Hello dear friends,

It is that time of year again! Yeah, Joey Stuckey Alive Day!

If you don't know what that is, it is the day the brain tumor that I wasn't supposed to survive was successfully removed. It was thought that I wouldn't make it, or if I did, I would never walk or talk. Though the tumor left me blind and with a host of other health challenges, I am most gloriously alive and so grateful for the life I have and for my friends, family and for the gift of music!

I have always celebrated this day with my family and friends since I was about 2 years old. However, back in 2017, we started holding a free, family-friendly concert in downtown Macon and it was a great success.

We'll also be sharing special Alive Day messages from friends, family and even a few musical/entertainment legends throughout the day.

I hope you will join us to celebrate the joy of music and of life on this day!

9/29 is "Joey Stuckey Alive Day" Officially recognized in Macon-Bibb as an Official Day Of Celebration by the Mayor:

THIS IS A FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY MUSIC FESTIVAL!

Here are a few Alive Day 2023 video messages:

Featuring our mistress of ceremonies, Liz Fabian:

• 5pm - Doors open, get there early and claim your free copy of the "Joey Stuckey Alive Day CD Sampler" with music from the performing artists this year

• 5:30pm - Screening of Joey's "Blind Man Drivin'" music video and mini-documentary "Don't Blink - A brief look at Joey's life and music"

• 6pm - Jazz Piano from Tom Rule

• 6:30pm - Singer-Songwriter Pam Bedwell

• 7pm - Southern sounds from Country to Rock by Nick Malloy

• 7:30pm - Hip-Hop by QuestionATL

• 8pm - Progressive Americana music by The Joey Stuckey Band

Click the button below for our Spotify Playlist of this year's musical performers:

2023 Alive Day Spotify Playlist

About Liz Fabian, event announcer

Liz Jarvis Fabian has spent more than 40 years reporting the news of Middle Georgia, and beyond. She was The Weather Channel's first female news anchor and the network's original live-reporting hurricane chaser. Liz now serves as the Civic Journalism Senior Fellow at The Macon Newsroom of the Center of the Collaborative Journalism at Mercer University. She is a watchdog reporter covering Macon-Bibb County government entities, and also enjoys writing stories of local interest.

Liz received many awards and accolades for her coverage of the Great Flood of 1994 and her reports from the 1996 Olympic Park Bombing were broadcast via satellite around the globe.
Before leaving The Telegraph in 2018, the Associated Press named Liz the state's best beat reporter for her multimedia coverage of Hurricane Irma. Liz worked at all four of Macon's television stations and still appears weekly on 13WMAZ's Monday evening newscast and hosts the interview program "Ask Mayor Miller" each month on Channel 13. While working the early morning news shift with Kenny B and Charles E, they dubbed her the Most Trusted Journalist in all of Middle Georgia.

 About Tom Rule

Known for creative music and bad puns, Tom Rule is a Macon, GA musician boasting 40-plus years of music experience as an award-winning performer, artist, and sound engineer. He has produced six albums, has credits on well over a dozen others, and has been named one of Macon's top artists. Tom's album it Should Be Called CHRISTmas was named best Christmas album of 2018 by Enlightened Piano Radio.

Bands? Yes, he's played in a few – from the Grapevine to the Bob Huellemeir Big Band to his own tom&co, along with more than a few gigs over more than a few years with the Joey Stuckey Band.

Tom is happily married to his wife, has two adult kids and two daughters-in-law that he likes better than his sons. He is, of course, left-handed, and is STILL living proof that God has a sense of humor.

 About Pam Bedwell

Pamela, aka Pammie Kakes, grew up in North Carolina in a family of colorful characters. They were funeral directors, preachers, textile factory workers, rum runners and nurses. Each loved the art of storytelling and singing harmony. It is this family heritage that is her wellspring for crafting songs about ordinary people living extraordinary lives. Pamela's lyrics are full of sassitude and her vocals soulful.

Since beginning her songwriting journey in 2016, her songs have aired on podcasts such as Bree Noble's Women of Worth and The Hootenanny Café. She has performed at the Opelika Songwriter's Festival, Macon Georgia's Bragg Jam, Joey Stuckey Alive Day, and at the New Orlean's Folk Alliance International Annual Conference. Currently, she is working with artists in the UK and Canada on several projects.

https://pamelabedwellandpke.com/
https://www.facebook.com/StaleBurrito
https://www.youtube.com/@pamelabedwellsongwriter

 About Nick Malloy

He's a little bit country. He's a little bit rock'n'roll (Yes, some folks out there are thinking, "That's like that Donny and Marie Osmond song!"). Though with just about every song he performs, Nick Malloy makes sure to add a touch of soul, because that's where the music he creates stem's from. Whether it be an original song or a song he's covering, each song he performs he pulls from some sort of emotional feel from deep within his core. After all, his life has been filled with it's fair share of trials and tribulations, and with each performance he hopes to mimic the "rollercoaster ride" of emotions he has been on in hopes to strike a chord within the audience's soul. The high's. The low's. Everything in between.

Nick started playing guitar at the age of 12, and a few years shortly after would start playing local bars and venues around his hometown of Macon, Georgia. As time passed by, every show he would play would fuel his passion even more for both music and the stage. With influences ranging from Matchbox Twenty, Bob Dylan, Otis Redding, Will Hoge, and Dierks Bentley (just to name a few), Nick would set out to try and create a sound of his own. He would also start playing outside of Macon throughout the Southeast, and would go on to record two EPs with the help of local music pal Shane Bridges. One recorded in Macon and one recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. The years of hard work would all come to a halt in March of 2012 though when he was in a near fatal car accident that left him paralyzed and with damage to his left arm. Uncertain of whether or not he'd get back to the stage or play again, the wounds from his wreck would slowly start to heal and therapists encouraged him to try picking up the guitar again. It was a slow process (especially trying to regain strength back in his left arm), but with time he would get back out and go on to playing small gigs here and there opening up for people. Just in the past two years alone he has finally started back doing his own solo shows like the ones he would play before his wreck. He would also go on to sharing stages with said Dierks Bentley and Will Hoge, along with Miranda Lambert, Commodores founder, Thomas McClary, and a few other notable worldwide musicians. With all he has battled through, he still has the same dreams and aspirations of the kid that first picked up the guitar as a 12 year old. His passion and love for creating and performing only continues to keep growing more and more. He likes to relate everything he has been through in life to that old cliché, "Go big or go home." Nick likes to think in 2012 it wasn't his time to "go home", so he feels like there's only one option left, to "go big"!

 About QuestionATL

QuestionATL is a blind Rap Artist & Producer from Atlanta. He is self-taught on several instruments, began freestyling at 5 and making beats at 12. He has won over 20 beat battles and began producing for several artists. QuestionATL recently traveled to NYC to shoot a video and performed at the Made in America Festival in Philadelphia with Tristan Jantz as part of the backing band for Becca Hannah. He recently released his debut project, The Dream, on all streaming platforms. He also leads a collective of other blind Artists & Producers from the US, Canada & UK named Blind and Famous who collaborate often. QuestionATL was featured in an article by the Recording Academy on Grammy.com and is a founding member of the musical professionals coalition RAMP'D, Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities. He is also a member of the non-profit Soulfood Cypher that teaches youth communication through the art of freestyle rap.

