There have been a number times when I thought I might be about to get that “big break” every serious songwriter hopes for and almost none ever find.
The first such moment came when I was invited to perform in Norway. I was 26 years old and just gaining some momentum with my songwriting. Of course I could barely afford gas for my four-tired friend so a flight overseas was about as feasible as jumping to the moon.
In the years following I did some radio shows, music festivals, fund raising events, a few performances in concert settings, and had some newspaper articles done about my songwriting. I even appeared on TV once. That was scary for me but I felt even worse for the cameraman.
When Forever a Child went nationwide and got so many excellent reviews I thought it might draw some meaningful attention toward my songwriting. When Hands on the Wheel was used for the United Cerebral Palsy Association’s 14th annual telethon I quietly hoped something more might come of it. When Car Talk let me know My Poor Four-Tired Friend was about to be used on their NPR show, and when Kari Miller played a portion of I Wish I Could Run Like a River on Minnesota Public Radio, and on and on went the treadmill.
Not much ever became of any of that except I like to hope Forever a Child has helped a few people to make better choices in moments when a poor decision might have been the pathway to some sort of tragedy.
Amidst all this self confident sounding chatter I do want to clarify I have not ignored the fact that among the many who have adamantly said my songs should be widely distributed there have been two good people who aggressively tried to shoot that concept down. One was quite intentional and specific with “surely you’re no lyricist” but both used nearly identical phraseology in a more general manner, which was basically “if your songs merited wider recognition they would have gotten it.”
I’m always grateful for open honesty and didn’t feel offended at all but that logic is painfully flawed. Such thinking conveniently omits some primary factors involved in the complicated process of a song reaching higher ground.
I often think of how Steve Goodman introduced Kris Kristofferson to John Prine. That was the launch of John’s incredible transition from being a 24 year old mailman singing in bars to eventually becoming a household name almost worldwide.
Prine was without question one of the most brilliant songwriters of all time and maybe he would have carved out some other path to get to the same place but what if he didn’t? Would that mean “there’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes” or “my feet are wet from thinking this thing over” were not worthy of wider recognition?
I’ve had the privilege of listening to an awful lot of original songs and will admit that many were not likely destined to go much further than the sparks from the campfire. But some were as well written and composed as almost anything I’ve heard from the biggest names in the industry. To imply those songs did not merit recognition is sadly oversimplified and nonsensical.
Of course when a song like You Can Eat Crackers in My Bed Anytime Baby wins the Song of the Year award it makes me wonder exactly what “merits wider recognition” actually means.
There was also one kind friend who suggested that “having a tip container on the website might come across as begging.” His point was well taken and something I had already considered.
But it also brought to my mind a memory from years ago. A friend and I were enjoying the shadowy sidewalks of Chongqing one evening and I heard this beautiful haunting melody emanating from somewhere. It was soul stirring. Then I noticed an older man in ratty clothes sitting in the dark on a plastic bucket. He was playing some sort of two-stringed instrument with a bow. It looked a little like a tiny washtub bass and was lightly amplified. I later learned it was an erdu.
We walked up close and listened for a little while, then I nodded at him and put some money into his tin can. As we walked away my friend muttered, “I don’t give money to beggars.”
I firmly believe each of us should be free to develop and proclaim our own personal perspectives relative to all things in life. Where I saw a talented performer giving me something special that made me want to show my gratitude, she saw a person begging in the street.
Yes I was hesitant about inviting people to offer a little support if they want to, but over the years I have given many hundreds of recordings away and turned down offers of payment. Now I’m currently at a point where every dollar helps so I’m willing to accept some support from those who felt a little creative enjoyment in perusing theriversong.
The bottom line is, an item’s value will always be determined by the buyer, not the seller.
I respectfully hope you might explore this website fully and decide my songs and writings and photos, etc. are worth a cup of coffee or even some breakfast.
So that’s the real rabbit hole, and as time goes on it might get deeper.
If you’ve read this far I’m grateful to ya.
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