Wishing you all a happy spring.Typically we've had strong, dusty winds here in southern New Mexico. I've had jury duty for two months that ends today. I'm on the road to Arizona this morning that begins my April "Spread the Light" tour. I believe music connects and elevates us in a way no other art form does. Music bypasses the thinking brain and goes directly to our emotional centers and connects us with feelings deeply allowing us to heal, express, release. I hear from listeners frequently how they use my music as their loved ones are passing or going through chemo like this recent Facebook post. "I am a counselor. Client's last visit today before hospice. Your music on Pandora in my office. She says those are the sounds i want to take me to Heaven. :))."
That is a powerful affirmation and incentive to keep going. You need a really big reason to be in the music biz. I watched the Levon Helm documentary "I Ain't in it for my Health" on Netflix where the former member of The Band says to the effect that if he wanted to be healthy he'd be a pastor or a teacher or anything other than a musician. You pay a big price for our profession. The gig we sign up for, in other words, means we do soul excavating work, dig so deep, that we lose part of ourselves with every song and performance. As I work on my 2016 gig and touring calendar I feel that sentiment too. If I didn't know how my music affects my audience, both as witnessed by others and myself, I'm not sure what I'd be doing otherwise. But, Creator's blessed me with that "thing" it takes to lift, elevate and inspire. That is what is meant by spreading the light. I would have used love, but it is too trite a word imho.
Of course each performance, booking, invitation is done with a deep sense of gratitude, appreciation and humility. I has to be. I'm grateful to make a living by connecting with listeners and an audience. An artist's jobs is to make the personal into the universal then let the audience make it personal again. That is the most transcendent quality of any art medium, especially music.
So I happily announce my April gigs and performances where I will be 100% present and give 100% each and every time. I begin with a wonderful gig in Phoenix, AZ, April 1st, at the prestigious Native American centered Heard Museum. I perform for the 1st Friday Locavore Festival in the courtyard from 6:30-9:30PM. It's a fantastic evening of local foods and crafts like the Garden Goddess who ferments raw vegetables, chocolate and truffle makers, arts and crafts all local and hand made! Wow! The person who booked me said she noticed my "foodie" tendencies online as well as my commitment to Native American culture and knew I'd be perfect. See it pays off to express all of who you are. Here's the link: http://heard.org/event/first-fridays-heard-locavore-fest/
April 2nd I'll return to the Voyager Flute Festival in Tucson where I perform @3PM, teach a workshop on using the Native Flute in special settings like Hospice, Assisted living and Alzheimers/Dementia care facilities, something I've done for over a decade. I'll also have a table where I sell my CD's, Smudge kits, instruments and flutes from makers I represent like Butch Hall, Ed Dougherty and Jon Norris.
April 10th @3PM I return to the beautiful, historic village of Hillsboro, NM to perform a concert at the Hillsboro Community Center. Such a beautiful place on the hills of the Gila Wilderness in western New Mexico. I always have a full house of appreciate folks there and have come to love that venue.
April 15th and 16th find me in Silver City and Deming, NM, respectively, I perform again with my Theatre Dojo cohort Algernon D'Ammassa our award-winning, original play "Killing Buddha" which won the Pick of the Fest at last year's Salt Lake Fringe Festival.
I deliver the inspirational message again at the Center for Spiritual Living Las Cruces on April 17th @10:30AM.
April 29th and 30th I return to the powerful and huge Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque, NM. The sheer emotional power of being there are thousands of dancers descend for the grand entry in the Pit area, is one of the most emotionally powerful celebrations of Native culture I've witnessed. I perform four times over two days.
All of the details on these gigs are on my website calendar. Indeed I intend to spread the light and connect with listeners and fans as I receive their appreciation I am sustained. I am always looking to pick up new gigs and love doing House Concerts which are the easiest and most intimate way to experience music in my most experienced opinion. Email me for info.
Light and love to you all. Thank you for sharing my gigs with your friends on FB. https://www.facebook.com/RandyGrangerMusician
Randy