It’s tough. I won’t lie. It’s not easy to be a full-time artist. But it’s not like being a Marine. And it’s not like tarring highways or roofing houses. And it’s not like being a Mom. (not even close) My best friend is the father of 4 kids and is a fireman. His station gets … Read More
I used to look high and low for material. I would search hard to ideas upon which to build songs or stores. I don’t fight as hard anymore. Now I stand still more often, watching and listening. Franz Kafka (pictured above) wrote it like this: “You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at … Read More
In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert is winsome and charming. She is also transparent and earnest. This feels like a book written by someone who has done hard work, grown and isn’t embarrassed in the least about her process. I didn’t love it. But I did like it and think it’s worth reading. SOME SPECIFICS: … Read More
You know those dramatic stories of artists who smoke and drink and binge an stay up all night and ruin their lives on the way to creating? Yeah… don’t emulate those. On the whole, I think healthy people make healthy art. I think the art you make is an outpouring of who you are. And while … Read More
Full disclosure: I’m a Derek Sivers fan. I think he’s brilliant and I’m super thankful for his work. Truth is, had he not invented CD Baby, I’d likely not have made a living as a performing singer/songwriter. This book is, as it turns out, is a memoir of sorts, tracing the history and philosophy behind … Read More
I picked up the Star Wars digital release and immediately jumped to the iTunes extras and searched for the 1-hr behind-the-scenes documentary called “Secrets of Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey.” Honestly, I’d have paid the $19.95 just for that 1-hr. From Daisy Ridley’s audition footage to JJ Abrams’ reaction to shooting Han and Chewie’s classic … Read More
I would suggest that Dr. King’s ideas didn’t change history. Instead, the expression of those ideas, in practice and in form – in marches and essays and in speeches and in film, changed history. So long as those ideas remained in his mind, they’d have been beautiful and inspiring but rather useless. Dr. King had … Read More
A lot of conversation goes into deciphering what makes Taylor Swift special. She’s charming and beautiful and has a phenomenal team behind her. But I’ll be honest and say that none of that matters as much as this: Her songs are good. The lesson I take from watching her (and maybe you resonate with this) … Read More
IS THIS THING ON? The last time I wrote and recorded a stand-alone collection of songs was in 2008. That is part of why this collection, entitled “Everything Has Changed,” is such a joy. I feel like I’ve been away from this medium for a while** and now I’m standing on stage, leaning into the mic, … Read More
From Title Pending: “At a pivotal point in the writing of my first book, I spent some time at the Phillips Gallery in Washington DC. Along with many other great works, the Phillips Gallery hosts a col- lection of pieces by Mark Rothko, whose work I greatly admire. I stood in the Rothko room for … Read More
