Listen to Musicians?

This all started when I happened to run across a social media profile the other day. In the description, it said, “former concert pianist“.

I have to be honest. Using the term “former“ made me a little sad. But I think there's something to learn here.

Listen to musicians other than just their music?

Yes. For all sorts of reasons this is valuable information to know about an individual. Of course we listen to successful business people, specialists in our field, highly regarded social media influencers and of course, big time content creators. Just know that musicians sometimes have that very personal insight, that little bit of edge that allows them to come up with something extra, something just a little bit different. Their creativity spills over into all sorts of avenues.

And I like that. And you should take advantage of it.

But this all goes deeper for me. To explain, here's my personal story.

My dad was a drummer in the big band era. And, seemingly inevitably, I started playing drums at the age of seven. This, despite all the attempts by my parents to guide me into any instrument that didn’t need a van, truck or a trailer to carry around. ... They weren’t successful.

I turned professional at the age of 13 when the local music store paid me a little to be a demonstration drummer for the jazz band they formed that presented new band instruments to the public and their customers. (Yeah, that used to be a thing.) The formal drummer for the band and the Director let me sit-in for a song at each presentation. Don't underestimate this. It was a life-altering experience for a 13 year old.

I tried to not be a drummer. But instruments other than the drums just didn’t fit me. They didn’t fit my character. They didn’t speak to my soul. They weren't who I was becoming.

Don’t get me wrong. I often wish I could play the piano or guitar or something that carries a melody. But really, that’s just not me. I literally have rhythms going in my head during all of my waking hours. I can brain-play a groove for hours in my head. (I hope James Brown would be proud. His drummers were truly inspirational.)

My years of playing in bands have passed and decades of business have filled their place. Like my father before me, I never got into one of those great bands that you would know. But I still keep up with music and play almost every day to keep my skills fresh. (Gotta perfect my grooves.)

For me, playing that instrument, playing in bands and traveling to gigs, negotiating contracts, and learning to get along with & sometimes being disappointed by a client or fellow bandmates, were foundational in my upbringing. I learned a lot. Those exciting experiences fundamentally established the core of who I became from a very early age and supported many of the successes that I've had in my life. And ... they made me a little different, a little more assertive and bunch more creative in everything that I do.

Well, at the risk of offending someone, let's ask this question: "are musicians smarter?”

Here’s one answer from Penn State:

Then there’s this study from Vanderbilt University:

And here's the point: Musicians are different.

As a personal matter of fact, one of the most interesting musicians I've ever met is a General Contractor and Spec Home Builder that's one of my neighbors. He's a deep thinker in construction, business, and all sorts of things. Fascinating guy. But if you were to drop by his house after work, you'd find him practicing classical music on his grand piano. (Not a baby grand Buddy, he’s full tilt.) It's beautiful, the music he creates is equally as beautiful and he is immensely talented. And yes, if you typically use cliché thinking, very unexpected. So don't do that.

Hopefully that made my point here before people start sending me hate mail.

Oh, and just in case you're wondering, yes. I am following that individual on social media that said "former concert pianist". They’re bright, very bright.

In my personal experience I have found smart people everywhere. And truly, some of the very brightest people I've ever met were not musicians at all. So don’t be a snob either direction. This belief: "That we can all learn from each other." is the bedrock to what I believe.

Well… I've been out of the music business for quite some time. I just wanted to make that you aware that musicians can add a little something special to your team. They can certainly bring a different perspective. So, if you're looking for "outside the box" thinking, the musician on your team just might be the person who comes up with that new groundbreaking idea.

And with that… I'd like to thank all of the musicians that I've come across in my life both professionally and personally. This goes out to you stand-alone musicians playing at venues everywhere, from busking on the sidewalks to playing on stage spaces that are way too small for even a single guitarist, all the way to stadium venues I’ve attended:

P.S. If Tower Of Power ever needs a sit-in drummer… Just sayin’.

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