A Misrepresented Talent Dearth - Part 3

          Once I graduated high school in the spring of 2000, any musical aspirations I had were fleeting. There were too many important things to do: hanging out with my friends, primarily Michael and Rich, find girls to pursue, video games, family functions, and working.

Sure, some sort of music was always on my mind, whether it was playing guitar with Greg and Michael or singing with Matthew and Brandon. It’s been ingrained in every fiber of who I am since I was a child and it took a long time for me to even realize it.

          Finally, I got back on track when I became the sound guy for Classic Waxx and volunteered to sing some back up harmony from the sound board. Nothing fancy in the least bit, but I was able to become familiarized with the songs I, unknowingly, would be playing years later. I also learned a lot more about harmony and different times and places to use it to get the best effect. No offense to either choir teacher I had, but rock n roll harmony was noting I ever learned in school. Even when singing in my quartet I sang predominantly lead so harmony took a back seat.

          Fast forward a few years and I am on the stage with the band. Not only to I carry the lion’s share of the back up vocals, I have five songs that I sing the lead on. (Most of them crowd pleasers, too.) I’ve come a long way since I was that kid riding in the back of our maroon Chevy Astro singing with my mom. I’ve come a long way since I was that wide eyed teenager trying to learn everything I can about music and singing all of the time. I don’t have the same need to learn anymore, but I do have a strong desire to keep pushing my vocal limits to see what I can do.

          Long gone are the rockstar dreams. I put those on the shelf. It’s fun to play on the weekends, but I don’t have the time nor the energy to spend on touring and all of the baggage that comes with it. I know I’ll never be a famous singer, but there is absolutely no feeling in this world like standing in front of a room and singing with all of my heart and hearing people erupt with applause. Thanks to my mother, Sue Ellen, and my teachers, Mrs. Seltzer and Ms. Buhlig, and my band, Classic Waxx I have developed into what you can hear most Saturday nights throughout the summer somewhere in the Paducah area.

          Gone are the barbershop harmonies and the classical tenor tone. A rough edged rock n roll tone has replaced those and I’ve decided that I think that’s the way I’d rather it be.