A Special 'Thank You' To Our Alive Day 2023 Sponsors:

• Creek FM

• Macon Arts Alliance

• Mojave Audio

• Shadow Sound Studio

• Visit Macon

• 13WMAZ

• Boyles Guitars

• BWH Music Group

• Fatty’s Pizza

• Glass Onyon PR

• Greenspoon Marder

• Doug Nurnberger Photography

• Skin Care Physicians of Georgia

• Sweetwater

Hello dear friends,

It is that time of year again! Yeah, Joey Stuckey Alive Day!

If you don't know what that is, it is the day the brain tumor that I wasn't supposed to survive was successfully removed. It was thought that I wouldn't make it, or if I did, I would never walk or talk. Though the tumor left me blind and with a host of other health challenges, I am most gloriously alive and so grateful for the life I have and for my friends, family and for the gift of music!

I have always celebrated this day with my family and friends since I was about 2 years old. However, back in 2017, we started holding a free, family-friendly concert in downtown Macon and it was a great success. In 2019, due to having a shoulder replacement and being on a very heavy touring schedule I didn't hold the festival, but we did it last year virtually because of COVID and this year, we are doing it that way again.

Originally, I was going to bring you Alive Day from Mississippi from the Music Cities Conference with a host of international guests, but that conference has been postponed as a result of the rising Delta variant. So now, I along with my friend Charles Arnold will be bringing you about an hour of music and conversation from my recording studio at 7pm on 9/29, which is officially "Joey Stuckey Alive Day" in Macon-Bibb.

We'll also be sharing special Alive Day messages from friends, family and even a few musical/entertainment legends throughout the day.

I hope you will join us to celebrate the joy of music and of life on this day!

Joey Stuckey Alive Day 2021 Messages (a playlist of 10 videos)

Mayoral Proclamation

Special Alive Day message from Sir Alan Parsons

Alive Day 2019 Info:

Dear friends, family and music lovers,

I have enjoyed sharing my story of living a successful life as a blind, brain tumor survivor and all the wonderful music from outstanding musicians from all across the great state of Georgia. Our first two Alive Day events (2017 and 2018) were truly amazing and the feedback we have received from our Middle Georgia community, our sponsors and the bands and artists that participated have been very positive. So, we will bring the "Joey Stuckey Alive Day Festival" back!

However, we won't be holding one this year, in 2019.

This is mostly because of health challenges in my family, my mom and I both have had major surgery, but also because my band is touring hard promoting our new album "In The Shadow Of The Sun" and we are going to be on the road quite a bit. If that weren't enough, we have big plans for my new recording studio coming late 2019 or early 2020.

So, we'll see you at Alive Day 2020.

The best is yet to come!

Joey Stuckey

Joey Stuckey Alive Day 2018 Thank You!!

Joey Stuckey Alive Day 2018 30-second WGXA PSA

Alive Day 2018 Promo

Joey Stuckey is excited to announce the 2nd Annual "Alive Day" Festival!

To be held in historic downtown Macon, Georgia on 9/29/18

It all takes place at the gorgeous Third Street Park from 2:30pm until 10pm

This celebration is a FREE Family-Friendly Concert featuring bands and artists from all across the great state of Georgia!

So, what is Alive Day?

It is the day Joey's life was saved from a brain tumor. While this day has been celebrated by the Stuckey family and friends since Joey was 2-years old, this year, "I just felt like I needed to give back something special to my community and gather people together to celebrate the joy of life and music!" says Stuckey.

10% of net proceeds will benefit:

Special thanks to all of our sponsors below!

The Official Artist/Band Performance Line-up for ALIVE DAY 2018 is as follows:

The MC's for the evening will be:

-From 2:30PM-4PM will be Cam Gaskins, sports anchor at FOX24/WGXA News.

-From 4PM-5:30PM will be Victoria De Cardenas, morning anchor at FOX24/WGXA News.

-From 6:30PM-9:30PM will be Tiffany Thompson, from FOX24/WGXA News.

-And then from 2:20PM-7PM co-hosting with all of those listed above will be AJ The DJ.

Artists/Bands:

• 2:30-3PM - Tom Rule (website)

• 3PM-3:30PM - Howard Middle School Choir (Facebook)

• 3:30PM-4:15PM - Roger "Hurricane" Wilson (website)

• 4:15PM-5PM - Sue G. Wilkinson (website)

• 5PM-5:45PM - Big Murder (website)

• 6PM-6:45PM - Zale (website)

• 7PM-7:45PM - Unbreakable Bloodline (website)

• 8PM-8:45PM - Great White Lion Snake (Facebook)

• 9PM-10PM - The Joey Stuckey Band (website)

More fun stuff on-site:

Band Quotes About Playing 'Alive Day'

Tom Rule
I'm thrilled to be opening up Alive Day for the 2nd year. It's such a great celebration of good things that happen and a great break from the everyday doom and gloom we get bombarded with….. and a good time as well. Third Street in Macon, GA will be THE place to be on Sept. 29th - come on down!

Howard Middle School Choir
Once the clamor subsided, and students were able to contain their excitement at being part of "Alive Day", comments and questions began to arise. At the end of rehearsal, it was the common consensus that Joey's story is one we can all claim. As one 6th grader so succinctly put it, "Somehow, I now feel like I can be whatever I want.

Roger "Hurricane" Wilson
Roger and Joey go back to having shows on Macon's IQ Radio in the 90's, and are great friends with a mutual respect for each other's talent. Roger is appearing to celebrate Joey on the Second Annual Alive Day to show his appreciation to Joey for all he has done for music and his community.

Sue Wilkinson
Cannot WAIT to RAWK Joey Stuckey Alive Day Celebration on September 29th! This festival is truly all about the MUSIC and the immense contribution that Joey Stuckey has made to this fine city. I'm so blessed to be part of this community of musicians in the GREAT state of GEORGIA!!!

Big Murder
We're glad to be a part of Alive Day. Nothing is more important than celebrating life, and making a difference to the people within our sphere of influence. Big Murder, as a band, holds this to be true, and individually we all endeavor to be a positive force in this world. Thank you Joey for including us in this important celebration!

Zale
Lead singer, Hannah Zale, from Warner Robins has been hugely inspired by Joey Stuckey since the first time she met him in her Bonaire Middle School band class. Joey was a speaker and Hannah remembers sitting in the front row with her oboe, clinging to every word. This was the first time she had met someone working in the music industry and it made her big dreams seem possible! She is excited to return back to Middle Georgia and honor one of her hometown heroes.

Unbreakable Bloodline
"From the moment I first met Joey I knew that he had an extra special appreciation for life. It's a privilege to be a part of the first annual Alive Day Celebration in Joey's honor. We are excited to rock out with the good people of Macon, Ga. & share some positive vibes!" —Jon Smith, Unbreakable Bloodline

Great White Lion Snake
We love Joey Stuckey and are very excited to participate in his very special Alive Day! Everything he has overcome in his life to be the awesome musician he is and the way he has helped other musicians along the way is a testament to the great guy he is! We tell him this all the time, but unfortunately he will never be able to hear us say it first hand seeing that he is blind.

It's My Alive Day Once Again - Let's Talk About Dreams!

By Joey Stuckey

Every year on this day, September 29th, I celebrate my "Alive Day". That is the day my brain tumor was removed and prayers were answered for my family!

As a very young child, at first I was too sick to care about this day in my personal history. Later, we started having parties and small gifts--what kid doesn't love toys? Still later, it turned into a more dignified dinner with family and friends but for the past several years, I have written a blog post about what the day means to me and how it can serve as a source of inspiration for you and your family.

