I'm not sure it's really sunk in yet, but last night in Greensboro I won 1st place in the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society's IBC Blues Challenge Qualification Event. To say I'm excited is just a major understatement. I told Chris and Casey, of the PBPS, that it just makes an old man feel like a kid again. Dreaming is such a difficult thing. I've had so many dreams in my life and you'll never know the amount of courage it takes to take action on those dreams and just put yourself out there and try to make them happen. Fear of failing causes so many of us to actually fail before we try and for the longest time that was my plight as well. Last night was like I was living someone else's life. Since winning or even doing well in Memphis is such a life-changing opportunity I put away all excuses this last 2 months and concentrated on preparing for this one night. I have never practiced more in my life... the same 7 songs, over and over again. But on the advice of others that have won, I felt I needed to get my set so tight that I could do it with any kind of live distraction. I performed 3rd in the 2nd of 2 qualifying rounds and my set began at 4:55. My first 15 minutes was as tight and energetic as I've ever been. I played "Ruby", my old Silvertone hollowbody guitar and she sounded awesome. I finished up and took my seat to do the hard part... wait on the others to finish and to hear if I'd made it to the finals... All the other guys I heard were fantastic so I didn't know if what I had done was enough. But... Chris called my name first and that meant I was going to be in the final round at 7:00 with a chance to win and get to go to Memphis. With just 6 groups in the finals I drew 3rd, again and proceeded to wait for my time to go on stage. That time came and this time I played 6 songs in my 20 minute set. My preparation saved me this time. When you watch the videos of this set, which I'll try to get up here as soon as I can, you'll notice that during my performance of I Feel That Ole Feeling Coming On my harmonica dropped out of my harp mic just after the first verse of the song. It's primarily a harp solo driving blues song so I had to change up on the fly and do all the solos on Ruby instead. Somehow I pulled it off without a hitch and unless you knew that had happed you'd never know I didn't mean for it be that way. The rest of the set was perfect again, with the exception of one word in the song Wasted Time where my voice cracked a little... I had screamed so much in Feel That Feeling that I think it took a toll on my voice. The crowd was awesome and I fed off their love, smiles and energy and finished what I thought was either my best set or at least my next to best set. And... once again sat down to wait... and wait... and wait...
The time came for what we'd all waited for, the announcement of the winners. Chris took the mic and as she started to announce 3rd I had to wonder if that would be me... you know the kind of thoughts that go through your head... would it be better to get third than nothing at all. I thought, no, I want to win... I worked to win so it would be better not to hear my name now. And I didn't. A great musician from Louisiana, Andy Squint, got 3rd. Then it was on to the 2nd place announcement. Really worried now, but no I do not want to hear my name called... at least that was what I was saying to myself at my seat. And... it wasn't. My friend and a very, very good blues artist, Blazin' Blues Bob of Salisbury, NC, took the 2nd place prize and the "sharp dressed man award". So now came the moment of truth. Win it all and keep going with this dream or go home empty handed. When Chris called my name, with a smile on her face to me, I nearly went through the ceiling. I know you're supposed to smile when you lose and be gracious when you win but I just lost it. Lots of fist pumping, jumping and hugs... lots and lots of hugs... turns out blues artists are a hugging bunch of folks. I think it took me 2 minutes to get the stage and get the award.
I'm still in shock. There are so many folks that I need to thank. Casey, John and Chris of the PBPS... you guys truly are a class act. There's a reason so many folks come to your event and the way you treat the artists is just top notch. Thank you to Kenny and Sylvia who came and sat with us for 8 hours... 8 hours just to hear me play for 35 minutes. Family is one thing but you guys go beyond that. Thank you, thank you, thank you. To Carrie, my sweet little granddaughter and apple of my eye who told me yesterday that it was OK to not come to all of her birthday party... I hated to leave her party but it was good to know she loves me that much. And to Lynn... your support is never failing... you're my biggest fan... you give me strength, love and safety when I most need it. Your advice on what to do and most importantly, what not to do, played such a big role in me reaching this level. All the work you do to make me better, to help set up equipment, take pictures and everything else while on the road... words aren't enough to thank you. I love you and I strive to be more like you every day.
Some notable quotes from last night... in no particular order. While setting up for the first set an old guy came up to the stage and asked Lynn about the box drum... "What the crap is that?" and Lynn said, "You just wait until you hear it". While waiting to play my first set Lynn whispered in my ear, "I'm so nervous". After the 2nd set Sheila, the sound engineer, said, "That's the best my P.A. has ever sounded". After one of the performers finished last night I went and sat with him to tell him how much I enjoyed his set and his skills... he truly was awesome, especially on the piano and you never know when you'll need a good keyboard player in this business. After chatting he said, "yeah I thought I did pretty good. But then after you finished your first song I turned to my brother and said F@##, what does 2nd pay?" One of the judges waited patiently to buy a CD after I won, which I really appreciated. I asked him what could I do to improve. He said, "you got all 10's so nothing". I said but there's got to be something I can improve on. He said, "Your hearing for one... you can't get better than all 10's". All these quotes may not mean that much to you, but when I think back on the night I find myself smiling because of these. That and the quote from Chris, "the winner of the 25th annual PBPS Blues Challenge is..."
So what now? Well I'm not going to touch my guitar today, for the first day in probably 2 months. For 2 reasons... one I need a break and 2... I just don't have much of a fingernail on my right index finger. Like Stevie Ray Vaughn, that fingernail just gets rubbed away as I play so it could use a break. Kenny told us last night that he'd heard that SRV also put super-glue on his finder like I do and did last night before my last set. Then starting tomorrow I'll start the process of preparing for Memphis. For those that don't know, each year the Blues Foundation in Memphis hosts the International Blues Challenge. In order to be invited you have to win one of the regional blues competitions. To say this is a big opportunity and a big deal is just not saying enough. I am so honored that February 1-5th in 2011 I'll be in Memphis to try my best to win there as well. I know the odds are against that happening. I know there will be tons of great music and musicians there. But like my grandfather used to tell me when I'd leave a putt short when playing golf (not hitting it hard enough for you non-golfers), 90% of those that you leave short don't go in. So if I don't prepare to try to win I will not and I may never get this opportunity again. Thanks for reading...
By the way, mark your calendars: There will be a benefit concert in mid-January in Greensboro that I'll let you know about as soon as I get the date. Plus I'll now be the opening act at this years Piedmont Blues Festival in downtown Greensboro on May 7th.
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