blogs about many of the same thoughts that I am writing about.

So, I have always noticed that life is so uncertain and full of surprises. Like a summer storm that creeps up over the tree lines without warning, our lives are often changed in brief moments when we least expect it. Crazy, but I have always found that change happens almost instantly and usually by news being delivered or a surprise call. I can point to many instances in my life where change has come and caused me to gradually accept the phases of life. If we were always prepared for new circumstances, then life would be simple. Instead, most of us are always hit blindsided by sudden changes that alter our lives in one way or another. In a way, it is what makes life so fascinating and intriguing. If we knew the day, the hour or the minute that change would come, there would be no story to write, no song to sing and life would be a dull replay of boredom and frustration.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite games to play was Monopoly. Of course, for a bunch of kids, the Monopoly game could go on for hours, but we would perservere until one of us ruled the world. I was the car and I won lots of Monopoly games because I was always great at talking opponents into trading their properties away for little or nothing. It was an art form of trickery and persuasion. One of the things that I like most about Monopoly was how unpredictable it was every time that we played. Much like life itself, when you rolled the dice, you never knew where you were landing and how much money you were losing or gaining. As a kid, I never realized how closely that game came to spelling out life's everyday surprises. Today, I can see that my own life is so much like the roll of the dice where the chances are a dead split on gain or loss. Case in point, I got in my truck yesterday to drive home from work and the battery in my truck was dead. No warning, just an instant surprise. Within an hour, I was dropping a cool hundred to replace the battery. So, basically, I landed on Community Chest and had to pay a school tax of 150. Not a worry though, because the car keeps rolling and the next roll may land me on Go where I will collect 200. I guess the only bad comparison to real life that you would never want to make would be "Going Straight To Jail". Yikes!

Don't mistake my rambling here, change can be a VERY good thing and sometimes, that call can come and change your life instantly. It is amazing, but you can be living what seems like a normal life and suddenly you find yourself in a tailspin trying to catch a grip on reality. You can do something so simple as pick up the phone and find that IN A MOMENT your life has changed. You can run into someone that you haven't seen in so many years and IN A MOMENT your life and perspective are completely changed. I have learned to embrace these experiences as I am more and more intrigued by life's roll of the dice. I have also learned to cherish every day for what it is by trying my best to "Smell the Roses" each time I pass by. Recently, in a conversation that I had with a relative, it was suggested that Wisdom is appreciating things right in front of us for what they really are at THAT MOMENT in time. Being unwise is walking right past and never realizing that you are passing one of the most amazing experiences of your life. I think after years, I am finally starting to enjoy every minute of these experiences. I am also amazed and intrigued by life's surprises and the roads that they lead us down. One thing is for certain, I have learned not to predict anything and I am most certain that I know less today than I did yesterday and that will probably continue for the rest of my life.

Well, I probably rambled too long with my philosopies and it is late. I would end this however by pointing out that life offers us an exciting journey each day with what can sometimes be LIFE CHANGING phone calls, conversations and experiences. It is enough to make you look forward to waking up each day just to live the adventure that we call life.

I am back at one of my favorites stops this Friday Night called the Fairgrinds Coffeehouse in Midtown NOLA. I will bring both acoustics and a small PA and I will play out on the patio for two hours during the wine tasting. I played the venue for the first time in October and my music was WELL received. I am certainly looking forward to playing outside and enjoying the atmosphere. Fair Grinds is a wonderful place with great people who LOVE singer/songwriter music..........my kind of joint!

May all your MOMENTS and surprises be wonderful like hitting Free Parking on the old Monopoly Board!!!

Have a great Thursday!

Gregory

Operation Pretender

2010-11-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

I'm gonna rent myself a house in the shade of the freeway!!!! For those of you who read my blogs, you will know that this is one of my favorite lines of all of the songs that I cover. It is a brilliant depiction of our battle everyday between our ultimate dreams in life and the reality that all of us have to face each day driving to work. Absolutely Brilliant is Jackson Browne and The Pretender.

So, I have been given a lot of thought to my dreams lately and how they motivate me to work so hard to meet my goals. I often wonder if we would dream at all if we didn't have to drive through the shadows of the freeway each day on our journey into reality. The journey back and forth provides a constant struggle for most of us to face reality but to also balance it with our dreams in life. I believe that our dreams in life follow our hard work and belief in what we do. I also think that our dreams often motivate us to create motion in our lives to accomplish our ultimate goals. I think many people settle in life and give up on their dreams of accomplishing what they desire. Of course, it is very comfortable to settle, but dreams are worth fighting for. I have been giving a lot of thought (especially over the past three months) to my dreams and what I have to ultimately accomplish for me to get there. It is a work in progress but I am determined to reach my goals. In the end, we all have to realize what it is that we dream of and then we have to make it happen. For many of us, our dreams take us to places that we could never imagine going. Speaking of dreams, I once heard this cool song about a dream that says "In My Mind, It's Perfect Everytime........." I believe that life is too short to give up on what it is that we dream of.

I have recently realized that dreams can live inside of us for years without us even knowing. Sometimes it is possible to put dreams away for awhile only to notice them surface almost without warning. The best approach is to give in to your dreams and to make the necessary moves to put your dreams in motion. The worst case scenario is to stop short and to give up on the things or people that you dream of. So, shoot for the stars and dream your dreams with all of the confidence in the world that one day, they will become reality. That is what I am doing!

Dream Big and Shoot for the Stars!!!
Have a great week,
Gregory

Secret O' Life

2010-11-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Hope your humpday was great. I have read that Wed is the most productive day of the week because it is the farthest from Monday or Friday. I don't know if that is true but it sounds interesting. Of course, one could become disinterested in his or her work regardless of what day of the week it is, so, I guess all of that is probably useless information.

Recently, I had the priviledge of watching James Taylor's latest concert which was held in Boston and recorded in HD. Needless to say, it was vintage JT and as good as it gets when it comes to purity, simplicity and brilliance. He has it all and has maintained his focus and creativity throughout what has turned out to be an incredible career as a singer/songwriter. I have total admiration for the guy and what he has accomplished. While my style of writing is not exactly like his, his music has been a huge influence in my life.

According to JT, in one of his songs, he says that the Secret O' Life is enjoying the passage of time. In his song, the Secret O' Life, James Taylor spells out how we would all be wise to just enjoy the passage of time which in many ways, can bring so much sorrow. Whether you are remembering a loved one who has passed, a friend from your childhood or someone you were once in love with, the passage of time can sometimes be very hard to accept and understand. JT's song, (Secret O' Life) is brilliant and it challenges us to take it all in stride and to be thankful for the clock ticking away.

I was thinking today about my life and how interesting it is to think about each section or piece of the puzzle that continues to be put together as time passes right by me. I was thinking about the many circles of friends that I have known and lost touch with as I have moved along this journey watching time pass. Life is just like that for all of us and in the end, we end up in a room somewhere with all of our memories to look back on. According to JT, the best way to go is to stop along the way and enjoy every moment as it passes. James Taylor certainly offers good advice in his song, but I imagine that there are very few of us who can actually heed it along the way. I don't imagine that his advice to us means that we should forsake our memories, but instead, we should soak up the time that we have today and enjoy every minute.

Ok, the week is moving right along and before we know it, it will be Friday!!! However, according to JT, the secret to enjoying life is enjoying the minutes of each day leading to Friday...........Just saying!

Have a great Thursday and Remember My Pop's Advice to "Stop and Smell The Roses"!

Gregory

Catching Up!

2010-11-02T19:32:00.001-07:00

Ok, so yeah, it's been quite a few days since I posted a blog but hey, I have good excuses. Basically, with what little time that I have outside of work, I have been stealing away lately to try and catch up on some much needed songwriting. In my business, the songs are the products and if there is no inventory, then the business suffers. So, I set out over the past couple of weeks to get a head start on some new ideas for songs. While I haven't finished any of them yet, all of them are very exciting and coming together nicely. Songwriting is unpredictable and ideas sticking and landing are sporatic and absolutely impossible to predict. What I can say without a doubt is that when I get the sound, the concept and the lyrics right, I always know it instantly. So, the writing process is simply a quest for that magical moment when all of it comes together and reveals itself. I think I would probably say that songwriting is a lot like a scavenger hunt where you are given certain starting ideas and the quest is then to find all of the pieces to make it work. It is a labor of love and one that I find lots of satisfaction in. Maybe I just like scavenger hunts.

