This household has been balancing the pre-election anxiety with getting Craig ready for his Songwriter Round with Natalie on October 24th. We are less than 36 hours for the event. Last week he decided he needed to do an Open Mic in the venue where the Round with Natalie will be to get familiar with the stage – how it sounds to him and the lights.
Last Thursday we went for the Open Mic. He signed up at 530 PM and we watched 5 Rounds of songwriters before the Open Mic. Craig was the only one that signed up so it was just him on stage. The audience had been pretty attentive during the Rounds but did not appear to be expecting any more performers so Craig started playing to a lot of noise and movement. He was told he would play one song and then when he finished, it was announced he could play a second song but it was difficult for him to hear the instruction. He did his second song. I recorded it. He did just fine.
He came off of the stage convinced he was horrible and announced that he needed to do an open mic every night for the next week. After he watched the video he was able to admit he was not horrible. The Open Mic the next night (Friday) was run by a different organizer. The audience was bigger and there were a dozen songwriters signed up for the Open Mic. Craig was in the middle group of 4 and it was a much better experience. He was more relaxed and felt better about his performance. He got one audible shout out from an enthusiastic audience member. He felt good enough about this performance that he posted it on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JateFBWp_F8
He crashed (slept all day) Saturday and did not have energy for another Open Mic. He called it being “lazy” or perhaps a virus. I called it recharging his introvert batteries. He felt more energetic Sunday and I recharged my introvert batteries sleeping through football games.
Monday we were back to normal and we went to Nashville for a rehearsal with Natalie. She will be singing the female part in his song Misty Morning and harmonies on his other songs and adding some fiddle. It was amazing to watch a professional at work.
Last night Craig went back and did his 3rd and last Open Mic. He was on stage with 4 young songwriters. He played first in the round. He played 2 different songs – one about his grandparents and the audience was silent and attentive. A couple of women told him after that the song made them cry. The second song was about the factory worker/songwriter that longed to play in Nashville. He got several loud whoops from the audience after this one. He asked me if he looked like he was having a good time on stage and it was really hard to see his face under his cowboy hat that he wore working on his grandfather’s ranch.
I got asked for his Instagram account and a lovely couple from Dayton wanted to know where they could go to listen to his music. They were VERY disappointed that he did not yet have this available. He felt MUCH better and his overriding fear that he would embarrass Natalie during their joint Round on Thursday has been pretty much put to rest.
Does anyone get their big break in Nashville in their mid-70’s?????
Tamara Unleashed 