After I was born, my Mom and Dad began to feel that something wasn't quite right with me. They couldn't really put their finger on it, but they became concerned about my growth and health. At first, the doctors told them that they were just being overprotective. But shortly thereafter, they were proved right in a rather dramatic fashion. My dad had put me down and let go of my hand for a second--I was about 18 months old—and I promptly walked off a flight of about 30 stairs. As it would turn out, I was going blind from a brain tumor. Eventually after tests, tests and more tests it was decided my only option was surgery. The doctor told my parents that it was extremely risky, but it was my only chance for survival. He told them the surgery would be very complicated and would take about 7 or 8 hours and if he came out before that to be prepared that I hadn't made it.

Imagine my folk's dismay when he came out about 3 hours later. However, he said that he didn't understand it, but, it was like a higher power had taken control of his hands and he just lifted the brain tumor out. How about that?

While I have never been shy about talking about my blindness, I have been a little more reticent about discussing the full ramifications of the brain tumor and what it did to me physically.

Of course, as most of you know I am blind, but, there is much more to the story of how the tumor wrecked my body.

I will not bore you with the details and all the medical info, but, besides being blind, a challenging condition, I also have no sense of smell and I have no endocrine function.

In over simplified terms, I have no bio feedback for many of my glands, like adrenal glands, which normally would tell my body when I was tired or sick or stressed to make more adrenaline to help me cope. Therefore, while I don't get sick more then the average person, I can get sicker very quickly and end up in serious condition and in the hospital. I also have no thyroid--You get the picture?

So, not only do I have to deal with working in a very sight driven society and deal with transportation issues and needing sighted folks to read things to me from time to time, but, I also have to watch very carefully how tired I get and make sure I am drinking lots of fluids, eat and take my medicines on time, etc.

Honestly there are days I feel so bad I can hardly move or stand, but, 90% of the time I manage to get the job done with a smile. Add to these health difficulties the metal hip I had to get when I was in my late twenties and the 6 months or so I spent in a wheelchair which did some interesting things to my back and neck and you begin to understand that being in the music business, a field that is crazy to begin with and with insane schedules, you can see, pun intended, that sometimes it is tricky being me and doing all the things I do.

Just some of the things I am responsible for include a TV and radio show, producing albums, running a recording studio, performing with my band, teaching at Mercer University and doing master classes all over the world along with doing my inspirational talks and mentoring other musicians.

But, don't get the wrong idea, this is not a pity party or even a "wow look at me" article, it is a "wow, Joey can do it, so can I" article!

Just hearing the medical side of my story would you have expected me to do things like perform in front of 10,000 people when opening for Ted Nugent and Bad Company? Working 16 hour days for weeks in a row so I could complete projects like the "Macon Music CD V-1" on time? Or how about recording with Georgia music legends like Randal Bramblett and Jimmy Hall? How about doing a 10 day whirlwind tour of the UK where every moment was filled with things to do like a Korean documentary, speaking and performing at the University College of London and launching my new single "Blind Man Drivin'" at the historic Ivey House? Not to mention filming my first music video?

Well I have done all that and more! And most importantly, you can do it to!

That's right--stop saying "no" to your dreams--they are in reach and more obtainable than you might think at first.

Who would have thought that a blind guy would have been hired to direct a musical at Macon State--well I was. How about a blind recording engineer doing dialog replacement for film, yep, I did. Not only that, I teach sighted students how to read music, even though I can't see to do it myself! If I can do these things you to can reach those dreams that might at first glance seem to be too lofty!

Remember, anything that makes you feel positive and let's your natural talent shine is worth pursuing! Also remember to set what some might consider silly dreams for yourself as a way to renew your spirit and energy. For example, one of mine is to experience a MLB game at every stadium in North America. So far I have done Turner field, Chase Field and AT&T Park-- lots to go

But, I digress. If you want to be a famous musician like Elvis that is not a silly dream, however, reaching that status overnight is. Point here is that yes, if you can dream it, you can do it, but, you have to have a plan of action. That plan will require soul searching, thought and honest reflection, but while you must work hard and set small steps to reaching the big dream, you should never say "I can't". Remember to give yourself some grace. To use an expression that is old and over used, Rome wasn't built in a day. Trite perhaps, but also true. So maybe you can't go from working full time at your day job to being a full time musician, but, you can make that change over time. You have to be patient and believe. I will admit I am not the best on the patient part, but I work on it. Also, while you do need to come up with a plan of action, remember to be flexible, every plan doesn't work as first envisioned and that is okay and the natural state of the universe. Just because your plan didn't work 100% like you first thought, doesn't make it a bad plan and it doesn't mean you won't reach your goal.

So what am I really saying? Just this. Despite almost dying many times and some people in my life saying you can't do this or you shouldn't do that, I have lived a life worth living and reached so many dreams and I know you can. I believe my life was saved for a reason; one of those reasons is to be a facilitator for others. I am meant to share ideas and stories and through that communication to inspire and help everyone I come in contact with to have a better life! That is my big dream!

I have reached that dream and am still reaching it! So today on this day that means so much to the Stuckey family, make a pledge to start living the life you want and to start reaching for and achieving those dreams you once thought out of reach. I believe you can!

Below for your inspiration or entertainment (either is fine) are just a few of the dreams I have reached and a few left to go.

By the way, I do believe you should write your dreams down and talk about them as much as possible.

Dreams reached:

1. Touring the UK. https://youtu.be/qvipyykwLY8
2. Touring Hawaii
3. Working with and learning from Alan Parsons.
4. Performing at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards twice--first with Trisha Yearwood and B52's on the main stage for the concert and TV broadcast and the second time for the red carpet and governor's reception.
5. Performing and recording with Southern rock star Jimmy Hall. https://youtu.be/zoGpvJehxmg
6. Representing my hometown of Macon, Georgia, as its official music ambassador
7. Working with two UK universities on technology that will improve the lives of blind musician's. https://youtu.be/z-qOvmg-RYI
8. Receiving the key to the City of Green Cove Springs where I was born.
9. Producing my first real music video for my single "Blind Man Drivin'" All that running around and stuff is harder than you think if you can't see where you are going. www.blind-man-drivin.com
10. Recording an album showcasing the talent of new artists for my hometown of Macon, Georgia. www.newtownmacon.com/music
11. Becoming an official Gibson endorsed artist.
12. Having my first jazz album "Mixture" reach #9 on the CMJ top 40 jazz charts.
13. Being a student at Mercer University and then being asked to be professor of music technology at that same college.
14. Being a camper at Midsummer Macon, an arts summer camp held at Wesleyan College and then returning to be an instructor at that same camp that gave me my first real musical and social success.
15. Being the youngest person inducted in to the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame for my work in education and that same year also having my studio inducted.

Dreams still reaching for:

1. Recording with Neal Finn.
2. Recording with Spiro Gyra.
3. Getting a Neve recording console.
4. Performing at Carnegie Hall.
5. Performing with Jeff Lorber.
6. Recording at Abbey Road.
7. Buying a beach house.
8. Seeing a baseball game in every stadium in North America and singing the national anthem at many of them!
9. Being a Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee.
10. Writing a book about my story so far.
11. Working for Apple as a beta tester for their screen reading software Voice over.
12. Having a vintage LA-2A.
13. Getting a DW drum kit.
14. Being on the late show with Steven Colbert.
15. Getting a Google car so I can go anywhere!