In other news, I had the day off for Election Day. I rose early, voted and headed to my studio to get to work. I spent a large portion of the day hauling some of my PA into my studio to revamp my set-up. Basically, I am gearing up for a four of five month period of writing where I will spend hours playing, experimenting and going on many scavenger hunts. I set up my Bose system in the studio and re-configured the whole scheme to benefit my writing time this fall. After setting everything up, I actually got to play for a couple of hours and it was very productive. I shall not reveal the secrets of my new material but I will offer a bit of a tease by saying that one of my new songs will be titled "Go Easy", at least I think. haha. Song Titles are always evolving as the songs develop with each new line and lyric. I will keep you posted on "Go Easy" and the other new songs as I progress this fall.

Some bad news from the LakeHouse Studio, my laptop has sung it's final song and the funeral services are soon to come. After four years of recording and two albums with loads of demos, she gave up the ghost. I have tried to start her up for a week and all I get is a Corrupt File message when windows is supposed to load. I am disappointed but not at all surprised. Of course, I did not use her for Weightless because I had the album recorded in another studio but most of the songs on Weightless were recorded on the laptop as demos. So, I am now in the market for a Mac to replace the old faithful laptop. I guess it is fair to say that she went in her sleep which is probably the best way for a pc to die. A few weeks ago, I went in to start her up and she never came back to life so apparently she gave up the ghost while sitting idly with no activity. I am once again most thankful that I wasn't halfway through some of the enormous productions that I recorded on her when she decided to check out. Luckily, I backed everything up so even though she is gone, I didn't lose anything. I will always miss the old laptop as she was the first that I recorded songs from my first album on. I am certain that she will always have a place in my heart. Now, I guess I just chunk her in the dumpster somewhere! haha.

I spoke for an hour tonight with Naomi Celestin, my web designer, and she introduced me to a new marketing strategy with search engine optimization. I signed on tonight and my site should see a lot of increased exposure over the next few months. This new strategy should put my music and website in front of a lot more people. I received my Analytics reports today and was intrigued by the fact that my site was visited by people in the following Countries: China, Canada, Russia, Germany, Mexico, Morocco, Georgia, Italy and Venezuela. I am amazed at how small the world is today and how many people are hearing my music. Amazing!

Final Thought - Perspective is of course how you see things around you and from what point of view you choose to view them. Sometimes perspectives can change instantly by the words that people speak and the way that you interpret them. All of us basically live each day with certain beliefs about how people see us and think of us. It only takes a few words in a few moments to change how we feel about certain situations and how we are perceived. Most of us basically structure our lives around how we are perceived by those that are in front of us every day. For some, their identity is solely based on building images that may or may not be true only to sway those around them to believe certain things. For me, I have always formed perceptions and perspectives of people because of things they had said or done around me. Time has a way of teaching us to be careful in building perceptions that lead us to having wrong perspectives. In the few experiences in my life where I have been awakened to my misinterpretations, I have always found that taking a step back and seeing the forest has always been the best thing to do. So, if you ever find yourself getting lost in what someone tells you, take a step back and change your perspective, and you will usually find that things make a lot more sense. Just Saying!

Have a Great Wednesday!

Gregory

2010-11-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

Amazing Weekend

2010-10-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

This will not be a short story for sure because it is late and a five day week is looming. However, I couldn't resist writing about my wonderful weekend. Now, don't take this the wrong way because I love the stage, performing and being around lots of people, however, there is nothing like a quiet weekend to collect my thoughts and seek new ideas for songs. Friday evening, I journeyed to a quiet place, sat with my guitars and watched the most beautiful sunset that I had seen in a while and I played for hours. When the sun dropped below the horizon, I could see the most beautiful moon that I had ever seen rising over my shoulder. Perhaps it looked that way because I had not sat under it for so long. It was amazing and absolute therapy after a full week of work. I played for hours and worked some great ideas up because I am in the planning stages for building and writing new tunes. It was wonderful and every minute was awesome!

As I have written so many times, songwriting is absolutely my favorite part of being in the music business. 2010 was for the most part all about writing, recording, producing and promoting Weightless but I am noticing that my batteries were getting pretty weak and I really needed to get back to my first love, writing. As I sat Friday under the moon, I thought, wow, where have you been??? I have enjoyed all of the gigs and promotions but I am more excited than ever to get back to writing. Of course, I will be promoting Weightless all the way into next spring but the pace will change and allow me time to at least write. Without a doubt, as I progress in this business, I could probably face any changes that I had to make as long as I can still write. I believe that I will always write songs as I have found it to be my satisfaction, relaxation and ultimate enjoyment. As I write, I will blog about the process and my new material as it develops over the next three months.

Saturday was also a perfect day and it started with absolute perfection. It was amazing!!! I got a very early start and I was sailing all day with my guitars and the nice wind blowing oak leaves all over the place. It was absolutely gorgeous and I enjoyed every second of it. I don't know how you ever really know if you get all that you can get out of a day but I would have to say that I came as close as I ever had. I will NOT soon forget how amazing it was.

I am not sure if I will have a weekend quite like this one for a while because I have gigs scheduled for the immediate future but I will dream about the next opportunity to go back and do it again.

Have a terrific Week!

Gregory

Smoke and Mirrors

2010-10-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

It's not what you think. Really! Just keep looking and in a few seconds, you will notice a drastic change. It is the most amazing reality in this life and it flies right before all of us each day, changing, transforming and fooling us over and over. It is not what you think but if you wait long enough, you may be lucky enough to be made to believe that it is real.

Today's entry is a product of my long bout over the past couple of weeks with ideas for songs that are running through my head. The forementioned thought deals with a reality that I am really coming to grips with in this life,,,,,,,,Nothing is as it ever seems and Nothing stays the same!!! If you for one second find your self believing that the smoke flying in front of you is real, then you should seriously stop yourself as quick as possible and realize that your hands would both slip right through what your eyes were sure that they could see. Change is the only constant in the world and reality seems to dance in front of us like smoke rings. I do not believe that any of us really know reality, only what we see changing right in front of us at every second of the day. People, places, events, time and perceptions are all constantly evolving right before our eyes each day. In my years on this planet, I have at least learned that the sooner I accept this fact, the better off I become.

Believing that something is as it seems is like sticking your arm right through the smoke and gazing into the mirror to find it. Believing that something will not change is a certain recipe for disaster. In one of my new songs, the lines will say,,,,life's lesson is You Are Almost Certain To Know that What You See Is Never What You Get. Maybe this was God's design to keep us all on the edge of our seats while making this journey. The dilemma that many are faced with is that they are born with an innate ability to want to believe in something. So, the carousel keeps spinning and like a smoke filled room, so many climb the ladders only to fall over and over again. In my life, I have certainly been a person who has always wanted to believe in things or people. It is just who I am as a person!

I hope your Wednesday is awesome and watch for the smoke and mirrors!
Gregory

The Fairgrinds Family

2010-10-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I must first say thanks to those of you who responded to my last blog (Scratches and Burns). I appreciate all of the kind words about the entry. However, I did have someone refer to it as a "Short Story". This made me think that maybe it was a little long winded so I will try to make sure that this one is NOT a "Short Story"

On Friday, I played a new venue in Midtown New Orleans called The Fairgrinds Coffee House down on Ponce De Leon Street. Of course, when I made the drive, I did not know where I was going or what to expect. I brought a small PA and my acoustic guitars. After arriving, I soon realized that I had stumbled on one of the coolest venues that I have ever played. Of course, it wasn't a big stage, there were no big lights and hundreds of people weren't assembled to watch like they were on Saturday when I played the Ponchatoula Party in the Pits. However, it was a small, quaint, intimate coffee house located in one of the coolest sections of New Orleans. When we arrived, we spoke with the owner (Robert) and he instructed me on where to go and gave me choices as to where to perform. I chose the Patio because it was a beautiful evening and being outside seemed like the best choice. Soon after making that decision, I set up my JBL's and a small Yamaha mixer with two mics and my acoustic guitars. As I was setting up, I noticed that everyone who walked by seemed to know Robert and his wife on a first name basis. It was so cool to notice that in a city like NOLA, there were still neighborhoods like the one we were in.

