Steve's Sings an Original Song at the Coach House!

With fear and trepidation I decided, instead of singing a cover song (such as a barn-stormer/screamer like "Roxanne" to guaranteed applause), to sing one of my original songs.  And a ballad, at that.

I was asked by my good friend, Jay Nixon, to back him up on guitar and vocals for his set that opened up the Ambrosia show at the Coach House last Friday.  And because it was close to my birthday, he offered me a solo slot during HIS solo slot to sing whatever I chose.  I thought it was about time to do one of my own tunes!

I just never get around to doing one of them. I simply write the songs and move on to the next in my never-ending quest to write that great song that will get me through some music biz doors.  I'm usually busy playing with Hotel California - I don't do my own shows.  Takes a lot of work and time to put them together.  So I just write and record and forget. (Except for the future releases on iTunes)

Photo by Donald McMullen

Let me say for the record, I was very blessed by the response from some audience members about the original song I sang! Nothing like really connecting with the crowd with a song of your own that YOU connect with because you wrote it.  I had know idea - rehearsing it at home, no one's hearing it (except God of course, but He's biased! ;) ) - but sing and COMMUNICATE in front of an audience on a crystal-clear sound system?  It was a great feeling!

Of course I've heard said, you can take a so-so song, and if you've got a voice people like, you can make a good song be a GREAT song.  This song was written around 2006 or so; so, to me, there are "weaker spots" in it lyrically.

Made me want to do it again. :)

Oh! The song I sang?

"All It Takes"

Photo by Donald McMullen

Thanks Jay!

Steve's Sings an Original Song at the Coach House!

It's not perfect, but "Smile", it's fun.

If you're on Facebook, you may have seen this impromptu video from the bus.  I'm posting this here as well.  Another flawless performance with tons of rehearsal! (yah, right)

It's not perfect, but "Smile", it's fun.

Pick One!

I was reflecting after that last show we did at the Desert Diamond Casino in Sahuarita how I didn't have to use any extra picks that I always have placed in waiting on a guitar stand specifically for "emergency-drop" situations.  I played the whole show with one pick! (with the exception of course of my customary pick throw during a rousing rendition of Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way" in which said flying plectrum is quickly and ever-so-slight-of-handidly replaced by it's waiting replacement just underneath the guitar pickguard).

Not one pick fumble during the show!  Wow, I was ON! << (not verbose bragging, but a hint of the quasi-humor you could only expect to read more of on this site).

Now on other shows, man, my butterfinger-edness in is full effect!  The plastic is FLYING!

Hmmm, interesting.  One show I'm batting (or "picking") a perfect game and others, a fumbling fool! Whatever the case with a smile, ALWAYS with a smile. That's show biz!

Photo Note: I found this photo of myself with an actual, heavy gauge pick in my mouth in Albany, NY, 2009. A big yearly show ("Alive At 5" I think they call it) they do there was moved under a huge highway underpass due to weather, hence the strange location.

If there are guitar player/performers out there please feel free to share your pick fumbling stories!

Pick One!