Today is the day to sign up on the computer for a chance to audition at the Bluebird Café. I have tried to sign up a number of times. I had a rough time getting past this hurdle at the beginning. If there was a way to do it wrong, I did it. The process is going to the website and getting in a computer line. It is called Queue It. I thought I had to be at the computer and time it down to the second when I would enter the digital line. Wrong. All you do is pick the day of the event, hit enter, and it places you in line. Yes, I try to make simple things difficult.
I had a good feeling about signing up today. I didn't at the beginning though. I was anxious and had my doubts. It was getting close to crunch time. I believe God answers prayer. I decided I needed his help. It was prayer time. We all say prayers. Sometimes while we are driving down the road, on the computer typing, listening to a sermon, or maybe, taking a test.
I believe that God listens when I get down on both knees and pray. The truth is that he listens even if I am not on my knees. He is always available and waiting on us to talk to him. If I can be honest, the reason I think it feels like it works better is- I am bowing to him. I am humble. I am not in control, He is. I am recognizing that life isn't about me. It is about Him. His will in my life.
It wasn't a long prayer. The sun wasn't shining any brighter when I was done. I had a good feeling. Would that good feeling of went away if didn't get an audition. Maybe, yes. Maybe, no. I was trusting that He knew better than me. I hate spending money unnecessarily. If God wants me to go and I pass the audition. Thank you, Lord.
I remember the first time I went to Nashville for an audition at the Bluebird. It was when eight inches of snow fell in Nashville in January of 2016. In Kansas we can handle snow. We don't always like it but we can handle it. We have snowplows and road crews clearing the road. We have four wheel drive pick up with scoops on the front. A buddy of mine own a four wheeler with a big scoop that he uses for driveways and sidewalks.
I flew into Nashville on Saturday for my audition on Sunday. The snow storm had already hit Nashville and they were trying to recover. I went downtown and the parking lots and the roads still had snow on them. I walked by the Ryman Auditorium and they were having the Grand Old Opry their on Saturday night. They had a parking lot beside the building where they park the big Greyhound tour buses with tourists from out of town. This was a good size parking lot. They had one employee with one shovel trying to shovel it. That is crazy.
I am. I arrived in town and went to eat in downtown Nashville at the Hard Rock Café. It sat down to eat at 11:15 am. I received an email on my cell phone. It was the Bluebird Café letting me know that the audition had been canceled because of the snow storm. Really! It was still twenty four hours away and it was already canceled.
Okay, let's skip back to the part about me being cheap and not liking to spend money. I had paid for plane tickets to fly to Nashville. I had paid for a hotel room in Nashville. I had rented a rental car to be able to get around Nashville. On top of that, the audition was canceled. I was planning to spend five days in Nashville. If you are going to pay for a plane ticket you might as well get your money's worth.
I remember praying to God in my hotel room. Again, this was bowed down on both knees. I was frustrated. Why did I come all this way for nothing? I wanted God to bless this trip. To make this trip worthwhile. I needed his help. There is a verse in the Bible that says. Casting all your cares upon Him, for he careth for you.
I had other songwriter activities lined up for my week. I went to Nashville Songwriting Association International (NSAI) for two mentoring sessions. I also had a mentoring session scheduled with Amanda Williams. Her dad is a famous Nashville songwriter. He was one of the cowriters on the Randy Travis song of the year- Three wooden crosses. I love that song.
Amanda was able to help me with the process of playing an open mic at the Commodore. The Commodore is a songwriting listening room that is part of a fancy Holiday Inn close to Music Row. Debi Champion is the host of the songwriters round and open mic. I appreciate her spending her time to have a place for songwriters to play. I showed up early and watched the Songwriter round that took place before the open mic. It was very good. They had three or four rounds of really good songwriters. They had three songwriters on the stage at the same time. They all played three songs each. So I got too hear twelve songwriters performing thirty six songs.
One of the singers was a lady who wrote a George Strait number one song. I should write down names, it would make a better story. Another guy named Randy played his song that I recognized as a big hit. Also, I met a guy named Jim that I really enjoyed his songs. It was great.
After the songwriter round, it was time for the Open Mic. I was in the last group to play. I played a song that I had written called Paid. Here are the lyrics.
I got little scraps of paper scattered all around my home.
Hooks, titles, and ideas stored on my cell phone.
A list of chores to do, a half mile long
I'm strumming my guitar, writing my next big song.
Chorus- I wanna make me people laugh, make people dance,
touch somebody's hearts, help them find romance.
But when I make it big
I wanna get paid.
I bought a new guitar to write a better song
A Roland twenty four hundred to record it on.
A trip down to Nashville, and no hits yet.
All I'm getting is deeper in debt.
Chorus- I wanna make me people laugh, make people dance,
make people smile, help them find romance.
Yeah , I love to play.
But when I make it big, I wanna get paid.
I'm giving away sample like Chic fil A
the songs I'm writing are just ok
I'll keep trying to write better each day
and maybe, someday.
Chorus- I'm gonna make people laugh, make people dance
touch somebody's hearts, help them find romance.
yeah, I love to play
But when I make it big, I'm gonna get paid.
The song went over great. It was a song that songwriters could relate to. After I was done Debi Champion, the host, invited me back to play on at a Writer's round. It is so neat when we see God answer prayer. I thought that my trip to Nashville was for nothing. God didn't give me a gig at the Bluebird café but he opened a door for me to do the same thing at the Commodore Grille. I was so excited. God is good.
Okay, enough suspense. Back to my audition at the Bluebird. I am going to Nashville in two weeks to audition for the Bluebird. I am excited for another opportunity to try out. It should be a lot of fun. Maybe, God will open that door this time. It is my job to knock on the door. Knock! Knock!