Kool Aid

If show business isn't built almost entirely on the narcissistic principle of taking yourself seriously, then what is it? If I don't promote myself I won't work. If I don't work I'll starve. Well, I may not literally starve but I'll be a drag on someone else.

I don't want to promote myself. I never have. On the other hand I want to work. I want to play my songs for folks who will come and listen. I want my songs played on the radio so that I can communicate my thoughts.

Somewhere in history Jerry Lewis made his living falling down, speaking in a fingernails on the blackboard Brooklyn accent and crossing his eyes while tugging at Dean Martin's lapels. I loved him. All six year old boys loved him. Then he and Dino split. The French decided that he was a genius. He hasn't been funny for a long time.

When Elvis changed the world as a skinny white kid at Sun he was as surprised as the rest of us. He quickly became the first Elvis impersonator and eventually died of a broken heart, estranged from even most of the sycophants.

Never burdened with even a hint of success I never know whether to be ashamed of my work or to consider myself above the fray and try to convince myself that I'm an artist. Even writing this dribble sets me up to invite kind folks to write me and tell me that I'm swell.

I am special. I learned that from listening to Lord Buckley. Everybody's special. That's what he said. I'm gonna write more of these songs and I'm hoping to play them for you. That's what I do. That's who I am. I do even worse at the other parts of life.