Autumn affirmations of Rock Art, Pagans, UU's and the State Fair.

Randy Granger at SWEC 2013 Gala Fundraiser 

Happy autumn friends. We are blessed with an extended Indian Summer here in the Chihuahuan desert of southern New Mexico. Our Rio Grande is mostly Rio Seco (dry) this summer sadly. We had such great rain and were happy for it. Let’s hope it replenishes the watershed. Since my last post I’ve performed up in Albuquerque at the NM State Fair in the Indian Village at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Albuquerque where I got to try out their new worship hall. It is beautiful and austere, very UU. They love my music there and I love playing there where people really listen to the spirit and intent of your music. Also I’ve performed here at the Southwest Environmental Center’s SWEC fundraiser Gala on the Downtown Street of Las Cruces. It was posh and a beautiful evening settled into our downtown canyons and my music swirled and caressed the people and buildings. It was a great cause. I wasn’t paid more than a utility payment for playing, I'm grateful, but hey it’s about keeping the circulation of giving and receiving giving. 

Las Cruces Pagan Pride Day Young Park 

Last weekend I performed at the Pagan Pride Day here at Young Park in Las Cruces. The weather and day was ideal and our fall weather held out for us so well. I really believe diversity is having a respect for everyone’s own journey to his or her Creator. It’s more than lip service for me and I was honored to be  headline the day. My booth was stocked with the rattles, flute, Sage, Smudge, jewelry and music I carry. I also reconnected with some great drummers in the area and we jammed on stage and afterwards that night at Susan Jewel’s drumming studio. My hands were sore. Ha-ha. I love me some drumming.

With all of my recent gigs the number of people who come up to me and tell me how they listen to my music is touching and a much needed affirmation to continue. They say they listen to it every morning to get into a peaceful zone, as they work on their art, their computer, at work, before bed, doing mediation, prayer etc. I’m just so completely overcome with emotion and gratitude when I hear this. One woman came just to buy a copy of Strong Medicine for her friend who has been diagnosed with cancer. She wanted to give her a copy personally.

Another said it was all they listened to when their brother was in his battle. Another has a young, healthy, athlete son who just had surgery for testicular cancer and he said he listens to Deep Peace to You over and over for comfort and strength. I’m so touch by their personal stories. As I work in the studio it’s easy to forget my music impacts the world. When I’m stressing over money I don’t feel I’m anything special and certainly not important to anyone. So these testimonies are affirmation and feedback from creator/universe saying yes you are and you need to birth even more of your music into this world. So thank you.

This weekend I return to perform for the second year at the Rock Art Rendezvous near Comstock, TX. It is at the White Shaman Preserve across from Seminole Canyon St Park. The Non-Profit Rock Art Foundation’s mission in part is to: 

Educating public and private sectors about the endangered status of rock art in Texas

Restoration and preservation research

Acquiring endangered sites for transfer to agencies capable of ensuring their integrity.

Continuing to locate and document previously unrecorded sites

Fostering harmonious relations with land owners for site management / protection and supervised visitation

Archiving photographic collections

Every year they meet and have a rendezvous and organize hikes to the pictograph and petroglyph sites over five millennia old that dot the lower Pecos river area of the southwest. It’s breathtaking and humbling to go on these hikes mostly on privately owned land. I first went three years ago and jammed at night with the other great musicians who come to the gathering.  So I performed a concert last year on the Saturday night and was invited to return and do it again. The feedback from the crowd was strong, supportive and laced with appreciation. I’m the one who is most appreciative the opportunity as I totally support their efforts.  I play me flute at the cave rock art shelters and feel my ancestor’s spirit and presence. They care they took to leave those ancient messages makes me feel so grateful I get to see it. Truly. And, I get to some really special and great friends again !!!!!!

Rock Art Foundation

Work on the new album of solo Native American flute "Ancient Grace" music continues. I haven’t launched the Indiegogo campaign yet because I haven’t been able to edit and finish the video. It takes so much time and care it’s been a challenge. I’m sorry for that. I very much know there is support for it and I will burn the midnight oil to get it launched before I get too overwhelmed. Several people have supported me through PayPal and I have a folder with their backing info. You can also do that in any amount you wish. My PayPal is hangguy@gmail.com Be sure and copy and paste the email as there are 2 “g’s” Thanks

Talk to you after the Rock Art Rendezvous. You can always support them too at www.rockart.org and learn more about their amazing work and mission. 

Blessings to you at every turn. Be sure and check me out on iTunes, Amazon.com, CDBaby.com. Pandora, Youtube and my website. 
Randy

randygranger.net

Why do YOU do your music?

