Disclaimer: I'm not a writer so please don't expect much.
Due to a recent break up and a brief falling into extreme depression regarding my lack of goals, I have finally pulled together some ideas on what to do with myself. When thinking about how miserable it is to waste the very little space my mind has for learning something new each day on something that doesn't interest me and actually drains society, I become angry. So, I'm trying to fix that.
There are so many subjects that I would love to get involved in and learn thoroughly but one stands out far beyond the others. Let's start with the fact that I am a singer or at least I claim to be. I have not done any actual singing in front of an audience for over a year. I push back my creative longings out of fear of failure and disappointment. I no longer have much interest in musical theater but a strong passion for Jazz and Blues. So here I am saying this is my style when everything I have been taught is classical and musical theater. Who in the hell do I think I am? Well, that is the point.
I want to know everything about this music and how it changed and impacted new artists through the years. I want to know about all the artists and how they influenced each other. It's such a broad scope I could never possibly learn everything but I finally have a starting place.
My new plan starts today. I am writing a name on each day of my calendar. Each day I make sure to use at least a few minutes of time researching that artist. I take all the interesting bits I found and save a full page of information about them. All of these saved pages will eventually become my research book based on the information I found interesting and would like to research further. Once a month I will be going to the performing arts library with this book and spending the full day there listening, learning, and enjoying myself. That sounds even better than vacation to me.
Today I decided to research Sophie Tucker. I didn't know a thing about her. What an impressive woman! A Jewish Russian immigrant that started out doing blackface because the theater managers told her she was too fat and ugly not to. She was working for Ziegfield by 1909. Songs I'm excited to listen to are her hits "Some of these days" and Nobody loves a fat girl, but oh how a fat girl can love." She was singing from 1903 to 1966. Damn that's a career! If anyone wants to share info about Sophie I would love to hear it.
This is the beginning. I'm going to hold on for as long as possible because I believe I can do it this time. You may be wondering why in the hell I started a blog. It now exists because if I don't have anything out there, I have nothing holding me to it. I also need a place to sort out my thoughts. They are an even bigger mess in my head than in cyber world. Now that this has all been rambled about I won't have to write so much next time.
I would like to close with a quote:
· "I've been rich and I've been poor. Believe me, honey, rich is better." Sophie Tucker
2 comments:
This self-project is a brilliant idea! Have you considered hooking up with a jazz vocal coach for some lessons? It would be worth it, and would definitely not only develope your style but also give you back the confidence you need to get out there again.
All the best with the singing career, but in the meantime your blog seems to be doing well and working in advertising in NYC must have some major benefits, I hope.:)
I answered your blog comments.
Cheers.
Russ:)
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