Across the street was a French Restaurant and the smell of the food there was just incredible. Down the street, there were other restaurants and next door to Fairgrinds was a wine shop with free sampling on Friday nights. Through out my entire set, there were people seated out on the patio next door sampling wine and listening to the music. On the corner of the street there was an old fashioned New Orleans grocery store. We could see people leaving with fresh French Bread in their bags. At the wine shop next door, there were tables set up outside where folks just sat and sipped wine as the evening progressed.

What makes this story even more intriguing is the fact that Robert explained to us that he had water inside his shop during Katrina and they lived in Houston for years before returning back to the Fairgrinds. This fact made me realize that the folks who lived and worked in that area did so out of a true love for New Orleans and the neighborhood.

As I began to play my set, several people found their way to the benches next to where I was playing and they listened intently to every lyric. There were several people who came up with their Dogs on leashes and they sat out and listened to the tunes. Out in the front of Fairgrinds is a designated parking area for bicycles where one customer parked his own while I was playing. It was a treat to be there to enjoy the company and the great atmosphere that the Fairgrinds Patio had to offer. As I played, I noticed that my lyrics and songs were hitting home with those who were there to listen. For a singer/songwriter, the intelligent and active listening audience is what you live for. After playing the big stages for weeks and weeks, the Fairgrinds experience was most refreshing. It was just awesome! We sold cds and met some of the nicest people that I have run into since launching into this business four years ago. What was so cool was when we got ready to pull out, there were actually three guys arguing over who would give us directions for the fastest route back to the interstate. It was really neat to be around such a close knit group of people. You could tell that everyone was really comfortable with each other and that factor alone made the whole experience refreshing.

We are definitely heading back to the Fairgrinds, if for no other reason than just the great company and the wonderful atmosphere. I look forward to visiting Fairgrinds again and I hope to go back real soon. Besides, it is worth the trip there just to drink the lemonade.....it is the best that I have ever tasted.

Well Done Robert and Fairgrinds......I can't wait to get back!!!!

Have a great Monday everyone!!!

Gregory

Scratches and Burns

2010-10-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

Some things are worth fighting, scratching and even suffering for. So, when my cousin Jay Hayden and I would run out of things to do in the Dog Days of Summer, we would pay the biggest cost in the world for what was the sweetest payoff that we could have ever received. As a couple of typical restless nine year olds, we spent everyday of our summer desperately searching for things to do out on The Hill. From digging worms and fishing to chunking rocks and roaming the hill for hours, by lunchtime, we had usually exhausted every idea that we could come up with to occupy our time. So, on some days, we would decide that it was time to go see "Aunt Forrest".

Now, Aunt Forrrest was a sweet grey haired widow that we knew from seeing at church with her big hat on. She married into the Hayden family and her husband was the late Leander Hayden. So, with little debate and forethought, we would decide to take off on our journey to see Aunt Forrest. What has to be noted here is that there was NO road to Aunt Forrest's house and the only way through was the thick woods. Don't ask me how we always made it but we did. I remember Jay and I getting half way there and contemplating turning back because we were so scratched up and fighting through the briars and thickets. Of course, it was the dead of summer so the feeling of sweating with big briar scratches up and down your legs and arms was enough to make a grown man weep. I specifically remember that feeling and both of us pressing on through what at the time seemed like torture. After persevering, we would make it to the opening where we could at last see her house.

When arriving at Aunt Forrest's house, Jay and I would always knock on her big wooden door. It would usually take a minute or two and sometimes some extra knocks but she would always make it there. One thing was for certain, when the door opened, she was a big smile, a joyful laugh and she always had big hugs waiting for us. Jay and I will never really know if she was really that happy to see us but one thing is for certain, she always made us feel like she was. She was a very sweet lady and the epitome of southern hospitality.

Once inside, the reward for all of our hard work came when she would offer us some of her homemade Sassafras Root beer and whatever she had baked. Fewer things tasted better in my life than the ice cold homemade Root beer from Aunt Forest's house on a hot July day about three miles east of Amite. She would always serve us in small metal cups that were the shape of coffee cups. It was the only time in my life that I ever drank out of cups like that and they were unique to Aunt Forrest visits. As I recall, she liked to bake gingerbread and I remember eating slices of it while drinking the cold sassafras root beer. I would love to know what we all talked about on those hot summer days but I can't remember. I just know that she was a sweetheart and always made us feel at home. Truthfully, I don't really know if Jay and I were going for the great root beer and snacks or the big hugs and love from Aunt Forrest. One thing is for certain, we were both willing to suffer through some of the most treacherous conditions to make it to her place. It is a memory that I will not soon forget and I am sure one that my first cousin shares as well.

For me, driving to play music, loading gear and doing all of the hours of prep work sometimes feels like those long trips through the thick briars. It is not always fun giving up nights to load gear and to travel, but much like the visits to Aunt Forrest's house, once I get to the gigs, play my songs and meet new people, I find the feeling to be strikingly similar. Sometimes the hard work to get wherever I am playing actually makes me really appreciate being there. I don't know if the root beer would have tasted quite as good to us if we had not paid such a price to get there.

Having said that, tonight, I am reformatting my entire PA system. I have the task of sorting and classifying every cable and wire that we use. I have gradually increased our gear over the past three years and recently added a lighting system. I have to categorize and label everything after I work some kinks out with the board and our current format.

Tomorrow night, I drive to NOLA to play a solo acoustic show at the Fairgrinds Coffeehouse in Midtown. On Saturday, I will play with my full band on the main stage in downtown Ponchatoula at the Ponchatoula Chamber of Commerce's Party in the Pits. We are the featured entertainment and we will play two sets, one from 11 A.M. to 12 P.M. and one from 2-4 P.M. Hope to see you all there.

Now, it's time to go plow through some briar patches!!!
Have a great Friday!!!
Gregory

Cloudy Days

2010-10-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

On my last project, I wrote a song called Cloudy Days. It is a soulful, laid back, sincere tune with a nice rhodes piano that gives it a 1970's feel. The vocals are front and center and mixed very hot over the instruments to give it the warmth that it requires. Casey Campbell, my engineer, so brilliantly mixed it and the more I hear it, the more pleased I am with his work. The song basically speaks of that person in your life who "Takes Away The Cloudy Days". Having said that, today, I walked out of my Band Hall and realized that for a change, it was cloudy and getting ready to rain. In a moment I realized just how much I actually like an overcast, cloudy day because it is usually pleasantly cool. Of course, the clouds were a real contrast to the weeks and weeks of sunny weather that we have had. While I love the sunshine, I think I like the clouds and dark skies even better. Like the great Eddie Rabbit once sang....."I love a Rainy Night".

Well, it was Monday today so what can I say? It was a busy day at work and I hope to get some promo work done this evening after dinner. I will play solo at Fairgrinds in New Orleans on Friday and The Ponchatoula Party In The Pits with my band on Saturday. Gonna be a busy week.

Hope your week is off to a great start!!!!

Gregory

Sharpen The Sword

2010-10-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

When I was in Grad School getting my Masters from the best University in Miss.......USM (Go Eagles), one of the first books that I was required to read was Dr. Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Of course, I wouldn't want my blog to be a book review but I will at least say that his writing dramatically influenced the following years of my life. One of Dr. Covey's chapters in his book talked about keeping the sword sharp. In his writing, he described the importance of taking time to retreat from the everyday race to find time to keep yourself sharp mentally, physically and spiritually. According to Covey, when we go too long without devoting time to keeping our swords sharp, we become dull and average in everything that we do.

For me, one of the perfect ways that I have learned to sharpen my sword is to retreat to a quiet place outside and to write music. Thankfully, this weekend gave me a couple of days to do just that. On Friday, I was able to bring my guitars out to my place and I was able to spend some nice quality time writing and enjoying the incredible weather. On Saturday, I played a gig at noon and made it back out before sunset to enjoy some additional quiet time. On both occasions, I stayed until the sun was completely down and it was just awesome. Because of the new album, the promotions, the gigs and all of the webstuff that I have to do, I have not had any time to spend out writing. It was so good to be back in my element and I hope that I can find a few more of those days soon.

On Saturday, I played a solo acoustic gig for the Tangi Book Fest and it was very nice. I met a lot of nice people and enjoyed my time there. I got to play my new Manuel Patterson and that was a treat as I don't usually bring it to our normal gigs. Playing solo was a really cool experience and I enjoyed it. Congrats to all of the organizers of the Book Fest on putting a nice event together.