Ask any musician who can form a sentence why they are a musician? (and good luck) I’m talking here about the ones who do music as a job, a continued passion not the dabblers. I mean the one’s who don’t have a back up plan because they’ve never considered there is one. Not to diminish the rest of you. If you are making music then the most power to you my friend. Keep on. But when you “do” music and make a living at it solely or part-time it changes the dynamics completely. Believe me. Try it you’ll understand. 

A couple of recent interactions have me questioning. It’s about expectations of you as an artist, your audience, (if you’re blessed with one), where you will perform, how much you’ll expect to be paid and how you replenish your energies at the end of the day.  I was on a jury selection and a guy overheard and friend and I talking about my music, being on the road etc. This guy turns and asks if I’m a musician? I say yeah and he asked the usual 50 questions, where? Who? Band? When? And, of course, if I’d heard of him.  Long story short he keeps coming back asking how I do it as in who books my gigs, who makes my CD’s, which band do I use, did I need a drummer? How do I make a living at it? I’m so used to this I just rattle off answers like a robot. He is so persistent I just say, “Look man I work all the time, all the time, promote like hell, have few friends, drive 14hrs a day, sleep in my car at rest areas, eat the same food for a week, spend little and just trust someone is going to show up to my gigs and I can sell some music to keep on doing it.”

He looks irritated and says, “Well I would never charge for what I do since I’m in a praise band. I believe in giving it away.” Ok. Delicate territory. I’m about ready to head butt him hard, but remember I’m enlightened. Must....educate. I remind him he asked how I make a living at music and say, “It’s because I have to dude, just like you need to keep your job to pay your bills right?” People who play for free are a bane to we professionals, but that’s for another time. Ha-ha 

Part of a working studio

The other thing that happened is much more affirming, but it is part of the same wheel. I’m working on my new album “Ancient Grace” an album of solo Native American flute music. It is in direct response to the many listeners at shows and people online I hear from asking “Me” directly for an instrumental CD of my music they can meditate, fall asleep, relax, do yoga, massage, rekei to. I said yes I’d record one. As you recording artists know, when you’re working on an album project you are alone either in your studio or with an engineer who, for professional reasons, won’t give you feedback except on how it sounds. You work for hours and hours trying to avoid ear fatigue. You don’t eat or drink because those sounds come through the mics and if you aren’t recording Didgeridoo it won’t be a pretty sound. Some days you think Yay this is sounding/feeling great. Other days you think what the hell am I doing here? I suck. My music sucks. No one will buy this. Time to sell even more, or everything, on EBay. Those are the tough days for sure. It’s natural. Just take a break. A walk. If you didn’t have high standards you wouldn’t feel this way. 

I find Orange and Red help me work. ;-)

So in my meditation I was asking the Universe, Spirit... for a sign that my music matters, that it has a place in this world. After a while I check my email and found this from a fan that bought my music two years ago at a festival. He told me I needed to buy a private plane that it would be easier than driving everywhere. I’m totally serious. Anyway, here was this email from him and I just dropped my head on the table, emotional and grateful for the perfect sign. Here is the edited email for privacy:

 “Hi Randy,  We met at ….. a few years ago. A quick story:  I was driving from NC to PA on a day that every idiot that could get a car was out driving stupid. I was stuck in traffic and was about to pull out my gun and shoot myself then five others when one of your songs came up and I chilled out. So in a way, you saved 6 lives! 

Obviously I'm kidding, but I am amazed at what music can do. I hope you're still making great music. Take care”

When you put your heart, soul and passion into your music you don’t have anything left for yourself and, believe it or not, that’s ok. Just find the way that you recharge whether it is watching Breaking Bad reruns, playing games, cooking, hiking, meditating…..whatever. Do it because in the end the fact that you are inspired and given the gift of creativity and talent means YOU DO MATTER and what you do makes a difference whether you have 3 or 3,000 listeners.

I’m in Albuquerque this Sunday. Please come out, share it with your friends and post on your Facebook, twitter feeds. My Facebook page: Facebook Randy Granger Twitter: @RandyGranger  I appreciate you comments here. Thank you
RG

Sept. 15, 9:30AM and 11:00AM. Unitarian Universalist Church of Albuquerque, 3701 Carlisle Blvd NE, Albuqeruqe, NM http://www.uuabq.org/ 

Sept. 15 7PM Expo New Mexico State Fair, Indian Village, http://exponm.com/state-fair/indian-village-schedule/