penny

I've been at this music business for 35 years. In that time it has at times been my living , my hobby and my sanity. I put together rock bands, so many, and performed my own material. I had the opportunity to sign with MGM (a Major in the 70's) I backed away. I would have been Donny Osmound. ( No offense Donny you have done well!) I have produced and managed and sang in the worst and best places a singer can find themselves. It has been a journey and a blessing even when a fan is so exicited/drunk to talk to you he throws up on you.
I have performed in 'toilets' to two unhappy people, made less happy with my little originals pissing them off. I have performed in class acts and legendary venues like the Hypodrome and perfectly balanced accoustic theaters and arenas in colleges. I have had songs on the radio... don't bother they never made any charts. Just cost me money to dj's. I played CCR songs to old rich jewish people who so enjoyed what I did that they wanted to dance all night to Proud Mary as rendered by my unique and oddly beautiful Goyum voice. I was paid very well!!!
Here is my point to all you young people. What you do- write and sing music- even if you think it's bad...it's not...is a gift and a blessing that will hold you up and carry you all your life. I am an old man in a wheelchair that still writes and performs. And I will until I can't. Then I will ask one of you wonderful and talented young people to sing what I can't.
Keep at it ...it is a rare and wonderful gift to be a minstrel. Our value is not whether we get one on the charts, thats great but that's the lotto. Our value is that we can give voice to those who have no voice. Write all the time, play when and where you can and let life do what it will do.
Penny

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It took a disease, taking my mobility from me to see further and clearer than when I could take that trip and see nothing. My spirit grows beyond my body. I am new again in this discovery of my internal landscape and its meanings.

Mouse

Thanks for these words of wisdom
Penny. I totally agree with you.
I usually look for bands or solo acts that don't
write their own stuff here in this lil ole town,
and write songs or co-write with them.
You'll never know they could be the next
big thang. I don't sing, my sister does all that.

Excellent. Thanks mate, we have a lot
to learn from you my friend.

PS. Penny is a unusual name for a man?

Best.............Mouse.

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It"s just a phase

Mystery

:> Music is good for the soul :>

But Unless im confused, Minstrels are druid storytellers??
I was sure....

Hope you live to be an old man in a warm bed. Thanks for the encouragement.

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Let's drown all our sorrows and we'll be gone till tomorrow...

Dies Irae, Dies Ilia, Solvet Saeclum In Favilla...

Yes, must still shut up.

penny

Mouse:
And I from you my friend.
John Penny is the name of a highway man in a song on my new CD (Shameless promotion, aside.) I'll post the lyric to that song tonight. I was sitting with the lyric in front of me. A lot of irony floated down, as a thick mist, upon me- Kenny having writen about John Penny having Pennies on his dead eyes- you all giving me new eyes- on and on... So Penny it was. I would love to hear some of your work...go to my site for a taste of mine.
Mystery:
Minstrels were Newspeople. During the Dark Ages news of other places, kingdoms, rumors, whats out whats in was delivered in verse and voice. The rub was that if you sang a good story badly you could be belted with vegetables. If you told a bad story in a clever manner you might get fed. If you could deliver both good and bad news with great voice and verse you were made famous. Same stuff different day.
We are all minstrels,
Penny/kenny

__________________
It took a disease, taking my mobility from me to see further and clearer than when I could take that trip and see nothing. My spirit grows beyond my body. I am new again in this discovery of my internal landscape and its meanings.