This week will be very busy as we have to prepare for Ponchatoula's Party In The Pits which will be held this coming Saturday, Oct 16th in downtown Ponchatoula. My Band is the featured entertainment. Prior to Saturday, I have to rework my entire sound setup to re-format our settings. Gonna be a busy week. I hope to get some promotional work done with Louisiana as well. There is just not enough time in the day.

Have a great week!!!!

Gregory

Monumental Moments

2010-10-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

For those who have the awesome responsibility of teaching each day, there are moments that occur when you are certainly convinced that the info you are sharing with your students will go immeasurably deeper into their future than you could ever imagine. In those moments, you suddenly realize that you are sharing facts or information with them that they had not yet been exposed to. If you are like me, then you can still remember a lot of those moments when you were in school and teachers shared stories or information with you that still seems fresh in your mind today.

Of course, I have a very unfair advantage over most teachers because I get the priviledge of sharing the greatest, most inpirational medium available........Music. My decision to return to the classroom was in large part due to the fact that I missed those moments and opportunities to share music with students. Today, because of my own music career, I have so much more to share and the opportunities mean even more to me now than they did before. This week offered me some of these aforementioned great opportunities and moments.

This week, in my Music Appreciation Classes, I introduced Jazz and taught about it's birth and history. I had the students explore the jazz combos and we discussed instrumentation extensively. We listened to Miles Davis, Dave Bruebeck, Sara Vaughn and Billie Holiday. With each selection, I realized that my students did not have a clue about any of it. Of course, I stopped and thought, what an honor to be the first person in the world to introduce this group of students to Miles Davis. For an educator, it doesn't get any better than that. I realize that for the rest of their lives they will always look back on the day that they heard Miles for the first time in Mr. Hayden's class. Pretty Awesome!!!

It has been a great week for me in so many ways! I am amazed at how life picks us up and moves us all around so unpredictably. It is all the more reason to live each day to it's fullest and to appreciate it for what it is. We never know or understand but sometimes things just seem to come and go so unexpectantly. Not to get to philosophical on you here but I think this aspect of life intrigues me now more than ever. In many ways, it seems like life is a bunch of short stories that play out in our lives each day. Whether it is our loved ones, jobs, friends or just life in general, Nothing stays the same! I am writing several songs right now on this same topic and I find it to be very Fascinating!

Short week this week so tomorrow, (Thursday) is really Friday for us. LP is out for the Parish Fair Friday. I hope to stop by and visit my Nesom Family Friday with copies of Weightless. I miss them all very much and when you work with a family for four years, it is hard to be away for too long. After that, I will be looking for a quiet spot in the cool fall breeze with my Manuel Patterson Cedar to do some long awaited writing. I am in NOLA Friday Night and playing solo Saturday at the Tangi Book Fest in Hammond where I will promote Weightless. Should be a great weekend!!

Enjoy your Day!

Gregory

A Mulligan Please???

2010-10-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, I need a mulligan on yesterday's missing blog. I know that this week I made a pledge to try and post something each day, but yesterday was absolutely the busiest for me and posting was just not possible. Thanks for the Mulligan!!

I played the Tangi Parish Fair Thursday and it was a great evening to play outside because it was so cool. Ben Husser, a really nice guy, ran sound for us as his company provided sound and lighting for the festival. After playing the gig, I talked with the band and we all agreed that Ben's equipment and mix was one of the best sound mixes that we have had in our three years together. Great Job Ben! Keep up the good work and I hope to work with you again soon.

On Friday, we drove over to Southdown in Folsom for Mike Ortner and Jessica Rigsby's wedding. The house, the property, the lake and the piney woods made the place absolutely beautiful. I played two songs for the ceremony and I played the reception with the band. It was a great evening and the folks there seemed to really know how to have a good time. I had the most fun meeting many of Mike and Jessica's friends on our breaks.

Mike and Jessica Ortner deserve a lot of credit for planning a refreshing and non-traditional wedding that seemed to make perfect sense. I am not a fan of cliche' and it was so nice to be at a wedding that lacked so many of the things that I always see as "silly rituals". It was also most refreshing that no one came up to me and asked me if I played Cupid Shuffle or Sweet Home Alabama. Actually, the music that Mike and Jessica requested to be played on our breaks ranged from Van Morrison to Dave Matthews and all of it was very tasteful. As I played the reception, I noticed that Mike and Jessica were visiting with their friends and family and enjoying the whole occasion. For my money, too many weddings are just filled with rituals that drag the bride and groom around a room throwing things and feeding each other cake. Again, it was just refreshing to see two people actually enjoy the company of each other and their family and friends. I know that Mike and Jessica are due for some much anticipated rest and they would not want to be disturbed, but, if you want to know how to put a wedding together with total class and tastefulness, I would definitely tell you that they are the couple to talk to. Congratulations to Mike and Jessica!!!

This week starts the promotion of my single, "Louisiana". We will be pushing it out to local radio and I will keep you posted on the call numbers and times. We are pushing to Hammond and Baton Rouge first. I will send updates on all of the playlist info as we get it.

Have a great weekend!!!
Gregory

The Elements

2010-09-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

So, this week, I have been teaching the Elements of Music to my Enrichment Music classes. Of course, the elements of music are rhythm, harmony, dynamics....etc. I explained to all of my students that all of the elements mix together to make great music but by themselves, they are just individual pieces. To illustrate this point, I shared a story with my classes about my late Grandmother, Louise Trowbridge Hayden and how she cooked so brilliantly for the Hayden family for years and years. I talked about her "World Famous Buttermilk Biscuits" that I sing about in my song on my new album called "The Hill". I described myself, as a college student, sitting in the kitchen trying to record the proper amounts of each ELEMENT that went into her magical recipes. It was always funny and she would just laugh at me because she never knew the exact amounts that went into her dishes. The students enjoyed the story and sharing it just got me thinking about Grandma and how special she was to all of us.

If you had any thoughts of eating at Jesse and Louise's house, well, you would have had to have been there at 6 AM, 12 PM or 6 PM. This was a religious tradition with my Grandmother and if you weren't there, well, you just missed the meal. My Grandmother was very structured with everything she chose to do and you weren't going to drop by and pick her up unannounced to just go somewhere. No, you had to let her know and she had to make plans. It was structured oeveryday but in the world that we live in today, it now seems beautiful. Her devotion and dedication to being the absolute best person in the world and working so hard to make everyne happy was always evident to anyone who spent time with her. I can always remember the many times that she would cook and work her magic while we were loving it, and she would say........."I don't think I made it as well as I have before". She was amazing and I can now see that her purpose in life was being fulfilled each day by serving her family in so many ways. It was an artform that unfortunately seems to be lost today with so many. Most of us are so busy running the races that we couldn't dream of a life as simple as the one that she lived just a little more than ten years ago. It is staggering to think about and the comparison to my own life and how busy I am is incredible.

On that note, I taught a full day, then picked up a set of lights for the gigs this weekend. I have lots of prep work to do tonight to prepare for the performances this weekend. Wow, I sure could use a quiet day with one of those lunches that my Grandmother would fix each day during the summer with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, peas and a big cold glass of her great Iced Tea. Wow, I sure do miss her!!

Have a great day!!!

Gregory

The Pretender

2010-09-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

"I'm going to rent myself a house, in the shade of the freeway,

Gonna pack my lunch in the morning and go to work each day.

And when the evening comes around, I'll go on home and lay my body down.

And when the morning light, comes streaming in, I'll get up and do it again.........Amen!"

The Pretender

Jackson Browne

The preceding excerpt is probably one of my favorite verses in all of music where none other than the great Jackson Browne so accurately describes so many of us each day as we run the race together back and forth to work over and over. Hopefully, you are as fortunate as I am and you love where you work each day, but it should be noted that JB wasn't referring to us hating our jobs, just the fact that we race sometimes frantically for what he describes in his song as "The Legal Tender".

I think this is one of the most brilliant descriptions of what being stuck in middle class peer pressure is all about. Working, running, planning and consuming ourselves with things to keep up with the expectations of so many. Driving the same roads each day, punching the same clocks each afternoon with no thought of adventure or escape other than a pizza and a movie on Friday. Or, if you are one of the religious purple and gold fans, then a party on gamedays with plenty to eat before kick-offs make the rented house in the freeway all worth it. It is certainly a choice that we all make and most of us never stop to ask why. JB gave us a lot of food for thought with his writing of this song and nothing is more telling than the title of it.........The Pretender...............Kind of says it all! Jackson Browne is one of my favorite songwriters and I absolutely wore out my first copy of his greatest hits. If you haven't heard his music, you should treat yourself.

