"We wait so long for conditions to be right to make a move unaware that going ahead and making the move creates the right conditions." –Patrick McBride A week from this past Saturday, I sat in the green room deep in thought. It was the first time that entire day I had a moment to myself to just breathe. I had just finished praying with my band and watched them walk out of the door headed towards the stage. As I heard the introduction and the music start, I knew I was closing in on the last two minutes of personal freedom before I would enter into creative freedom. I'm glad to know the difference between the two now.
As a slave to my creative freedom and the artist called Ab for years, I'm glad to know who Aaron is and what Aaron Abernathy needs in order to be Ab. I won't get into all the details on what I need but I will say that in order to be Ab the artist that night, I needed those two minutes to breathe and think about where I came from, where I was going, and why I decided to do this series called High Note.
My mom is a genius. She is the ultimate think tank full of ideas and willing to share them with me daily. Fearless in her approach, she often plants seeds in my ear of what I should do even if she doesn't know how to fully execute the idea. Over the years I have turned down plenty of her ideas and could always find a reason to do so. She would tell me that you can't wait for things to be perfect......you have to take control of all your situations and stop waiting......time waits for no one.
The week after Thanksgiving she pitched this idea to do a concert at my home on NYE. In my mind I shot that idea down really quick. It's impossible......my home isn't big enough and to be completely honest......I don't want to invite people into my private space. I told her to let me think about it. I took the idea to my friend Shannon Evans and we started bouncing thoughts back and forth and the think tank started rolling. As we continued to develop the idea......NYE had come and gone and we were staring March in the face. We had missed 3 deadlines and still hadn't secured a venue.
Then there was March.......
I sat and watch God start putting everything together. We partnered with three different organizations, a venue was solidified, Appleton Jamaican Rum came on as a sponsor, the website was created (www.highnoteseries.com), the website was launched, and the show sold out in 12 days!!!
I sat in that green room flooded with thoughts of this process.....The four months it took to create this moment. In those two minutes.....I almost forgot I was performing. A new beginning.....performing at a show where I was one of the promoters....but this time it was more than a show......it was more than just Ab......It was about how Aaron sees things......It was about how my High Note team sees things......it was about how we could share our experiences with you.
The personal life creates the creative life and vice versa. Who I am will always show up in the creative If I choose to remain authentic. I'm glad to continue my growth on the journey of who I am. I'm glad that my creative life has added onto experiences in my personal life. In those two minutes I was glad to be walking into a new chapter of my life and sharing a part of me with others......and then those two minutes were up.
I gathered myself and walked down the steps to the sound of music I created. I walked into an experience I was glad to share with a room full of classy women and dapper gentlemen dressed to the nines! I must say the greatest moment of that evening was coming down those steps and seeing everyone looking extraordinary. It was surreal. The whole night was surreal!
To think that I never would have received all the great reviews from attendees, or watched people mixing and mingling, or them enjoying the entertainment, the venue, and the complimentary cocktails......if I waited for things to be perfect. They were very imperfect but that's what was great. We made the move with hopes of making the conditions right as we went along.
I walked down those steps after my two minutes and sat down at my Wurlitzer....
Glad to be in my new home for the first time......
Glad to be embarking on a new beginning.......
Welcome to the High Note.
Signed,
Ab