Okay, we've all used our favorite, most rockin' playlist to get going in the morning - or to work off the 'Freshman 20', and, I dare say, we've all used an uptempo playlist to stay awake while driving long distances! We've even probably found some Classical or smooth Jazz music to wind down after a long, hard day at work.

But I believe that music has more benefits to the human body, mind, and spirit than we have fully realized.

That's why I was excited when Scott Haskin reached out to tell me about his most recent project Mental Sauna V: Maternity.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you, should you not be familiar with my work, that my wife is an advanced practice nurse and mid-wife, so I already drank the Kool-aid on music being of benefit for childbirth.

I am now quoting from Scott's official bio: "This project was recorded in the tuning of A=432 so as to resonate more with the human body than standard tuning. While geared toward parents from before the birth of their child through post birth home care, this music can be used by anyone for meditation, relaxation, yoga, sleep and more."

The music is definitely relaxing and Scott knows it as he actually warned me in an email not to drive while listening. I had to laugh as I am blind and if I am driving, something is very wrong!

It is important for us as humans to take time to work at relaxing and taking quiet time for ourselves. Recharging ones batteries is a necessity especially at the fast-pace we live and work now-a-days, so for you busy, stressed out folks Scott's project just might be the solution you've been looking for.

I think overall he has done a great job blending music and human health into a cohesive project.

I will just point out two things that I have to mention as a trained producer, recording engineer and composer.

I think there is some debate still to be had about this idea of recording at alternate pitch values for the musical note of A-440 has been the standard for a long long time. I won't go into the history of this or the many different tuning systems that we have created and abandoned over the time we have made music as humans. Also, I do have to say, and Scott probably has a good reason for this, but each song is in the same key and starts on the same note. Personally I think that isn't the best idea, but again, this is not to say that it doesn't work for the purpose of relaxing, just kind of bothers me from a musical production side of things and I wanted to make sure I was honest about this in case it bothers some of you out there.

I am glad Scott reached out to me and I hope you enjoy getting chill to his music.

To check out Scott's work please visit:

www.scotthaskin.com

Joey Stuckey

Folks, I am not being hyperbolic. I got an email from an artist, as I often do, asking me to write about them or have them on one of my radio or TV shows, where I love to showcase independent artists.

I am blessed as a full-time producer, recording engineer, music educator and media personality to hear a lot of good music and some even great music and I am excited to say that the latter is what you get from the nice guy that reached out to me, Chad Jenkins.

Chad is the full package. He clearly understands the value of a pro recording that is radio ready, so, great! But he also has a good voice and even better songwriting chops. Musically his music is very accessible with lots of jangly hooky guitars, tight drums and bass, and lots of sweet vocal harmonies. Chad is also a pro in the film and TV industry where he has worked on shows like "Live Nation Concert Series" and on TV shows such as the Emmy nominated "Hoarding Buried Alive", "Access Hollywood", and the Oprah Winfrey Network, among others.

If you like your Rock with Pop sensibilities, then Chad is for you!

So, it just remains for me to ask once again, why guy isn't this guy a superstar yet?

Well, simple really...There is no such thing as an overnight sensation. It is up to us, lovers of great music, to get out there and support the music we love and that serves as the soundtrack for our lives. So click on over to Chad's website, become a fan and support him. I certainly do.

www.ChadJenkinsBand.com/epk

Joey Stuckey

I don't often share private messages from friends, nor do I share many of the physical challenges I face day to day from the brain tumor I survived so many years ago. But the fact is that tumor, besides leaving me blind, and with no sense of smell, both selling points I used to convince my wife, Jennifer, to marry me because, to me at least, she would always look and smell perfect, the tumor also left me without a thyroid, adrenal function and a entire host of other problems.

Normally I don't talk about this—I just do what I have to do to live and get on with it. However, in 2002 I lost a hip to a latent issue from that brain tumor. And now, I am losing my right shoulder. Yeah, I am going to have to have a total shoulder replacement.

The pain is such that I have been getting only about 2 to 3 hours of sleep a night and still having to work full days, 10 hours or more.

That is why, honestly, I have been a bit tired and a little stressed.

I got two emails this week that renewed my spirit and I want to share those with you.

First, a very talented young lady, who credits me with inspiring her to do music for a living, Hannah Zale, wrote me a super sweet note. I was emailing her about her band's appearance at my second annual "Joey Stuckey Alive Day" music festival in down town Macon on 9/29/18. Please visit www.joeystuckeyaliveday.com for more info about this event.

This is what Hannah wrote me and it made my day—"Sending love and support. Keep fighting...the world needs you. We need you!"

Hannah's note means the world to me and was just what I needed to hear.

Second, my new single is out—"You're So Wrong". You can find on iTunes and Amazon and (soon) on www.joeystuckey.com to download at no charge.

I sent this single to my dear friend and long time musical heroine, Sue Wilkinson.

We often share new projects with each other as I am a fan of Sue's. She is as good as anyone in the biz and better than most! At any rate, here is what she wrote me back regarding my single—"Can you spell H-I-T????". Coming from such a talent like Sue, this comment really means something and again helped boost my lagging energy!

So why am I telling you this?

It is simple. I believe that it is incumbent on us as beings of compassion and of love to remember that no matter what we are going through, we don't know other people's journey. Something that seems like a small kindness to you, might just be the thing that makes a difference in someone's day, week, or even life! So, take a minute to remember to be kind and supportive even when you don't feel like it. You don't know how that extra tip you leave a server at your favor restaurant or smile you give a stranger will bless that person!

Thanks to Sue and Hannah for doing that for me this past week. I promise to pay it forward!

Joey Stuckey

Over the years, I have enjoyed working with some true music legends like Jimmy Hall, Randall Bramblett, Mike Mills and so many others, but it is a real thrill to work with artists that are still growing and in the prime of making their mark.

At Shadow Sound Studio, I have carefully built a group of professional session musicians and the right gear with which to capture their performances over the past 20 years.

I was so thrilled when my friends the Riverwinds, AKA The Blessed Blend, came all the way from their new home in Minnesota to record 2 of their most recent compositions with me once again.

I recorded the first 2 albums with them and even performed with them live at the 2007 Gathering of Nations Festival in NM.

Their new project, 2 songs, "Our Kiss To Israel" and "Elder Brother", are their most ambitious offerings to date and I was excited to be the recording engineer and produce the track with the Riverwinds!

The first song, "Our Kiss", was a real challenge because it was so dynamic with moments of quiet beauty juxtaposed with moments of awesome power and grandeur!

For this task, I brought in my secret weapon, Nestor Jaenz to play piano, arrange and conduct the strings and play English horn and bass guitar. The students from the Mercer "Robert McDuffie String Center" did an amazing job playing Nestor's creation with the Revierwinds singing and adding their trademark Celtic harp and Native American Flute!

The second song, "Elder Brother", featured drums from Adam Wolfe, keys from Tom Rule and I joined the guys on bass guitar and shaker. Once again, the unique vocals and native drums of the Riverwinds infused the track with something other-worldly!

It was such a joy to work on this because of all the amazing people that were not only musically stimulating but also wonderful to be around because they are such wonderful spirits!

These songs are special to the Revierwinds for so many reasons and honestly they can share it with you better than I ever could. So I'll just say you owe it to yourself to check out their new project at the website below, you won't be sorry!

