I'm pretty sure that anyone who knows me personally has little doubt where I stand in the political queue... somewhere between the box office and the parking lot. If you stand on the north side of the line and face Mexico, then I'm not far from my car, as long as the box office is on the Pacific Ocean. Just testing your analytic geometry skills.
However, if you know me only from my musical performance, then my philosophy is, hopefully, nebulous at worst, opaque at best. This is no accident.
It's not for lack commitment. I started my political involvement by handing out campaign literature for Bobby Kennedy, poll watching for Eugene McCarthy, continuing through manning the phone bank for Obama. In between, many letters and phone calls to senators and representatives on both the state and federal level. I haven't done marching and demonstrating -- I'm just not a joiner.
When I'm on stage, I have one aim -- to entertain. Which is not to say that I compromise my integrity or hide my beliefs. You won't hear me playing Toby Keith, Lee Greenwood, or other jingoistic nonsense of those who pander to the Deplorables. But neither will you hear me incorporate overt liberal catch phrases into my lyrics. Either avenue is a cheap short cut.
I have written many songs that are complete escapist nonsense. Also, many country classics that I love are about as deep as a pie pan. Just entertainment -- that's all.
I'm ok singing lyrics that espouse traditional "conservative" values such as loyalty to family ("Mom and Dad's Waltz" - I owe my own parents a tremendous debt), honest spiritual beliefs (gospel music is the basis of much of the music that I love). Also, I sing and write songs about domestic violence. Such songs represent a long standing country tradition and the tunes I write or choose are about the tragedy and the futility, not the glamorization of these acts. At least one of my songs, "In My Hand", is both a "killin' song" and biblical! Two birds...
The songs that I'm most proud of are those that tell a story, including those killin' songs. I feel like the story told in "In My Hand" (which I also call "Adam and Eve with Guns"), is more effective at explaining my feelings about guns than a op-ed with a beat. "Bye Bye Bayou" is about a Cajun girl taking her life in her own hands and turning her back on social pressure... to me, this tale is more powerful than a non-fiction tome on gender equality recited over riffing guitars and fiddles. One sleeper is "The Right Direction" which actually contains the secret to enlightenment... all for the price of a tune! (Wow... THANKS, Jim!!!)
I've been told that writing with this paradigm does run the risk of my losing the listener. But I figure anyone who listens to my music is probably really smart, as well as beautiful and very nice.
However, if you know me only from my musical performance, then my philosophy is, hopefully, nebulous at worst, opaque at best. This is no accident.
It's not for lack commitment. I started my political involvement by handing out campaign literature for Bobby Kennedy, poll watching for Eugene McCarthy, continuing through manning the phone bank for Obama. In between, many letters and phone calls to senators and representatives on both the state and federal level. I haven't done marching and demonstrating -- I'm just not a joiner.
When I'm on stage, I have one aim -- to entertain. Which is not to say that I compromise my integrity or hide my beliefs. You won't hear me playing Toby Keith, Lee Greenwood, or other jingoistic nonsense of those who pander to the Deplorables. But neither will you hear me incorporate overt liberal catch phrases into my lyrics. Either avenue is a cheap short cut.
I have written many songs that are complete escapist nonsense. Also, many country classics that I love are about as deep as a pie pan. Just entertainment -- that's all.
I'm ok singing lyrics that espouse traditional "conservative" values such as loyalty to family ("Mom and Dad's Waltz" - I owe my own parents a tremendous debt), honest spiritual beliefs (gospel music is the basis of much of the music that I love). Also, I sing and write songs about domestic violence. Such songs represent a long standing country tradition and the tunes I write or choose are about the tragedy and the futility, not the glamorization of these acts. At least one of my songs, "In My Hand", is both a "killin' song" and biblical! Two birds...
The songs that I'm most proud of are those that tell a story, including those killin' songs. I feel like the story told in "In My Hand" (which I also call "Adam and Eve with Guns"), is more effective at explaining my feelings about guns than a op-ed with a beat. "Bye Bye Bayou" is about a Cajun girl taking her life in her own hands and turning her back on social pressure... to me, this tale is more powerful than a non-fiction tome on gender equality recited over riffing guitars and fiddles. One sleeper is "The Right Direction" which actually contains the secret to enlightenment... all for the price of a tune! (Wow... THANKS, Jim!!!)
I've been told that writing with this paradigm does run the risk of my losing the listener. But I figure anyone who listens to my music is probably really smart, as well as beautiful and very nice.
I left home at 15 and was married when I was 16. I joined the musician union when I was 13. Steve Hall booked my band. You were my boss for a while when I worked for Tide. I did some stuff. My politics are about individual liberty, so .... I don't vote for democrats or socialists. I always loved your tunes. Thanks. Stories are fun. I've got some software I'll send you in a bit.
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