A Chance Encounter Revitalizes a Confused Songwriter
On Saturday, my wife and I made our weekly trip to the farmer's market on Mainstrasse in Covington, Kentucky. We heard the music as soon as we got out of the car. "The Orange Blossom Special" was heading full speed down the tracks, brought to life by a fine bluegrass ensemble playing in front of the Goose Girl fountain. There was something familiar about their sound and as I got closer, it began to dawn on me. It was the fiddle--I'd heard it before.
I stood there, listening, until they finished. I was disappointed to hear them give their final "thank you." I wanted more. My disappointment soon turned to elation, however, as I realized why that fiddle sounded so familiar: it was being played by a friend I hadn't seen in 30 years--Paul Patterson. Member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Second Violins; member of the Faux Frenchmen; and once upon a time, for one wild year back in the late 70's, my musical partner and mentor.
Paul taught me more about music in our all-too-brief association than I learned from anyone before, or since. But the biggest lesson I learned from him isn't about music at all--it's about using your abilities. Paul is so far ahead of me as a musician, it isn't funny. Yet, he never criticized me or pointed out my flaws; rather, he validated my strengthts and played into them. He and I sounded great together--I have tapes to prove it. But that's what Paul does--he makes everyone sound great.
I'm no slouch as a songwriter, but I haven't had a lot of commercial success. I've been around, with cuts on three albums out of Nashville: The Return; This is Tim Hadler; and, Teacups and Rodeos. Every artist who has done my songs has done them well, but they are not the same without Paul's musicianship.
I've been working for the last seven years to perfect my songwriting and compile my first album. And you can bet that I will have Paul playing on that album, whatever it takes.
Oh! The lesson: do the best you can with the abilities you have and do it to professional standards. And never think you are less than anyone else. You are who you are.
Cheers!
Kenny