Check out the Our Kiss video:
https://www.ourkisstoisrael.com/?wix-vod-comp-id=comp-jgwdlo0g&wix-vod-video-id=e203a831db334bd1a513e52d1abe8fc0

www.ourkisstoisrael.com

It isn't often that a young person in any industry can find a true friend and mentor, someone that is successful and who wants to see you reach those same heights of success in your chosen vocation.

In my case, I have been blessed to have a few mentors that have filled this roll with honor, paying forward the assistance they once so desperately needed - I try to do the same whenever possible.

One of those chosen few individuals in my life has been Hamp Swain, The original King Bee.

Hamp is a Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee and so much more. He was very much part of so many Macon legends breaking in to the wider world.

As one of the most prominent DJ's in the south, Hamp had a voice like no other. If I had to compare him to someone I guess it would be James Earl Jones, a truly unique talent!

Hamp was so helpful to me when I first got my start promoting independent music on terrestrial radio. He even lended his voice to the intros of 2 of my first shows, "Home Grown" on 96.5 The Shack and later the "I-Q" and then still later to the "Georgia Jazz and Blues Hour" on WNEX 107.5.

Hamp was always offering advice and guidance. I'll never forget that he thought I should bill myself as an entertainer as "Sir Joey". I never did, but perhaps I will yet.

Here is a great picture of my dear friend and mentor.

I got the news today, 5/9, also my sweet wife, Jennifer's, birthday that Hamp had passed.

I will miss him and with a grateful heart remember his kindness and talent!

Rest well my friend, until we meet again, Sir Joey!

It's been a hell of a week!

I have been busily writing for the www.theportalmagazine.com, giving my final exams to my Mercer University students where I am professor of music technology and dealing with the newly discovered arthritis in my right shoulder that has been bothering me on and off every since GRAMMY week in NYC. Not to mention my other full time jobs of being a recording studio owner, producer with a full schedule and working on my next album.

So, by today, I was ready for this week to be over and I was over this week.

Then, I got an email in my in box that made me forget all the above and start to smile.

I knew I was going to like KATHRYN BERRY from the subject of her email. It was "Some indie alt country with a taste of Sheryl Crow".

Okay, I thought let's check this out. I stopped grading papers and clicked to listen to KATHRYN's current single "So You're Goin' to California"

What can I say but WOW, love it!

Not only is the recording top notch and the lyrics flirty and fun showing off KATHRYN's vocals to great display, but the story of the song was very relatable and an interesting read.

According to Kathryn, "My partner and I had been fighting for weeks (I can't remember why, just the stresses of life…). My brother had invited me to his birthday and the date was yet another source of conflict between us.  But I guess the whole storm of arguments leading up to the day made me just want to say, f**k it all, I'm going back to a time (in my head) when none of this mattered."

"So, I decided to just go with it and have fun for the night, wherever it took me. I stayed out all night with a random stranger. In truth, he was a perfect gentleman but the whole incident actually made my partner wake up and see me again. Or maybe I just felt attractive again and he saw in me what he'd loved from the start."

Kathryn decided to call up her old friend, Denise Truscello, in Las Vegas. "Denise is a celebrity photographer and one of the co-founders of Wire Images. Says Kathryn, "She is best known as Celine Dion's personal photographer. The last time Denise took photos for me she fit me in between J Lo, Mariah Carey and Britney Spears. So I hopped on a plane and we shot the video on the way from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, guerrilla-style: no permits, no script.  All the people on camera agreed in the moment to participate, which seemed appropriate, as the song came from an event of the same making."

And that's how "Goin' to California" was born.

I find this excerpt from Kathryn's bio of great interest—"I was not a kid who took piano lessons as a child or played an instrument for fun. I did not take voice lessons or sing in the school play. I did, however, fantasize about being Madonna in the privacy of my own room and while striking a pose or two on the dance floor at the school dance. Being in the entertainment industry was always given such salacious status that it seemed beyond the realm of possibilities to consider as a future career.  But the real clincher was the death of my mom from brain cancer. My mother's death made me learn more about the brain and how it functions – what makes us who we are. It turns out that there are a lot of factors that we have control over to increase longevity, quality of life and even intelligence. This information has helped me immensely and I can tell you that music has nothing but beneficial effects on the brain.  Playing an instrument strengthens memory and reading skills, it leads to superior multi-sensory skills, more brain plasticity, increases blood flow to the brain, manages mood, stress, immunity and social bonding and strengthens executive functions including processing and retaining information, controlling behavior, making appropriate choices, problem-solving, and more. Do I really need to go on? Hence my foray into the crazy world of music."

Preach on sister!!!

As a brain tumor survivor and music educator, I know Kathryn speaks the truth and I am so glad to have lucked in to getting to know her and her music!

Kathryn has way too many accolades to list here, but it is clear that her music reaches people and that her talent as an artist and human being is well recognized by all that encounter her! That is why I call her my new muse!

Make sure to take a few minutes to check out her official website at:

www.kathrynberry.ca

Also make sure to click on over to check out her video for "So You're Goin' to California"—So you're Goin' to California. I am sure hearing her music will brighten your day like it did mine!

Source: https://www.theportalmagazine.com/interviews/acid-test-new-ep-wont-let-you-down/

Acid Test
acidtestmusic.com

I confess while thinking myself a bit of an expert on 90's music, I hadn't heard of Acid Test before being assigned to write about them for The PORTAAL – and that is too bad as I am now a true fan. Man, think of all the years I missed cranking up their tunes.

But it is okay because I got to experience the band at what I think both old and new fans alike will agree is the pinnacle of their musical offerings to date!

For those of you that are old enough to remember, the band was really working hard to take over the world back in the 90's by relentlessly touring Canada, the US and the UK, and shared the stage with such artists as Nine Inch Nails, Grace Jones, and The Sugarcubes. Their single "Mr. Skin", which was featured in the culturally ground-breaking Bruce McDonald film Highway 61, was the second most requested song of 1992 on Toronto's CFNY.

That first album, Drop, was on a major label imprint of Warner Brothers, Sire Records, which arguably had the best alt rock bands on the planet back in the day and was a true force for contemporary music much like Geffen Records and Sub Pop.

Now, 25 years after the release of their major label debut, ACID TEST is back with a brand-new EP called Jus' Rite, being released April 2018 and I can confirm it has been worth the wait!

The story of the band is remarkable and makes the music even more compelling when you understand what they have gone through to get back to the point of making music together again. However, if you just can't wait anymore, here is a link to the new video and single "Slippin' Away" — and it is awesome!!! Think Duran Duran Meets Led Zeppelin with female vocals!

It is quite evident that the band has talent both as performers and songwriters. The wonderful cast of creators comprising Acid Test, yeah, yeah, the name was borrowed from the book by Tom Wolfe, features:

Lucy Di Santo - bass and lead vocals
Steve Fall - Guitar
Atom Percy - Keys
Tim Ban De Ven - Drums

So, what was the impetus for the band to get back to making music after a long hiatus? According to Percy, "we always felt like there was unfinished business with the band and in many ways the new record picks up where Drop left off." The band in its first incarnation also had a DJ as part of the line up. The DJ Mike AKA Jus' Rite (the current album is titled in homage to him) passed away in 2012. This hit the remaing bands members hard and they realized it was time to get back together to make the record they always wanted to record and to dedicate it to their friend Mike, who had always been the loudest voice in wanting to get the group back together before his passing!

