12/21/2019
It's today! It's TODAY! ITS TODAY!
As a kid growing up in Mooresville,NC I never knew or even thought I would "make it!" and end up becoming one of the top piano player performers on the..
Las Vegas Strip!
But I just kept trying...and trying and trying! And finally...
I freakin made it!
I graduated class of '05 from Mooresville senior high school. When I graduated I didn't quite know what I wanted to do with my life and being a performer definitely didn't seem like a reality! Although it was definitely a dream! Through the years I would have different odd jobs here and there, but nothing that would really be fulfilling. One day I read an ad for a piano bar in Raleigh, North Carolina that was looking for piano entertainers. So I went to audition...I figured I'd been playing piano most of my life. And I loved to sing. This is totally up my alley…
Guess how It went...
HORRIBLY! - The one dream I really ever had. To make a living with music..and it was horrible!
I would love to say it went great.. I would love to say it was amazing!
But.. It wasn't.
I bombed it. I had no idea what I was doing... They pretty much said "you have no idea what you're doing. And it's not likely you'll be able to do this..its not likely you'll be an entertainer.."
Crushed. pretty sure I cried.
I was so bummed!
One good thing happened though..
They gave me a song list and said.."if you are really at all interested in doing this you'll need to know all these songs first..."
So with my head towards the ground and shoulders bent with the weight of the world I walked out feeling as if I would never be able to REACH MY DREAM.
I moved away…
I stopped really thinking about it.
I got a job detailing cars..(which really wasn't all that bad, but it wasn't my dream)
One day I decided to start learning the songs on the list. But I didn't really think anything would come of it. I would just do one song at a time in my spare time.. When I had nothing better to do.
About a year later I got a call... It was the same bar I auditioned for in Raleigh. They said they were looking for players that they could teach. They said there was a new "entertainment director" who would take time and teach me how to be an entertainer...that is of course if I was still interested..
I WAS!
OH MAN WAS I EVER INTERESTED!
So…
I moved back to Raleigh. Moved in with an amazing friend. And worked 3 jobs to keep things afloat. I woke up everyday at 7am. Went to work at a record label in the marketing department. Then around 3pm I got off there and I would go teach piano lessons until around 6pm. Then I would head to the bar where I sat and watched the show I was learning until 2am. Then to bed. And back at it again tomorrow. I worked as hard and as long as I possibly could to learn how to be an entertainer! And lucky for me I had some amazing people to train me and show me the ropes!
Finally after watching the show and practicing my songs I was allowed to play 1 song a night. After a few weeks...1 song turned into 3 songs. 3 into 9. And 9 songs turned into a set. Then after a few more weeks some of the more experienced players would let me close the night. And finish their sets. After a while I was playing half a night. And in about 6 months time I was the relief player in case anyone got sick.
Then it happened. A player decided to move and there was an open place. Guess who they offered it to?
Me.
And I played and practiced my butt off! All day every day. I got to work learning everything I could about how to make sure that when I was in front of a crowd of people as an entertainer, that they were 110% entertained!
That's why this show is so fun!
Wholelottashakin.eventbrite.com
After about 6 more months I met a guy who had friends out west, mainly in California. This guy could see that I had drive! And he made some calls to hook me up with a few weeks gig out in California. I was totally enamored! I loved it! But the gig was only to last a few weeks. When I went back to North Carolina I was a bit bummed. California had spoiled me. But I didn't know how to stay on that train...what I did know was that I wanted to be an even better entertainer than I was and I wanted to be around others who were going to help me achieve that even more! I decided to leave Raleigh without knowing where I was headed. Except I knew what I was looking for. I knew I was looking for my name in lights!
After leaving Raleigh I got a call from a player I met in California. He had a connection in Las Vegas and asked if I wanted to audition.
Yes!
The answer was YES!
Guess what?
This time I made it!
And I've never looked back!
This show is the culmination of everything I've learned over my entire career as an entertainer. And believe me when I say you will not be let down! YOU will actually be BLOWN AWAY!
And beyond that let it be a symbol for all you dreamers out there...that you CAN achieve your dreams!
I really hope I get to see you at the Mooresville show! And I hope after the show you come up and say hello and tell me what YOUR dream is.
Wholelottashakin.eventbrite.com
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