In GH Music News, I have two gigs this weekend, Tangi Fair in Amite - Thursday, 8:00-10:00 P.M. and a Private Party in Folsom on Friday. I should be receiving Radio and TV Promo Packages tomorrow and plans are underway for us to release the Louisiana Video and to start our push to TV and Radio....should be interesting. Cd Sales are going well and my cds can now be purchased at several retail outlets that are listed on my webpage at http://www.greghaydenmusic.com/. All of my songs from Weightless will be added to Itunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and other digital distribution outlets in the next few weeks. I will let you know when the files are put up for purchase.

Ok, I was told and advised to be consistent with my blogs so that I can keep everyone posted, so, I will do better and I will make the time to post something.

I hope you all have a great day!!!

Gregory

Fall Favorites

2010-09-22T18:02:00.000-07:00

It is my favorite time of year.....the beginning of the Fall Season. I look forward to so many things in the fall each year. I am a jacket/sweater kind of guy who likes the cooler weather. I also like that all of the grass slows down and when my family ran our golf course for years, the fall was always a welcomed break from cutting acres of grass. I also like the smell in the air when the first cool fronts make their way down to South Louisiana. It is an awesome time of year that I always look forward to.

On the music front, we are currently preparing to mail out large numbers of Radio and TV Promo Packets for Louisiana, the 3rd song on Weightless. I gave the song to one DJ here in Hammond and he has played the song repeatedly on his show each day. We are looking forward to pushing Louisiana out as far as we can.

This coming weekend will be the first in a while that I will be off. I am planning to go hear some friends play in Ponchatoula Friday night and I am hoping to get some writing done Saturday and Sunday. I am eager to get back in my studio to track some demos that I want to get finished. Of course, as I have said many times in my blogs, song writing is the reason that I am in this business so I am eager to get back to work writing. I hear that Sunday may bring one of the cool fronts our way so if I am lucky, I can get the best of both worlds, songwriting in cooler weather.

Hope you have a great day!!!!
Gregory

Full Circle......

2010-09-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

So, I have been on a lot of stages in the last four years of this journey. From small rooms with 15 people listening, to big stages in cities like Baton Rouge where folks were spread out down city blocks listening and enjoying the music. I've been lucky enough to play lots of festivals and events that brought large numbers out to hear the music. It has been a journey that already leaves me with hundreds of stories and memories that none could take away. This morning in a conversation with my bass player, I told him that I now realize that this music journey really has little to do with the venues or the crowds that you see, but more to do with the experiences that each bring to you as an artist. If not for the early coffee shop gigs that I played four years ago when I started, I would not be able to stand where I am today. Music Degree or not, legitimate or not, those are doors that every artist worth his or her salt must walk through. For some, that is smoke filled bar rooms, for others, it may be talent shows or charity events but every artist has to walk through those doors. In many ways, those trips through those doors determine whether you have the drive to push on even though you find yourself in places that you may think you are better than. It is a challenge but one that I now realize helped me to get wherever it is that I am now. I have only started the journey and I have a long way to go but I can tell that the experiences have all been very valuable.

Last night, we arrived in NOLA at The Neutral Ground Coffee House about 9. Cary Riche and Clay Wilson made the trip and played the gig with me. We went in to check it out and it was big time retro with a cool vibe that was unlike any place that I had ever played. From beads hanging in doorways to Beatles Posters on the wall, it was all throw-back and very sweet. The walls were solid wood and there were folk instruments hanging all over the room. It is definitely my kind of joint. PA was already set up and the stage area was really nice with most of what you need just to plug up and play. There was a guy singing a Dylan tune when we walked in. Perfect!!!

Across the street from the Neutral Ground was Newman High School where the Manning boys all went and played football. There was a game ending shortly after we got there and lots of traffic around. We had an hour to kill before we went on so we threw my tailgate down where we were parked across the street and pulled out the acoustic guitars and started playing. We were doing a trio acoustic version of Paul Simon's Slip Slidin Away as people walked by and nodded as to say......"Very Nice". It was fun and a great experience all the way around. Our performance turned out great and we loved the place. I have two more performances scheduled there this fall and I am really looking forward to going back. BTW, if you are in the neighborhood, they also make a great Iced Latte.

While my mission to promote my music requires me to play big stages like the many events that we have booked this fall, I have just come home to realize that my favorite is a quiet coffee shop where people are zoned in on every lyric to your music as opposed to raising a toast to a great guitar riff or a good drum beat. There is a purity and an innocence about playing your songs on your acoustic in a setting like The Neutral Ground. When I started this journey, I did not know how special those settings were but after walking through the doors that I have, I really enjoy and appreciate it now more than ever. I have shows like the Neutral Ground booked in Ashville, North Carolina in November and I am really looking forward to playing them.

Having said all of that, we just got a call confirming that we will be the featured band at the Ponchatoula Chamber of Commerce's Party In The Pits this fall on October 16th. We also recently got named as the Featured Band at the Dutch Battle Memorial Ride and Gumbo Cook-off which will be held this fall in downtown Hammond. Both of these are big events with lots of promotion and exactly the opposite of last night's Neutral Ground booking.

Last night inspired my bass player, Cary, and he phoned me this morning with an idea that I really think he stole from me to start an Original Music Night somewhere in the Hammond, La area for singer/songwriters to play their songs. We would like to find a nice place to build a venue and a community of singer/songwriters and fans of singer/songwriters to come out on a monthly basis to enjoy great original music. We are developing the idea but I really like it and when I get the Weightless Release behind me, I will start working on this idea.

Ok, lengthy today but I had a lot to say. Hopefully you read it all!!! Our Release has been scheduled for next Saturday, Sept 11th, with Budweiser and LaCarreta of Hammond as our sponsors. I will blog in more detail about this event as the week progresses.

Have a terrific day!

Gregory

Rained Out and Postponed

2010-08-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

Well, in five months of preparation, I knew that there would be several xfactors where the Cd Release Event could be postponed or delayed. Rain was always the biggest concern, especially since we were planning it in Aug, the height of Hurricane season. What we feared happened and a small tropical disturbance churned all day south of us and the forecast was for rain.

Our sponsors, Budweiser and La Careta, did not feel comfortable holding the event with the forecast being what it was. So, around 2:30, we decided to postpone to Sept 11th. The real work began after that when we had to spend the entire evening letting people know. It was crazy and not at all the day that I was expecting. I woke up Sat excited about the event and full of anticipation only to end the day pretty bummed out.

There are some advantages to pushing back and we did hear from a lot of people who said that they were glad that it had been moved because the new date, Sept 11th, worked better for them.
We have a lot of work to do to prepare for the 11th but a lot of the production work is done because we were set to go yesterday.

I will make several appearances on local radio over the next two weeks to keep the promotions up and I am booked to play in New Orleans this weekend. I will go ahead and play the New Orleans show this weekend.

I want to say thank you to those of you who made plans to be at the release party. I hope that the 11th works for you and I look forward to FINALLY releasing Weightless.

In other news, I released my first music video today on youtube and facebook.

Here is the link! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SXOW3UYTSc

Have a great day!!!

Dang....That is my Song Playing!!!

2010-08-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. So, yeah, I know I promised to blog more this week but whew.......this has been the craziest week for all of us preparing for the Cd Release Saturday. There has literally been something to do every hour. Having said that, I had to find a few minutes to blog tonight about my experience today.

I went yesterday to Tangi 96.5 and taped an interview with a wonderful guy, Al Toups, who DJs as The Bayou Wolfman. Al agreed to have me on and to play Louisiana, from the new cd. I met him about 5 P.M. and we recorded the interview. Al set up the time for the interview and song to play where my schedule would allow me to listen.

So, after my fourth hour class exited my band hall, I grabbed my keys and headed out to my truck. Because I was in Denham Springs, the station was going in and out. So, I drove around in our parking lot until I found a place where I could listen and hear the signal clearly. I am sure that some people must have been mused by me driving around the parking lot seemingly with no purpose. When I stopped, I turned up the volume and listened to Louisiana. I can't describe the feeling of sitting there listening to my song play on the air waves. It was awesome and it charged me up to get ready for a huge marketing campaign which will include us pushing Louisiana and the project in many different directions. After sitting there today, I am energized to work even harder. I got a taste of what that felt like and I liked it a lot.