While the members of Acid Test had remained close friends during their time apart, all of them in various musical projects, it took the passing of 25 years and of their friend Mike to see the band unite once more and as music fans we should be grateful because the record still has the power and appeal of the earlier years but with a sheen of refinement and polish that comes from being older and wiser. The "Jus' Rite" album also has plenty of ear candy to keep it fresh listen after listen and believe me you are going to be playing this record for years to come!

One of the blessings of modern life, and perhaps a curse as well, is that with technology we are truly never cut off from communication with those we think of as our tribe. I mean your mom, girl/boy friend and that crazy dude at work that always needs your help when his computer shows him the blue screen of death can reach you anywhere, any time. This is how the band has written songs and refined their master piece that is the "Jus' Rite" EP despite all living in various parts of Canada. "We just recorded our rough ideas in to our cell phones and then I took those ideas and did a rough mock up in my studio" says Percy. And let me assure fans that just because this new record is out and the band is understandably focusing on promoting and performing in support of "Jus' Rite" they are already working on new songs for the next project, so there is lots more Acid Test on the way!

Being the music industry nerd I am, I had to ask about the business side of things – was there a label? A tour? The answer is the same one you will get from most veteran bands now-a-days. And that is that the band is currently independent and while not actively looking for a label, they're open to once again being signed. However, in the 21st century, being an independent band makes a lot of sense. With labels wanting 360 deals where they get a cut of every thing you earn and with the means of directly reaching your audience now easier than ever with powerful analytic tools that can tell you everything about  where your fans live, how old they are, how much money they earn and so on, you can be more strategic in planning your tour and distribution so that you are where your fans are, the old pray and spray method of hitting the road and hoping for the best is long gone and good riddance! We want bands like Acid Test to be able to work smarter not harder, so they can give the fans what they want and for a price that is fair for the band and fans alike.

As for me, well I want the band to perform in Georgia, so I can come out to the show and I also want an autographed vinyl copy of the "Jus' Rite" EP. Percy promised me one and I'll let you know if he doesn't deliver :)

And now, before you rush off to place your own order for the EP in vinyl, digital download or CD format, I do have a wonderful surprise for fans of the band's Drop album. Remember that hit song "Mr. Skin"? Well, Atom Percy let me in on a little secret! The song "Thick as Thieves" which is featured on the Just' Rite release, is a sequel to "Mr. Skin", so listen to that track first if you want to dive back in to the story line we last heard circa 1993.

And now you know and as GI-Joe says "Knowing is half the battle". So stop reading and go buy Jus' Rite. I promise you'll love it!

I will start this post by quoting Pascal, "Kind words cost little yet they accomplish much." This philosophy is certainly lacking in much of today's social interaction. Whether it is because people interact directly with others less due to social media platforms and the bully pulpit it provides or because we have become desensitized—thinking of ourselves first before we think of others—I am not sure. However, it is obvious that narcissism and callousness are alive in our communities today. To quote The Smiths, "It's so easy to laugh it's so easy to hate it takes strength to be gentle and kind."

Those of you that know me at all know that I am hard to offend and that I also hold little concern for whether or not people like me or my art. This means that I am hardly ever offended because people have the right to believe what they wish and express what they wish, even if I don't agree. I will fight for that right with every fiber of my being.

Having said that, I also believe that we have the right to expect people to treat us with courtesy or at least not be actively rude or demeaning. Over the past six months it seems that the concept of basic dignity to which we are all entitled is rapidly fleeing the conscious thought of our fellow man. I have had four experiences that illustrate this quite vividly that I will now recount.

The first was flying out of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport on my way to record in L.A. with Alan Parsons.

Let me set the scene.

A small number of folks are in line for security. I have a first-class ticket, this puts me in an even smaller line. Next, I am blind and have a metal hip. This means that they do everything short of a cavity search on me because I set off the metal detector due to the aforementioned metal hip. I will pause here to say I have absolutely no problem waiting in line for however long it takes to safely and courteously get everyone through security! So, I am waiting in line to get over to the place where you put your bags through the machine. You also must take out your iPads or laptops, take off your shoes and belt and put any personal items in to your bag like wallet and cell phone. Remember, a small tight confined space to do all this, while at the same time I can't see. So, I very carefully, so as not to inconvenience my fellow travelers, begin doing all the above. Then a TSA agent singles me out and yells at the top of his voice that I am holding up the line and not listening to him. I didn't realize that he was speaking to me until my wife very calmly said sir we are listening. I then spoke up and said, again very calmly, sir I am blind and I am doing my very best. He said nothing--no one did. There is a way to communicate with me, or anyone for that matter, without singling them out or making them feel bad. That TSA agent didn't know me or my story and didn't care. He had a bad attitude. Getting on an airplane with the challenge of being blind is hard enough at the best of times. In fact, only in the last 6 years or so have I started carrying my cane and wearing my sun glasses in public where there is a crowd as people run into me a lot sometimes and even knock me down. Because of this I have started telegraphing "Blind man here!"--with the stereotype accoutrements—and still most of the time I get run into!

Second, on my way back from this same trip to L.A., we go through the dreaded security line again. This time, the first part was uneventful, but when I got up to the metal detector and told the female TSA agent I was blind and had a metal hip, she didn't know what to do. She kept motioning me to move forward, of course, I didn't, cause you know, I can't see. My wife finally told me how many steps to take forward and which way to turn for the body scan. I was then pushed to the side of the line while the female TSA agent called for a male assist. A man must pat me down, not a woman. Okay fine, no problem. Here is where things went wrong. A male TSA agent came to the line where I was waiting and asked what the problem was. There was no problem, except that it took him about 15 minutes to come over to where I was. Then the unthinkable happened. The female TSA agent said, "This guy is blind so leave him and take this other guy in line behind him and then come back to the blind guy since who knows how long he will take." They decided that I was a problem and could wait while they took care of everyone else. This to me is unacceptable! Of course, I stayed cool and didn't complain--but really!

Third--so now I am on the Santa Monica Pier. I have my blind man sign—cane and sunglasses. Once again, people were constantly knocking into me and bumping me. It wasn't as bad as the Navy Pier in Chicago but it was close. I have been all over the world and again never until the last 6 years or so had any trouble with people just not caring about what is going on around them. There is no thought except what they want in the moment.

Fourth, and perhaps the most disturbing, I took my wife and a friend out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants in downtown Macon near my studio. I have literally spent many thousands of dollars at this restaurant. I know the owner, I know all the staff, they know me so well they know what I am going to order down to the appetizer and drink. The room is not acoustically sound--it is a long narrow space with a lot of wood, glass, and concrete. It is always hard to hear in this room. There are, of course, other patrons talking and if you sit next to the window, like I did, you can hear all the outside noises including a patron with a small dog that barked constantly through our entire dinner. It was a bit annoying having to hear that barking dog for an hour, but we let it go and had a great time. So, imagine my consternation when, as we were in the middle of dessert, a lady at the extreme other end of the room yelled--yes, yelled-- as loud as she could "shut up" and directed this vitriol at my table. The entire restaurant went still, nobody breathed for a second and then the person that had yelled made some other rude comments I won't repeat.

