It’s interesting to me how we might think of ourselves as a certain something or in a certain role and how things can change.
Until this year, I never thought of myself as a singer. And even until a few months ago, I would have argued, that I’m a guitar player who happens to sing. And yet. I have had
enough experiences, and opportunities that have pointed out to me that, while I am a guitar player, I am also a singer. I could go into how surprised I was or how I just felt like I was filling a need or any number of explanations or stories. And interesting though they may, or may not, be it really doesn’t matter how I have arrived here. What matters now is, now that I’ve accepted that, what will I do with that.
For starters, and I’ve probably mentioned the need to do this before, I need to spend at least part of my practice time specifically focusing on my vocals. Things that I had not given much thought to before, like finding a good key for the song and my voice, now become part of the process. Coming to an interpretation that both stays true to the song and yet allows my voice and style to shine. And learning to project the right emotion to go with the song so it can be really felt. Those now become things I focus on. It’s no longer just about learning the words and the basic melody for a song. This is the blues. These songs are meant to reach down deep into you and move you.
Don’t think, just because I’m working on my vocals that I’ll be giving up on the guitar playing. Not even close. I’ve got so much I still want to learn and figure out. I’m still working on being able to solo better. And, there’s lots more I can learn to do with rhythm as well. I can get a little fancier, add some flourishes, and that’s just to the things I already do. There are other rhythm patterns I’m still trying to figure out how to do. And at the moment, all of what I do, I’m really just figuring it out. I take the information that people at the Charlotte Blues Jam and the Carolinas Box Guitar Club have been incredibly willing and generous to share with me and I use that as a starting point to go off and try 
new things, and learn new things.
Because that’s my approach, I try to be as open and sharing with what I do as everyone has been with me when asked about how or why I do something. Though, I will sometimes back pedal on something I say or share in deference to someone with more experience. I don’t want to upset someone’s apple cart too much if they have an instructor that has a certain philosophy. And yet. I forget, that the person asking the question may be asking me, instead of the instructor because, I’m closer to them along the path. I’m doing it now, or did it yesterday. They may have asked the instructor and either got no answer or something that was completely useless or frustrating to them at that moment. If the instructor has been at something a really long time and are really good at what they are teaching, then they may not remember being way back down the path and what that 
felt like and how they did approach something. And sometimes, it’s just easier to ask the person next to you because, hey, maybe they have a cool way to do it that makes it easier for you.
It really doesn’t matter what your skill level is. Even as a beginner, or intermediate level musician, singer, or whatever, you have information that someone who hasn’t done it yet can use. It might be right, it might be wrong, it might not matter, what they want to know is ‘how did you figure it out’. Because on any road to learning something, there is always a worry or thought of, ‘Am I doing this right?’, ‘It seems so simple. This can’t be right.’, or ‘Wow, this is hard. There has to be a better way.’, and even, ‘Who am I fooling? This can’t be the way it’s done.’ So, answering those questions, with what your experience has been, lets others know, there isn’t just one way to do it. Trust me. ‘Stormy Monday’ sounds just as good in B as it does in G.
Here are some pictures from this week’s blues jam at Moochies Tavern. We had some technical issues that were over come. I got to hang back and just hold down the fort for a number though I did take a lead on that one that I think sounded ok. It was a great time. There were some incredible moments, a bass solo, as well as a drum solo, and we were treated to the fabulous playing of a very talented young man, Joshua King. I’ll get the videos up as soon as I can. Some may take a little longer than others. I have discovered that I’m going to have to learn how to stitch video this time. Ah, more things to learn.