Once upon a time, I was uninhibited and liked to perform. I begged for the right to sing on the morning announcements in elementary school and wowed my classmates with songs like "If," "Yesterday" and "Cats in the Cradle." Somewhere along the way, though, that went away. I always played guitar and played flute and other instruments through my school years, though hated things like solo competition because I ALWAYS messed up in some way (fly in my face, a friend's curious dad popping in during my time, nervous because my grandfather was accompanying me live). I even applied to and was accepted to college as a music major, but fear of an audition had me change majors before I ever started.
All that to say that there's a performer in me that never really got out. A couple of summers ago, I bought myself a few guitar lessons at the local music store so I could get better. I went in and told the guy that I knew how to play, I just wanted to sound like James Taylor...could he help me out? I think having an older woman who already knew how to play kind of threw him off and he really didn't know what to do with me. So for 3 weeks, I paid my $20 and he and I played and hung out together. He told me he thought I had a closet need to play publicly and I should find some open mike nights to play. "Yeah, right," I scoffed at him.
But the idea did take hold. At a restaurant in Weaverville, near my parents' & sister, they have Open Mike nights on Wednesdays. The night before Thanksgiving is a Wednesday, the only likely Wednesday we could be there. Last year, I planned to do it, but as we left for dinner, I "accidentally" forgot my guitar at the house. This year, nobody let me do that.
My son wanted to play piano, too, which I was fine with, though there was no way I'd follow him. I mean, really...44-11/12-year-old woman vs. cute, talented 12-year-old boy? I don't think so.
So we lugged in all our gear. We were signed up to go 1st and 2nd, which really meant 2nd and 3rd because the host had to warm up the crowd with 7 or 8 songs. Then it was my turn.
And you know what? It was fun! I've been playing and singing at school events for the past few years, and that still makes me a bit nervous. But last night? Yes, I was scared before...I couldn't decide if I should do the songs I'd planned or not. But as I got started, I didn't even feel any of the anxiety I normally feel before playing. Other than giving up on my Indigo Girls song after the first verse & chorus, I just played on.
I thought it would be weird and even intimidating to play with my family staring at me, but it actually was fun and I could feel their encouragement as I played.
My husband later told me that as I got up on the little stage, a guy at the bar behind him said, "Oh my G-d...is that Tricia Yearwood?" How funny is that?
So... yay me!
(here's video of some of our songs...feel free to watch some, all, or none if you prefer!)