Now, I don't deny that we were laughing with our server and having a good time chatting, but I could hear the music playing, the sounds of the kitchen, the sounds from outside and even the people talking at that table that was so rude. So, what should have happened? Well, had I been the owner I would have said that this kind of behavior the rude table exhibited wasn't allowed in my establishment and would have asked them to leave. I would have come to my table and said that they were sorry about that display of rudeness. That is clearly the right thing to do. I didn't want a free dinner or even to make a scene. But I also expect to be treated with dignity and not to be verbally assaulted. Now, if we were too loud, which I don't think we were, the proper thing would have been to either approach the wait staff and have them ask us diplomatically to please speak lower, or failing that, for those other patrons to come to our table and nicely ask us to speak lower directly. Of course, none of this happened and I am probably not going back to a place I loved for a long time and that is too bad. But I can't say that this kind of rude behavior is okay and I don't intend to do so. At the same time, I don't want to make a big-deal about it and argue with folks, so I simply won't put myself in the situation again to be singled out and treated rudely.

Normally I don't discuss politics, religion or anything else except music-making on my websites and social media. But I think it is important to sound this warning that this kind of disconnect, where people think of nothing except what they want in the moment, is a danger sign of a failing society. We have progressed through technology to being able to share with the world every thought that comes to our minds instantly. This is amazing and not a bad thing. However, many of us don't stop and think about what we are saying before posting or sharing and that is a problem because after reflection we might feel totally different or find a better way to communicate our thought or idea. This is not the fault of Facebook or Twitter, though they do have a responsibility to make sure that speech that isn't protected by our constitution, like hate speech, isn't allowed on their platforms. Rather, it is our responsibility to pause for just a moment and think about what we are doing and saying. Let me be clear, I am not a fan of "P.C.", that is the idea that we must walk on eggshells all the time for fear of offending someone. I think that as adults we are quite able to know if we are being spoken to rudely or if someone said something that came out wrong but with no disrespect intended. I do think that we should want to always put forward the better part of our nature and strive for a society that wants to be its best. Language is important as it tells you how people think and feel. Words are important and the words we choose to communicate are indicative of how we think.

It is extreme narcissism and decadence that heralds the collapse of a society and I fear we are nearing that tipping point. One only needs to look at the latter days of Rome or even the great empire that Alexander the Great had to see this kind of insidious attitude creeping in and shortly thereafter, those empires, which were at the time the bastions of art, culture, and science of the ancient world, were gone.

We must be able to remind ourselves-"I am going to be kind and courteous as I don't know what my fellows are going through". And a kind word at this moment might be the difference in this person having a good day or a bad one—a good experience or a bad one.

So many times, I have done something positive that was seemingly small and below my conscious thought and not realized what a profoundly positive impact that little thing I did had on someone. Now, instead of acts of kindness, I find we need to settle for just not being rude.

Just remember the golden rule, treat other's as you want to be treated and you won't go wrong. Or if that doesn't resonate with you perhaps I should quote this gem from The Manchester Guardian in May 1940 during WW2, "Morale is not to be maintained by closing the eyes". This WW2 attitude that our British cousins so beautifully embodied just means take responsibility for your actions and try to up lift others during bad times. Don't deny the truth of what is going on around you. See what is happening and if you can help make it better, you should do so.

It really is simple to avoid the "death of decorum". Try to remember how blessed you are and pass that on to others. This can be done by simple kindnesses that cost you nothing but might just be the profound difference in someone's day or even life!

At first blush, the concept of truth is a simple idea. In the most basic understanding of the word, truth is that which we can define as real and more over prove is real.

This might be the definition of the word, but words mean more than their face value. As humans, we assign subtext to everything we say and we communicate not only with our word choice but also our vocal inflections. Indeed, everything we do from what music we listen to to how we style our hair speaks about what we mean. We are social creatures that constantly communicate even when we aren't aware that we are doing so.

So, truth becomes more layered and nuanced as we take into account these extra layers of subtext.

In addition, while we might strive to be impartial, and we should, it isn't really an achievable goal. At some point, what is truth for us will be co-opted by our lens which is shaped from the day we are born and reflects the life lessons we learn. Life can be very different from one person to another so how we perceive the same events, ideas or truth will also be different.

Here, things get interesting as we obviously have things that separate us from one another, but we also have a great deal more that should bring us together. Therefore, being an artist is just as important as being a police officer, doctor or lawyer.

Why? Because through art, we can act as historians, philosophers and healers. Put another way, we can remind people of things they have forgotten, imagine the future and bring people together to form communities where understanding and love are at the forefront of the group consciousness!

So, we have established that truth is at once complex and simple.

There are, what I would call, universal truths that can't be redefined (eg, I need air to breathe). Yet, there are some truths that are up for debate and interpretation. Like concepts of moralities, those that support the death penalty and those who oppose it. Both sides have compelling arguments and it is here where we should look back to the ancient Greeks for guidance as we have for so much of our modern western civilization and democratic ideals!

The ancient Greek concept of retore, the idea that if there are two opposing view points, honest debate with civility will bring the truth forth is laudable and I would like to think even possible. I love the idea and in a more perfect society this would indeed be the case. This is where we get the idea of legal counsel from but in modern life the idea of reason and measure and honest debate without personal animosity has been mostly lost to history. Not that I belive in a golden age, there probably never was one and opining for one is counterproductive. Rather let's aspire to these nobler ideals and help people find a more perfect existence using art to bring forth our race's better nature!

We must at this point tackle a few things that those Greeks of old passed down through the ages.

First, regarding the rather limited ideas that Tolstoy sets forth regarding what makes good art, or put another way how we share our truth. The reason for this is simple, his definition of what is good or worthwhile art is much too limited and this impacts our ability to get at the truth with art, which is one of art's primary functions.

The evidence is incontrovertible that man is driven to create art. This desire is the spark of divinity that each man possesses. From the moment that mankind became self-aware, evolved beyond simple instincts for survival, and became possessed of the need to communicate and explore what it is to be human, art was conceived and born. The timeless need to explore the questions of who we are, where we come from and our purpose drives art in the modern world as it did in the ancient. Part of the human condition is to fall prey to the trap of feeling that we are alone and that no one can truly understand our journey in life and the good and the bad elements of that journey. The reason that art is so crucial and has equal value to mere survival is that it puts the lie to this feeling of isolation and even though it is not possible to fully understand another person's journey, art allows us to empathize. Art also fulfills the roles of preserving history, fueling philosophical concepts so that we might explore them together and allowing us to imagine new states of being and to share the spark of imagination with others.

Tolstoy's comments regarding the way art can be infections, such as one man laughing and another becomes merry, is an obvious truth and one that I do not dispute. However, Tolstoy's obsession with art being infection and that being a primary attribute of good art, at least from our modern perspective, seems overly simplistic. He speaks of "good art" as a virus. It is no coincidence that we speak of popular music in the same terms using marketing concepts like "viral videos". But these viral transmissions of thoughts are not art. We know that people are obsessed with cat videos on YouTube, that some of these videos have millions of views, and are "viral". But a cat playing with a ball of yarn, while adorable, is not art. Similarly, if we are to take art into the realm of business, a necessary step so that artists can continue to create compelling art, we find that the viral/infectious nature of popular art is not a moniker of quality but rather simply an idea with simple, universal concepts that is easily consumed. The consumption gives us temporary pleasure but does not leave us with any profound change in thought or awaken in us new vistas of spiritual or intellectual exploration.