Tomorrow is the big day and months of planning has gone into preparing for this event. I hope the weather holds and everyone who comes out really enjoys their evening at the Weightless Release. Hope to see you there.

Gregory

Final Approach

2010-08-22T19:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! We are almost home and I am feeling it for sure. The days are filled with so much to do before the release and I am literally having to plan each day very strategically to get everything done. From Sound and Lighting systems to press submissions to rehearsals to invitations.......the list just goes on and on.

Budweiser picked up my event and is now our sponsor along with La Careta of Hammond. This is awesome because they will bring out all of their nice covered tents and canopies for the event. I was very pleased to get this news yesterday.

Yesterday, my brother-in-law emailed me and suggested that we may need an alternate version of Louisiana for Radio Format and play. So, I emailed my engineer with the idea and within a few hours we were contacting Ben Manuel to help us track the radio version to Louisiana. We started tracking about 8:30 and I drove into my driveway this morning at 4:00 A.M. Needless to say, I am very tired today but I had so much to do that I just had to keep plugging along. We were able to get a good alternate version of Louisiana and I will have it played this week on 96.5 and 107.1 in Hammond, La.

This week ahead will be filled with interviews, TV Shows and printed press submissions in preparation for next Saturday's release. After a whole summer of hard work and two years of writing music, I am almost home. At this point, I am really looking forward to playing my music and getting all of the busy work done. Tonight, I got the opportunity to perform Macy's Dream for about 40 Teenagers who were totally zoned into the song and the lyrics. I played my new Manuel Patterson Cedar Top with no amplification in a smallish room. It was perfect and just good music without any artificial additions. That is the way I like it.

Ok, I have several things to do before crashing and preparing for the week ahead. I will blog throughout the week about the developments as we draw closer to Saturday. Pray for good weather and make plans to come out and celebrate with us. See you soon!

Gregory

26 Days and Counting

2010-08-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been an incredibly busy and eventful summer for me. I am off to prepare my new band hall at Juban Parc for the new school year. After working in administration for four years, I am very excited about the opportunity to teach again, especially music. I don't know this for sure, but I get the picture that a lot of people get up everyday and do things they just have to do to make a living. I have always been very lucky in being able to do something that I love so much, which is music. I am also excited about having the opportunity of teaching now that I have pursued my songwriting and music with all of my energy. I really launched myself into the music right about the same time that I went into administration so it will be awesome now to be able to share my story and stories with the students that I am honored to teach. I hope to be a living example to them of what they can do if they follow their dreams and passions. I can't wait!!!

After a full day of prep at the new school, I will have a short break and Casey and I will go back to work on Weightless tonight. We are close to being done with three songs, Disappear, Ghostly Writer and Time. All three of these are very close to being done. Believe it or not, we are just 26 Days from the release of Weightless. I pushed back a week and I am opting for a quicker pressing turn around in New Jersey in order to give Casey adequate time to work his magic in mixing the project. We put so much into the production of this that I am determined to get the mixes where we are both very satisfied. As I stated before, you could have the finest musicians in the world play on your album but if the mix is bad, then the album is bad. This project turned out to be huge in scope with all of the people that I brought in to play on it.

So, this will be a tough week for us to work the seven songs remaining in a very limited time frame but we will get it done. Gotta run, busy day ahead!

Before I go, just a line for you from a new song that I am writing:

Stop and think it over,
Before you waste away the day
And when you swim in the ocean
Always look for diamonds along the way!

Jesse Hayden, my grandfather, was and still is legendary to me. He was absolutely the biggest and most positive influence in my life. When I would be running my race each day, occasionally, I would stop for coffee with him. I would begin to tell him about everything that was going in my life and he would so eloquently say......."Boy, You Need To Stop And Smell The Roses".

Well Said Pop!!!! Thanks so much!!! Your words are with me everyday!!!!

Gregory

July 29th, 2010

2010-07-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

Well, as expected, we mixed until 1 this morning and I didn't get to sleep until about 2:30 A.M. I think music charges me up and it takes me a while to get settled after mixing and listening all night. It was a very productive night and we finished Ghostly Writer. We automated the vocal lines and tweaked the EQ on the whole thing. Casey and I are both very pleased and Ghostly is pretty much ready for mastering. For the record, Casey says that on average, a song takes about two to three hours to mix.......Ghostly Writer.......10 hours and still counting. It is an incredible production with some serious instrumentation.

Ghostly Writer is the most RAW, IN YOUR FACE, song that I have ever written. My purpose was to write it that way and to paint the darkest picture to follow the text. I am very happy with it. After listening to it through last night, Casey used the term Epic to describe it.

Tonight, we are on to the next songs and Time will probably be first since we have already mixed on it. I love this song because the rhythms and instrumentation make it so tasteful. I am most pleased with the production of it. Time is written where Time is the person and I am speaking to him by saying......when I was young.....you were so slow.....but now you've run away and left me all alone..... The thought here is of how time changes throughout our lives and as we grow older we chase what was always right in front of us.......Time!!!

After being up late last night mixing, I attended a workshop early this morning in Livingston Parish where I am now Band Directing again at my new school (Juban Parc) in Denham Springs.....back to my first love....music. I was tired this morning but I made it through the workshop without dozing off. I ran errands in Baton Rouge all afternoon and I am hoping to catch a small power nap before getting ready to head back to the studio for another night of intense mixing.

We are on a mission to finish all of the songs by next week. It is going to take a lot of hours but we are definitely going to get it done. I will keep you posted.

Have a wonderful day!

Gregory

Wednesday, July 28th

2010-07-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

As expected, we mixed until 2 O'clock this morning. It was a long night, but a very productive one. We worked Ghostly Writer, a dry, dark ballad that I wrote four months ago and it truly evolved into one of the most intriguing entries on this project. I actually ditched two acoustic ballads that I originally thought would be on this project for this one. Casey and I love the song because it breaks convention and artistically speaking, is a homerun. It started out as a simple, dark folk tune and 30 tracks later grew into a truly remarkable piece of work full with a violin trio and at least a dozen finger picking acoustic lines. Absolutely beautiful!

Our mixing sessions are sort of serve and volley where we bounce things off of each other and Casey presents options and choices for us to make. We have a good chemistry working together and last night we went back and forth on tweaking the vocals for Ghostly until we could find the perfect sounds.

I took a copy of Ghostly Writer home last night and made a list of detailed notes for us to go by in our mixing session tonight. This is absolutely the most important phase of the entire project. I listen to every word of every song for mistakes, intonation issues, pronunciation problems and more. We hope to finish Ghostly tonight, go back and re-track some vocals on Time and maybe jump into mixing either The Hill or Wouldn't Change A Thing.

I approved the final Proofs of the Artwork today and my art designer uploaded the files this afternoon. From here, I will receive a final set of proofs from Discmakers to approve. Once this happens, we will be a go with pressing as soon as the master is done and shipped.

One thing occurs to me each night that I work and drive away at 2 in the morning........When this project is done, people will pop the cd in a player or hit the mp3s and say....."Hmm Nice Music". It is just not possible for anyone to even begin to know about the amount of work that goes into something like this. But, isn't that always the story when something is written or created, the real story is always a mystery and the only ones who ever realize the work are the ones who wrote or created it. Kind of interesting!

Ok, another long night ahead, I will update you tomorrow on our progress.

Have a great day!

The Home Stretch

2010-07-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

We are almost home! After three months of late night/early morning recording sessions, we are finally mixing down and mastering. Last night, we worked three hours on Time (the first song on the cd) and I watched Casey Campbell, (My Engineer) take it a part note by note to perfect it. Mixing is the absolute MOST important part of an album's production. You could have the finest musicians in the world playing on your album but if the mix is bad, then the album will be bad and all will notice. As I watched Casey work his magic last night, I thought about me mixing my first project (Directions) and how glad I was to have someone else mixing this one. It is brutal to try to mix a project that you write/record and produce yourself. I made the absolute best decision by hiring Casey and while I will always be involved in the mixes of my albums, I will never try to mix solo again. There are just too many advantages to having someone else mix your creation.

An engineer's mix is a lot like a painter's canvas where there are many choices to be made through-out the entire process. There are literally thousands of tools and techniques which ultimately transform the over all impression of the songs. So, the best engineers (Like Casey)are just like the best artist where they have ultimate command over the direction that they want to take with each individual song and they do it brilliantly. I have enjoyed watching the process and hearing my songs come to life. It's awesome!!!

