James Lee Stanley

I had an interesting experience at the FAI conference last week and I want to share it with you.

For the uninitiated, the FAI conference bring together a couple of thousand people who are music lovers, musicians, singers, songwriters, venue owners, house concert presenters, managers, and agents for four days of intense workshops and live music.

Every musician wants to have a full house for his or her showcase and there is much of one hand washing the other.   We talk up the folks we love and, if we are gracious, we don’t mention the folks that we didn’t like no matter how much fun it would be do criticize and condemn a fellow musician.  Yes, we do that, but we shouldn’t.

In any event, I kept a tight schedule and promised myself that I would either tell someone I couldn’t make their showcase or else I would keep my word and be there for them.   I am delighted to say that I kept my word completely and even managed to see some other folks that I hadn’t scheduled.   If you read my previous column, you know that I was supremely rewarded for my efforts.

For my own showcases, I had good houses every time ( as I only do one a night—the most anyone should do in my opinion), but to my amazement, even tho I supported everyone of my fellow musicians, there was only one fellow musician who came to my showcase.

All the others simply promised on their mother’s graves that they would be there and then simply didn’t show up.

What you want in your showcase room is standing room only.  That’s what gives you panache at these things, so it’s important for your friends to help you achieve that and for you to help your friends and the artists you believe in also achieve that.

I was stunned at the lack of integrity displayed by my “friends”.   One of them was gracious enough to email me and apologize for saying he would be there and then not showing.    I truly appreciated his apology.  It made me feel better.

And it’s not the end of the world or anything, but for me, keeping your word matters.  It’s so easy to say you can’t come.    Why bother saying something you don’ t mean.  And if you meant it and then didn’t keep your word, then dammit, you didn’t mean it.

It’s that old saw about trying.    Here’s a simply test.   Right now, try and raise your arm.

Did you raise it or just try to raise it and leave it hanging there off your shoulder?

“I tried”  is complete bushillt.   Don’t be one of those people.   Say what you mean, mean what you say, and if you fail, then be up right enough to admit it and apologize.    It’s not  a big deal, but it makes the world a better place to live.

And now back to our regular programming