To be sure, hit songs like "The Macarena" are catchy but have no substantive value and over time become disposable with no true emotional connection or permanent impression given to the consumer. So, Tolstoy's concept of infection equating good art does not stand up in the modern era. One of the ways that we can disprove this concept of infectiousness equating to good art is understanding that a "hit record" requires playing to the lowest common denominator—or put another way, the more simply the art is expressed, the more readily it is consumed. This is easily proven by looking at song content and noting that most top albums or singles use simple, universal themes like love gone wrong. Therefore, the unique quality that Tolstoy espouses is counterproductive if one wishes to have a viral piece of art. Rather than a unique perspective, one must adopt a universal perspective. The more unique the art, the smaller the market for its consumption, so the less infective or viral it becomes. One might argue that for truly powerful art that is transcendent in nature, a unique perspective is key, but that path leads us to what we might call "real art" only being appreciated by those that are initiated into more complex aesthetics.

In the case of music, if we attend a university to become versed in the understanding, application and creation of music, we surrender part of our individuality and are taught, in some ways, to conform to a preconceived aesthetic. For example, most students in the early phases of their musical education are taught not to combine sharps or flats in the key of C as its key signature is 0, meaning that all notes are natural. And yet, as we grow as artists and move from basic concepts to more complex harmonic relationships, we find ways of bringing notes that fall outside the key into play, creating art that is more richly complex and compelling. This is especially true in genres such as jazz or 20th -century classical. But these markets for expression have a much smaller audience and the audience has a fuller exposure to complicated harmonic ideas. If one tried to bring more complicated harmonic structure into the realm of country or pop music, the consumers of these genres would find it difficult to absorb the dissonance created. So, the question of what makes great art and what is consumable, surface-level art is more complicated than Tolstoy's definitions can encompass.

The final problem with Tolstoy's definitions, besides the fact that he could not imagine the modern world in which we live and the way in which we are so interconnected through social media, is what would appear to be an obvious oversight. Simply stated, the way he imagines communication of art from the artist to the consumer is flawed because we perceive the world in which we live and the art that is the mirror of that world through our own experiences and bias. The vision that I have when I create a piece of art will only be interpreted and understood by the consumer based on their experience, their philosophy, their passions, and their education. Studying of any kind certainly broadens the mind and opens one up to being able to understand more complex concepts but educations also requires the partial surrendering of individuality.

Tolstoy is correct as far as his thesis goes but it fails to account for the complexity of transmission from the artist and interpolation by the consumer. His concept also is limited by the imagination of a man in his era who could not possibly conceive of the myriad ways in which the modern world transmits thoughts.

What this practically means for someone who wants to dedicate themselves to the most noble pursuit of creating art in the hopes of bettering mankind and the experience of living itself is encapsulated in a concept that Tolstoy got right. The concept is universal and, at least from my 21st-century perspective, seems immutable and timeless—it is Tolstoy's concept extrapolated and rephrased as the core artistic principle that all artists instinctually understand, and that is to be genuine and create art because ones spirit demands it. Only an artist that is truly obsessed with the need to create and communicate can remain genuine, and therefore compelling, raising art to the high bar set by the great thinkers of old like Tolstoy and Aristotle. Art that is disingenuous, gimmicky, or purely created from intellect rather than emotion, will not stand the test of time and will become irrelevant and disposable. It is a foregone conclusion that much truly great art will fall on deaf ears and not be infectious while other great art may find universal appeal. The struggle to balance art that is truly remarkable while at the same time make a living as an artist is an age-old balancing act and the reason that artists such as myself have chosen to study their craft when ever and where ever they can. The struggle between the need to survive and the compulsion to create is part of the beauty of being an artist, as the struggle elevates art to the status of the profound, because it is not easy and requires intellect, refining of intellect through training (i.e., the science of art), and true inspiration and creativity in the purely spiritual realm as described by Plato as the world of ideas, where inspiration lives.

So, the above is the truth as I see it. No doubt there are others that might choose to rebut my hypothesis, but who is right? What is the truth? Does it matter?

Sharing truth in the context of being a musical performer is the best way I know to both teach and learn and forge a more perfect reality. I believe Bobby McFerrin expresses this concept well when he says "true artists do more than entertain. They have a positive effect on you."

Some of what Tolstoy said is certainly true and in the words of Obi Won Kenobi, "from a certain point of view", however the truth I find in making art, which gets at the question of understanding truth, both my own and other beings, is better reflected with Plato's concepts of decay and the world of ideas. To understand why Plato's "truth" speaks to me more than Tolstoy's or other great thinkers and philosophers, I will briefly over-simplify Plato's cave allegory and concept of decay or as I see it entropy.

Plato asks us to imagine a cave where we are facing the back wall and seeing shadows dancing on that cave wall. All we can see from our perspective of facing that wall are the shadows of people and things as they are poorly projected on to that canvas that is our reality, the back-cave wall. Now, we imagine that somehow we have been freed from this limited perspective and are free to turn around and see that behind us this entire time has been a bond fire where people are eating, dancing, living. We can now perceive that what we saw before and took to be truth, was just a poor and distorted reflection of what was real. This allegory goes on for some time taking us farther up the rabbit whole rather than down it eventually getting us to being outside the cave looking up at the sun and stars and then moving us from that to the "world of ideas", which for Plato is analogous to heaven or another plane of existence where the most perfect version of our reality dwells. Interestingly, physicists are now postulating that the edges of our universe might contain holographic information and our entire universe that we perceive is just a reflection broadcast from the edges of our existence and we are all holograms—sounds like Plato's world of ideas to me.

There is a lot to unpack here but the basic point is that as we grow and learn, what is truth undergoes a similar evolution!

Moving on to Plato's belief of entropy, which he calls decay, we can understand that there is a natural wax and wane to life and correspondingly to thoughts and complex belief structures. Once people thought it was perfectly normal and even correct to own slaves. That idea to everyone I know is abhorrent and evil. But at one time that wasn't the prevailing truth of our society and it took artists and activists, sometimes embodied in the same person, to bravely advocate for a better tomorrow! What many miss with Plato's belief of decay or entropy is that while it is sad for some ideas to die and for us to lose loved ones to entropy, it is a function of being human for things to be born, grow, procreate and the leave this plane. Sad as it is, this cycle of life is needed. For without decay and the passing away of the old, we can't give birth to the new and hopefully more evolved expression of human kind.

I for one cherish life and have fought for every day of it that I can as a brain tumor survivor. I am a fighter and want every second of life I can grab. I belive I have a purpose in this mortal coil and that art is that purpose. That being said, I will gladly leave when it is my time knowing that it wasn't enough for all my dreams and aspirations, but that is why our time now is so precious and we must make the most of it!

One thing is for sure, only by presenting our truth and sharing truth with others can we grapple our way to a more perfect understanding of who we are and how we wish to evolve.

Our second task gets back to the problem of life not being, by and large, black and white but rather some gradation of many colors and textures. There is room for many points of view in a healthy society.

It is trite, but we have evolved many sayings to explain this need to hold several concepts of what truth is in our minds at the same time. Sayings like "one man's trash is another man's treasure" and you "say potato I say potato" have been over used but still have a core of their own truth and that truth is that we can only describe what we have experienced.

Therefore art is a great force for good because through our art we can find common ground but also express new ideas. If we start from a basic place that all can agree upon as true, then we can evolve our understanding of our neighbor's truth and start to incorporate at least some of that new perspective into our personal lives and that of our community.

This makes this poor reflection of the world of ideas that much clearer and better for all!