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Filed in the “Good Things Happen” Department… Part 27.

I have no idea if this is the 27th time I’ve written  a “”Good Things Happen” post. I’ve written a few. The number just popped in my head, and I ran with it.

This is going to be a fun music-filled weekend. Tonight, my band Laurel Canyon is playing its first two hour show ever at the Coffee Lounge on Gettysburg and First.

But lets back up a few days, because that provides the root of the weekend.

A few days ago, a friend who owns a recording studio put out notice that he was looking for someone to lay down some vocals in the style of John Mayer for a client, probably for a commercial or something. Well, I have a little section of the guest bedroom set aside as a home recording studio that I hardly ever use, and figured I’d give it a whirl… It never hurts to try. So I got a karaoke version of “Why Georgia Why” and laid down some VOX in one take. It turned out OK. I’m not sure if my voice will fit the bill. But even if it doesn’t, this little recording session, such as it was, set off a chain of events that’s leading to this weekend..

Around the same time, I got an email from the home recording forum I belong to, telling me about a song writing contest where the prize is a nice bundle of recording software. To enter, you have to write a song using the words “sasquatch”, “kick”, and “machine”… The name of the software is Sasquatch Kick Machine of course.

I’m alway up to the challenge of writing a new song, though I never seem to do it. But on Thursday, something happened. After probably a year in the case, I took out my mandolin and started messing with it. I soon stumbled onto an interesting chord progression, and at the same time, these lyrics popped into my head:

“Tall and awkward
He rarely comes around these parts no more

If you see him
He’s probably here to settle some old score
That’s for sure”

Instantly, I knew I had stumbled onto the root that will be “The Ballad Of Sasquatch”. Since I already had the recording gear set up from the other demo, I was already ready to plug in and record the bits that I had. God only knows how many songs I’ve lost forever because I didn’t take the time to write and record the things that pop in then out of my head! And instead of writing some little thing about how I desire the Sasquatch Kick Machine software…

“It’s my precious… I WANTS IT!!!”…

This thing is developing into a full song, and it’s my first to be written on mandolin.

So, even if I don’t get the John Mayer-ish gig… Even if I don’t win the software…. I’ve reignited my desire to learn more on the mandolin, and gotten a song out of it.

I consider that a win no matter what.

PS. I also will finally sit down and really learn how to use the perfectly good recording software I’ve not used since I got it two years or so ago – PreSonus’ Studio One. I’ve toyed with it here and there since I got it, but haven’t disciplined myself to really get into learning how to use it.

PPS. Here’s the “Why Georgia Why” demo. I didn’t spend any time refining it, so it’s pretty raw. As I listen with fresh ears, it’s not the best I could have done. There are snips here and there that do work pretty well though. And as I said, it was worth the effort no matter what.

https://soundcloud.com/sonicfrog/why-georgia-why-demo