We are set to work late nights through-out the week to make our deadline of Aug 2nd. After mixing and mastering, the project will head to New Jersey for pressing and production and then return to us around Aug 23rd, just in time for the launch. I will keep you posted through-out the week on how the mixes are going!

It has been a long road to get here, but I am more than thrilled to see the end in sight. Weightless features songs that I have written as recent as four months ago along with songs that I wrote three years ago. The varying styles of the songs will tell the tale of how my writing has evolved since my first album was produced. I can't wait to share it with the world and to put this busy summer behind me.

Have a Great Day!!!

Macy's Dream

2010-07-19T14:46:00.000-07:00

I never considered myself a "Dog Lover", especially not one inside of my house. But, then came Macy, our two year old black Maltipoo who is now officially a member of the Hayden family. I am not a fan of animals being inside and I only agreed to getting Macy when I realized that she doesn't shed. Since Macy joined the family, I have noticed that my perceptions of dogs have really changed. She is such a part of the family and her playfulness and spirit have become part of our home. She is always present and always loving and kind to every person she meets.

Macy spends the majority of her time sitting in our bay window in the breakfast room at our house. She spends countless hours watching the street, the yard and the passers by from her spot in the window. Of course, Macy takes long walks in the evenings and sees all of her friends along the way. Nothing makes her happier than a nice walk early in the morning or late in the evening.

Macy is also the happiest dog in the world when any of us leave and return. Actually, I could drive down the road, turn around and come back, and you would think that I had just returned from a month long vacation. She jumps, barks and loves you everyday no matter what the weather or the mood is.....kind of makes me think about lessons that I could learn from Macy. I am sure that many of you who read this blog either have now, or have had dogs in the past that have played very important roles in your lives.

Having said all of that, I didn't blog today about Macy just for the sake of telling you about her, but instead to tell you about the new song that I wrote called "Macy's Dream". I finished the demo version in my studio yesterday and I loaded it on to my website, (www.greghaydenmusic.com) . I was going to wait but I liked it so much that I just wanted to share it with all of my friends.

The song is written from Macy's perspective as she sits in the "Window for Hours" dreaming of running and being free. I guess we all dream of something and for Macy and millions of other dogs in the world, it's just freedom, plain and simple. When I wrote the song, I just thought about how dogs love their homes, yet all of them, given the chance, would take off and never look back. So, the chorus says "It's not that I don't like it here, It's just something in me". How many of us have stories of having to go chase our favorite dogs when they were running away? As much as she loves us, if the gates were open and the time was right, she would run for days.

I hope you enjoy the song and if you have a puppy or a dog, I hope it makes you think of them and what their lives must be like each day as they "Sit By The Window and Dream"

Have a Wonderful Day!

Alexander's Feast

2010-07-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

So, it's Friday, and we worked last night and into this morning and finished about 1 a.m. We had a very productive session with finishing details on Louisiana, Time and Ghostly Writer. This now brings the total of the finished songs (minus vocals) to six. We have finishing touches to still do on Wouldn't Change A Thing, The Hill, Hey Babe and Weightless. We hope to get Ben Manuel in for a session to do some electric guitar and mandolin work, then we just have vocals left. We will hopefully get really close to wrapping up tracking on the project next week.

One of the most intriguing songs on this project actually came to life right at the beginning of this production. Casey, my producer, told me that some of the best songs that he has seen artists write are often written during the production of an album. Maybe it is the inspiration of being in the studio and hearing your music come to life. I don't know, but Ghostly Writer was written right at the beginning of this whole production. I liked it so much, that I ditched other songs for it and it made the cut for Weightless. I had 17 songs written and ready to record but I only intended to use 10. Today, it no longer serves a purpose for an artist to jam 15 songs on a cd because people are buying songs one at a time on digital distribution sites like Itunes, Rhapsody and such. So, I settled with ten and Ghostly Writer slipped in right at the end. I liked including it on the project because I believe that it shows my range as a songwriter and it provides a stark contrast to many of the songs on Weightless.

Last night, as I was adding parts to Ghostly Writer and listening to Jivka's violin trio in my ear, I was suddenly brought back on stage to the Ralph Pottle Music Auditorium at SLU Music School where I was singing a solo in Handel's Alexander's Feast while the legendary, Bob Weatherly conducted the pit orchestra. Isn't it funny how our influences and experiences end up surfacing down the road in our writings and creativity. The string movements in this song really bring a Baroque feel to this dry, dark, folk song. Of course, when I sat down with my Taylor to write this song, I never had any intentions of making it Baroquish, but that is the beauty of production in music.

One of the things that make me so fond of Ghostly Writer is that I wrote it in an hour. A lot of my songs are written sometimes over days or weeks as I progress through ideas. Ghostly Writer came quickly and I went with my first instincts and stuck with it. The lyrics are hard hitting, raw and in your face.

Verse 1 - There's No Love, When You're In The Darkness,
Just a Side of Fries and a Long Slim Jim
There's No Morning, And No Tomorrow,
Just The Circus That I'm Living In

When people ask me about the deep meaning in the lyrics, I will probably laugh (inside) and make up some philosophical reason all the while knowing that I just went with my instincts on what the words should be and I stuck with them. Directions featured no songs like this but this is where my musical taste and style in writing has changed and I can't wait to share it.

Have a great day!!!
Gregory

Florida Parishes TV

2010-07-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends,

I met yesterday with Florida Parishes Television to plan a five episode series on my music, my studio, my new project, my songwriting and my life in music. The series will air this summer leading up to the Weightless release. Each episode will last for 30 minutes and each one will be filmed on different locations. The show will be seen in Tangipahoa and Livingston Parishes and will be accessible online daily from FPTV's website. This is an incredible promotional opportunity for me to push the new songs out. I am really looking forward to it. We begin shooting episode one next week.

We tracked Accordion and Violin Tuesday and we worked until 2 in the morning. Those late nights/early mornings have become common as we draw near to the end of this project. As I said earlier in one of my previous blogs, I am generally an Early In the Morning type of person so the two and three in the morning sessions have been rough, but all part of getting the job done.

This week, we track electric guitar, piano fills and we will finish with vocals all next week. Needless to say, I will constantly be close to water and lemons next week in an effort to keep the pipes clean and free. After that, Weightless is off to editing, mixing and mastering and then off to New Jersey for about four weeks for pressing before returning in Aug for the big release. We are close to the end.

I should have the new song loaded onto my new site in the next day or so. Of course, it has no name and that is where I will need your help in NAMING THE SONG. Stay Tuned!!! Have a great day!!!

Name The Song

2010-07-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

Hey folks! Today's entry will be on the shortish side as I am pressed for minutes today preparing for a recording session this evening. Tonight, we track Jivka Jeleva, who will play violin/viola on the project. I have planned for Jivka to record on three songs and her playing should absolutely put the icing on the cake in each song. Jivka is a very talented player and she teaches violin at Southeastern's Music School. The great thing about Jivka is that she is an award winning fiddler as well as a skilled classical violinist. My songs will require both styles as Louisiana will feature fiddle playing and Ghostly Writer and Time will feature a classical style of playing.

Tonight, we will also track a very talented musician that I had the pleasure of meeting recently while playing at one of the festivals with my band. Ernie Wilkinson will track accordion parts tonight at the session. Ernie is the leader of an authentic cajun band known as Hot Sauce. They play a busy schedule across South Louisiana. Ernie will bring a real Louisiana flavor to my song Louisiana.

Lastly, I spent 12 hours this weekend in my studio, (not where I am recording Weightless) and I finished a demo copy of a new song. I have not named it. I recorded all of the parts myself and created an atmosphere on the recording that I think most will find very interesting. My plan is to get back in my studio tomorrow to do some editing and then to load it on to my new website where I will ask my fans to listen to it and name it. This should be a cool experience and one that I am looking forward to. I will keep you posted on the progress but I hope to have it up in the next day or so.

People who frequent my site at www.greghaydenmusic.com will notice that I will be loading new songs very often from now on. As I write them and complete them in my studio, I will be loading them up on the site and putting them up for sale as MP3s. In the future, I will combine the ones that got the best reviews for future projects. The days of waiting two years for a cd to be completed are coming to an end. Welcome to the new world in music sales.

