Keep Me Alive

Over a decade ago, I found myself in an upstairs room of an old victorian house in Nashville, TN. Soaring ceilings with mismatched velvet furniture and a cavernous fireplace. It was smack in the middle of Music Row; home to my publishing company at the time. I had reluctantly agreed to try and write songs that big country stars may want to record, but on this day, I had to write a song for myself. It’s as if every moment had lead up to this day. I picked up my guitar, tuned the low E down to D and started strumming. Every question of my existence rose to the surface, slowly bubbling into lyrics. Could I have ever lived this life without music? Who would I have been as a child without art, theater and music? Will my life continue to be creative? How do I make sure it does? What if it doesn’t? Will I die?

Over the next hour, this song rolled out. It became my anthem. This song liberated me. This song lead me to meeting one of my musical mentors Jason Lehning who went on to co-produce and engineer many of my albums. And ironically, one of those “big country singers who may want to record one of my songs” heard it and recorded it years later.

I cry out to you Creatives. Live the creative life. You must. Don’t worry about where it may lead. Be IN IT and let the rest go.