Well…
It has been an interesting rollercoaster ride! Performing artists were hit extremely hard by the pandemic. For me, it began with a complete panic. Over the course of 2 weeks, I had 4 tours cancelled all shows cancelled, all rehearsals cancelled, all recording sessions cancelled, all lessons and teaching opportunities cancelled, social life cancelled, and all income opportunities cancelled. Not an easy pill to swallow. Once the reality of the situation and the longevity of the situation set in and I was sitting alone collecting unemployment (not enough to cover living expenses) I realized it was time to shift gears and figure out how to move forward.
I am blessed to have amazing siblings and their support. Pre pandemic I was in a constant state of hustle with little time for interaction with them. San Francisco got weird once the apocalypse set in. My brother and sister live in Santa Barbara and asked me to come down and ride out the storm with them. After a week in the Santa Barbara sun my negativity lifted and the connection with my siblings that had ben lost for years was rejuvenated and strengthened tenfold. The quality time we spent together through the pandemic is more precious than gold!
I was also blessed with the opportunity to teach lessons (virtual) to an amazing young woman that added incredible joy to my life! A big thank you to Heike Mansel for giving me the opportunity to teach Bella – https://www.instagram.com/tv/CIWuLOog77G/ Watch out for her! She will be a star some day! This rejuvenated my desire to share my knowledge and mentor young musicians that. I have added a booking calendar on my page and am available for lessons virtual or in person. The more you teach, the more you learn!
My life took a crazy turn at the end of 2020. My brother is an amazingly talented architect and leader, His is company ANACAPA was overflowing with new business and growing faster than weeds after a rain. With everyone staying at home and the socially distance philosophy spreading like wildfire, the industry was raging. My brother was overwhelmed with this rapid growth and needed help, I was unemployed and eager to get off unemployment, and the stars aligned. Since then, I have learned a ton and realized how much of my experience in the music industry can be applied to other industries. I have been recruiting talent, interviewing, hiring, negotiating contracts, preparing proposals, doing sales presentations, and assisting in overall operations of a company in an industry that I never would have dreamed of being a part of! Kudos to my Bro and his team! They are doing amazing work! You can check it out here https://anacapaarchitecture.com/
So here we are at the end of 2022… I am working full time for my brother’s company and music is making a fantastic return! A double-edged sword for me really. Working a full-time job Monday to Friday, having 1-2 rehearsals each week, fitting in practice time, and playing on the weekend is an intense pace! It reminds me of the words of my college professor and one of my greatest influences Dr. Robert Ledbetter “You can sleep when you are dead!”
I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be playing music in front of a live audience again and 2022 has been a bountiful year for that!
Until next time… Peace Love and Hope!
