Some people are born right where they belong. Home, in the right community, the place they feel most at ease. People like me, while having a fine home growing up in an awesome little community, for what ever reason, the urge to keep driving has always been in my mind.
For all I know I've always been a wandering soul, that feels right to me. I've taken every opportunity to travel mostly as a musician but I've done different work usually based around electronics which seems a natural fit for a guitar player.
The thrill of going to a place where no one knows you, they don't have to pretend the band is good to spare the feelings of an acquaintance, if you suck they'll let you know. If your average you can get by. Some guys are happy to treat it like a job, put out the least amount of effort/energy as possible but when you really MOVE people that, for me, is my whole purpose of being. It's all about ENERGY.
Happiness for me is making other people happy and music is my main method. Even a sad song can bring someone happiness. When the cost of traveling was more in line with the pay of the gigs there was nothing better. Even gigs where the band sucked and the people were MOVED to tossing us out it teaches you real quick how to at least make them happy enough to watch you leave with your teeth still in your mouth.
Then I found the Keys. A place where no one cares about mainstream problems. Also a destination for all those people I would meet out on the road. A dear friend finally suggested that I stay after years of playing down here for usually 2-4 weeks at a time then heading back to the snow belt for a month. Now that's a whole nother story.
We weren't making it in central Florida and my new wife and I weren't able to keep up with the mortgage. She didn't want to give up and she wasn't sure of my vision of moving to the keys because SO many people were assuring us that we would "NEVER make it down there" but the bank has a time limit.
The realtor said "I can't sell your home in 3 days" and I said "don't worry, the universe will" and the next day she found pre-approved buyers and that took care of that-we actually got a check for $186.00 on the sale. I only asked the universe to be able to walk away without owing anything.
We lived for 3 weeks at the band house while the band was working there, she got a job at a great local bar and when the gig was up we lived in a tent with our blind cat, Pugsley, at the campground, That was a really good time for us and something about staying in a tent makes the sex better. I picked up a few cab shifts and eventually a good friend sold us a little travel trailer on Windley Key on a handshake.
Life has a way of working out if you let it. After all those years on the road I got the opportunity to be the HOUSE band at the world famous Caribbean Club in Key Largo. I have been here longer than any place else.
Saddest sign in the Keys.
There are so many people who have helped me on this journey, there have been a few not so kind people along the way but their pissing on my day, in the end, splashed back on them and all these years later I'm still kicking for now.
After the covid shutdown and all the social distancing it sure feels like home to be standing on the stage INSIDE the Carib playing music to smiling new faces and old friends alike. Life is hard on EVERYONE so soften it up with MUSIC and soothe your soul. Believe it will work and it will through focus and determination.
Peace and Love!
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