Mixing The Gumbo

2010-06-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! It has been a few days since I have posted. My days are busier than ever now as we draw closer to the release of the new project, Weightless.

Anyone who resides or has spent anytime visiting in my home state of Louisiana certainly knows the value of a good bowl of seafood gumbo. These days, with the turbulence in the gulf, the value of gumbo or any other dish requiring fresh Louisiana seafood is way up.

When I got ready to build Weightless, I decided that I wanted to put it together like a good bowl of gumbo. I didn't want to fly solo in production and tracking. I wanted the input of other producers and musicians on this one. I felt like and feel like the songs on Weightless are my best writing to date and I wanted to give the songs everything that they deserved. Like a good bowl of seafood gumbo, production in music is the same in every aspect. Too much of one thing can spoil the entire production. I wanted to bring in studio quality musicians to play all of the parts live in the studio. So, Casey Campbell, my talented producer, has worked with me in hiring and bringing in some of the most talented players to contribute to this project. Casey and I sat down and had long conversations in pre-production work as we decided which instruments would best compliment the writing.

So, if after August 28th, the Weightless Release, you should decide that you are interested in producing a project with the same flavor as mine, here is your recipe:

Greg Hayden (Writer, Co-Producer, Guitars, Piano, Organ, Vocals, Perc)
Casey Campbell, (Producer, Engineer, Acoustic and Electric Guitar)
Ben Manuel (Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin)
Ray Carr (Bass Guitar)
Jemario (Bubba) Gros (Drums)
Scott Eisenogle (Acoustic Upright Bass)
Jivka Jeleva (Violin)
Ernie Wilkinson (Accordion)
Cary Riche (Back-up Vocals)

I am very proud of the many flavors that have gone into this work and I can't wait to hear the finished product. The musicians who played are all from different backgrounds and their styles vary from Classical to Bluegrass to Cajun/Zydeco to Folk. In the end, I am certain that Emeril himself would be most pleased with this recipe!!!

Off To Record

2010-06-26T05:05:00.000-07:00

Weightless is progressing with each session. I thought I would post a short blog this morning before heading off to record. Today's session starts at 8.

Weightless has ten tunes and while they aren't exactly the ones that I thought for two years would make the cut, along with my producer, I believe that the line up is my best effort so far. Click Your Heels, Louisiana, Weightless, Wouldn't Change A Thing, The Hill, Disappear, Ghostly Writer, Cloudy Days, Time and Hey Babe are the ten that made the cut. Speaking of Hey Babe, I loaded a demo version that I had recorded earlier this year at my studio on to my new website @ www.greghaydenmusic.com and it plays when you hit the site. Of course, this is not the finished version but it is a good example of what you will hear on this project. When you hear it, you will instantly be able to tell the difference in feel between Weightless and Directions. More on that subject later. Anyway, I had sixteen songs ready to record on this project but I was only looking to use the ten that best complimented each other in subject and style.

Some of the tunes were written right after Directions was released three years ago and others like Hey Babe were written just months ago. The hardest part for me is to settle on which tunes to choose because my taste and style in writing is always evolving. I guess that is natural with any songwriter.

Most of the tunes are blocked in and we are down to recording counter melodies, fill instruments and vocals for the next weeks until we reach the finish line. Our release is scheduled for August 28th and there is no moving it. Ok, short today, but I have to get rolling to the studio. I will blog again soon with an update on our progress from today's session.

Have a terrific day!

Early In The Morning

2010-06-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

Early In The Morning
6/23/10

So, this morning, like many mornings for me now, I woke up just before 5:00 A.M. It was still dark out and as I got up I asked myself a question……..Greg, what are you doing up? After all, it’s 5:00 A.M., there is no school today and this is summer vacation. Then, I had a very specific thought……..How many days in our lives do we really get to spend being awake, alert and observant of all that is going on around us at the start of our days? The answer…..not many!

So, I rose and walked to my bay window in my dining room and observed what was going on. I could barely see the light peaking through what looked like clouds. Moments later, I heard a loud sound of rain pounding on my patio. I thought, could it be raining this early? I walked out and sure enough, it was flooding but only for a few minutes. It was cool and it almost seemed like the perfect irrigation system that quickly watered creation and subsided within minutes. As the rain ended and the light became more apparent, I walked out to observe. As I walked down my driveway and out to the street, I only saw one paper and wondered where the other was. Suddenly, an old car comes speeding by, the horn blew, the driver waved and the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate landed by my foot. I waved back, reached down, grabbed the paper and thought……..Nice Arm Dude!

If you are like me, during the work days of the year, I hardly take notice of what is happening around me early in the mornings because I am usually on a mission to reach my destination. Once I leave for work, my mind is off to the races with the challenges of the day. It was a crazy thought this morning, but I really asked myself, how many sunrises have I actually witnessed taking in all that is around me void of the everyday distractions? The answer for me is very few. This morning, I stopped and asked myself, “How many are we guaranteed to have”?

Recently, my very talented producer/engineer, Casey Campbell, turned me on to a couple of really talented singer/songwriters from the Nashville area that write and produce music that is similar to mine. One of these artists that I have become a big fan of is Andrew Osenga. On my laptop, where I do a lot of work and writing, I have several of Andrew’s songs in my Itunes library and I seem to play one of his songs titled Early In The Morning more than any other. In this song, Andrew’s keen observations of this time of day come to life as he describes the minute details of the sun rising and all that we have to be thankful for. It is stirring, inspirational, brilliantly designed and well produced. My favorite line from the tune comes at the end where Andrew refers to time and says….”Let us not take this for granted”. Andrew’s simple, yet brilliant melodic interpretation of this quiet, undisturbed time of day is perfect. As a songwriter, my goal is to always take the listener to the place where the song inspired me and to deliver the message with an accurate musical interpretation. Andrew perfects this in Early In The Morning. If you have not had the pleasure of hearing Andrew’s music, then you should treat yourself and check it out.

Who knows what tomorrow brings, but if starts in anyway like today did, maybe I will be fortunate enough to rise Early In The Morning and see it all again……

You can check out Andrew’s music at www.andrewosenga.com

Have a great day!

BAAM

2010-06-22T15:07:00.001-07:00

Blog entry
6/22

Baam

So…….you want to be a musician? Stand on stage and perform? Write music and sell cds? Well, you better bring your “A” game, come early and plan on staying very late.
After teaching and performing music my entire life and three years of working as a singer/songwriter in the music business, I can tell you that it is much like any profession that you enter where success is rewarded by hard work, patience, resolve, confidence and an honest approach to the whole venture. Being honest with yourself is without a doubt the most important attribute that any musician could have.
In my experience, I have found that knowing your goals and where you are interested in going as an artist is absolutely paramount to you not getting sucked in to the hype and smoke that often follows those who choose this Yellow Brick Road. From day one,to keep your sanity as an artist, you have to set measurable and attainable goals for yourself and steer clear of PIPE DREAMS that can set you up for ultimate failure.
On my journey, I have discovered milestones that are defining moments for me to measure my success. One example of this is where recently, I logged on to my Itunes account where my music is sold, while there, I discovered that I had sold a substantial amount of music through ITunesEurope this year. Also, a cd was ordered from my website and delivered to a Japanese Citizen in Tokyo, Japan who discovered me through my website. I have received complimentary emails from across the US where people have discovered my music.
I don’t know how anyone measures success, but for me, the thought of sitting on a lake right here in South Louisiana and writing songs that one day end up across the world is pretty awesome. For me, it feels like success and it fuels me to work even harder each day.
In my opinion, the only way to achieve success in this business is to work tirelessly at every part of it. In my case, it means writing songs, recording and co-producing a new cd, hiring a producer, hiring musicians, hiring a webmaster, promoting the new project, booking gigs, promoting the songs, myself and my band, rehearsing the band, playing gigs and most of all selling music.
So, you ready? Don’t let me scare you away! But, you should know that when you come to play in the music industry, you should bring your lunch pale and plan on staying a while. Posers need not apply and the weak ones just FADE AWAY (NPI) in the music industry’s version of Survival of the Fittest! Emeril calls it “BAAM, Taking it up a notch”. That is exactly what describes the attitude that drives success in the music business. BAAM!!! Bring it, or just stay home!!!
As I prepare to launch my second project, I feel like I have only started to learn about the business, but I can certainly say without a doubt that I now realize that the farther I go in the music business, the harder I have to work to reach my goals and to take it up a notch.....Baam!!!