All creatives strive to make a living from their work.
I am often asked why I continue to write, record, and produce music. I am reminded of odds of being “discovered” and that I am losing time and money by continuing to create. It is true that I do not turn a profit from each album I produce, let alone break even. In every case, the amount of time, energy, and money is never recuperated.
Creatives are compelled to tell stories, paint pictures, capture images, sing songs. We are compelled to share them with everyone. We often feel that our work goes unnoticed and unheard. Yet we continue to produce our work.
The album Winter was scheduled for a 2021 release. The pandemic delayed the production of the album for nearly three years. I grew restless waiting for the day we could start producing the album. Events in my life increased the urgency to release this album and share the story with others. I needed to tell this story.
In February of this year, I had the chance to share the story in a live performance. The work required to perform the album live was greater than effort and time it took to record it. All the members of the band sacrificed significant parts of their lives to present the album.
This was not about fame or profit. It was about telling a story that was important to each of us.
Emails arrived days after the show. Some thanked me for helping them make sense of all the feelings they experienced after a recent loss. Others were less alone knowing that someone else felt the same way they felt after a loss. One individual said they were finally able to let go of a lost one.
We create because we are compelled to share.
