My music life's new direction
A few months ago my daughter passed away. Since then, I have been evaluating what is really important me. I decided that getting my MA in Ancient and Classical History was soemthing I wanted to do. I enjoyed going to college later in life, studying what I love, and the benefits of getting my MA is that when I retire, I can teach part-time and along with my pension and my music life (more about that directly) I will be in pretty good shape.
I also decided that musically I have been running myself ragged and, like I did in 2012, am starting to feel the onset of burnout. The past 15 years I have been leading, fronting, constructing, marketing, promoting, organizing, singing, playing guitar, purchaseing PA gear, setting it up, running it, tearing it down, booking all the gigs (that alone will drive someone insane) and just a bunch of other things basically on my own. If you are a local musician, you know it is not a living and most venues still pay like it's 1985. I wanted to play as much as I could. And in the process completely wore myself out. Something had to change.
So, I decided that instead of being the busiest musician in town, I want to be be a musician for the rest of my life. That meant a change. First was choosing which groups were worthwhile, profitable, and not just filler. I cut those out. Then I decided on one bad (which we are long distances from each other) would only perform maybe 6 times a year and only at the places we already are well received and get paid accordingly. THat makes booking easy. Plus with that band, we never rehearse. We've had 2 rehearsals in 4 years, have well over 100 songs, and the other two guys just know how to play. Again, easy.
I hooked up with another guy that I will basically be his guitarist. Show up, play, easy peasy. After that, everything else was shut down. However, I decided that the solution to my burnout wasnt that I was playing too much, it was that I was doing EVERYTHING! So, I decided the freelance option was the way to go. I play guitar, bass and can sing. I basically offered my services as a fill-in. I have been playing over 40 years and most of the stuff the bands are doing locally I have played 100 times over. I know the material or at least have the skills to learn quickly and come prepared.
That has been a huge move.
My August was initially at 3 gigs this month. Since last week it has filled to 8 as well as further gigs in September and October. I'm filling in on bass for one local band, filling in guitar/vocals for another, and around October a band in the region has already rached out and told me they will be needing someone on bass for gigs after that and would I be interested.
My calendar is filling up, but the beauty is, the majority of these gigs I show up, set up my rig, play, get paid, go home. THAT is what I am talking about. No stress, no extra work, no being in charge. Show up, play music, go home. Sweet.
My remaining boys are grown, one is married, home owner, and is financially well off. My youngest in in college, but lives with roommates, works a job, and is doing pretty doggone good. I'm divorced and live alone. at 60, I can now just focus on ME. Music has, and always will be a very present thing for me. It is in my DNA. History, education, critical thinking, seeking knowledge and deep thoughts about life, the universe and everything, along with my love of technology, has filled my life with enough hobbies to last a life time.
My daughters life was entirely too short. I wish she was here, to grow old and fill her life with the things that would have brought her happiness, just like mine does for me. But because she is not here to do that, I see that as a sign that I have right now, and that I need to live for right now.
Because I don't now how many more right nows I have left.