Heartland

As most of you know, Cindy and I relocated to southern Indiana. That’s an area that is known as The Heartland. This is John Mellencamp territory; in fact, he was born on Seymour, about 20 miles from where we live.

My wife (aka: friend/muse) suggested that I do an album with a “rural” theme. The actual word she used was Agricultural, but I decided to broaden it a bit. So, I started to look around the area to see what there was in the way of inspiration.

In my universe, if you go looking for inspiration, you WILL find. It’s there; you just have to spot it and be open to it. There was the wind farm right around Lafayette; there’s the Muscatatuck River which runs less than 2 miles from our house; there’s the Blue River and the Wabash, both of which have historical connections. Of course, the green fields of corn and soy abound and stretch for miles and miles. There was a lot of beauty, a lot of heritage to draw from.

Then came the writing. With the help of a lot of photos and video footage, I was able to capture, not only the essence but the motion of many of these places and things. Working instrumentally meant that I could use a wide variety of musical colors from the sonic palette; it also gave me an opportunity to incorporate my two steel string guitars: a 1971 Martin 12-string with the “high” strings removed, and a 1950 Harmony Archtop that I got at an auction just before we left New York State.

When the recording was done, I sent the mixes to my good friend, and former recording partner, Scott B. Adams to be mastered. The result is a lovely sounding tonal picture of the amazing variety of the landscape of Middle America.

Should you be interested in sampling (or purchasing) any of this new music, check out CDBaby .

And to watch the video of “Wind Farm” go to Windfarm .

It’s almost like a ballet with wind mills.

One more thing: there is a new opportunity for anyone who feels led to support me as an independent musician. Patreon.com is best described as a Kickstarter-style campaign, but it’s ongoing. For more information on how it works, go toPatreon .

2013!

Fa who foraze, whatever that means. Welcome, welcome New Year’s Day.


2012 was an amazing year for us. As most of you are aware, we moved. After 25 years in beautiful Chenango County, New York, we relocated to beautiful Washington County in southern Indiana in mid-July. We moved away from the tiny town of McDonough, to the equally tiny town of Vallonia.

Musically, 2012 saw the issue of my “Back in the Window” instrumental CD and the “God Bless the World” vocal CD. And I wrote 22 new pieces of music, including some anthems, some songs, and a few really unique pieces that will see the light of day later this year.

Since arriving in Indiana, I have become the choir director of First Christian Church in Salem. That’s a Disciples of Christ church, which has a lot of similarities to the United Church of Christ, where I spent the last 8 years.

On the farm, Cindy and I built the first of a series of sheds; this one being the chicken coop, wherein she maintains 3 chickens. We also have one cat that patrols the grounds: rodent control. We’ve spent a lot of time building inside too. We completely re-did the kitchen, and most of the office. The front room closet-extension is next.

This move has been really exciting, but it has its down side. We’re a lot further away from all our family and friends in NY now, however we are a lot closer to our daughter and her family, which includes our two grandchildren. We’ve already visited them near Chicago 3 times and they’ve been down here several times also.

2013: from a personal perspective, I am planning on a really fun, really productive year. From a larger POV, the world can be such a difficult place; no need to go into detail- just listen to what passes for news anymore. Despite the way things seem, I am still just enough of a 60s person to think that we could possibly make even a little step closer to Peace on Earth. I like to think that the music that I create will have its own small effect towards that lofty goal.

Happy 2013 to all my friends, fans, & family.

FIRST DANCE

Way back…and I mean Waaaaay back in 1965, when I’d only been playing a year or so, I wrote my first instrumental song. It was called “First Dance”.

The fact is that it didn’t have a name for a long time, but I eventually came up with “First Dance” simply because it was my first tune, and because it was in ¾ time, a waltz.

Throughout the years of recording instrumental music (beginning in 1988), I never had a chance to record this particular song. As I prepare material for a release later this year of instrumental music, I decided that “First Dance” should have its first recording.

The CD will be called “Back in the Window” and will be a reconstruction of all my instrumental songs from the Eutycus Records release “In the Window” which was produced in 1991 as a cassette only. Songs like “Forever in your Heart”, Higher up, Higher In”, and “Was a Man” will be included, along with 2 or 3 new songs.

I consider myself very lucky/blessed to be able to do the work I do. And I hope that “First Dance” will be a song that will possibly get your feet moving. In the meantime, I invite you all to visit my listings on cdbaby which will lead you to all my other CDs.

The Significance of 10,000.

In Chinese traditions, the number 10,000 stands for “all things in nature”. In internet traditions, the number 10,000 is fairly low, especially when considering hits for a web site or for a video.

Be that as it may, I am celebrating this week because I just passed the 10,000 view mark on Youtube. That means that over 10,000 times, someone somewhere in this wide world took the time to look at one of my videos. The ones that have received the most attention are the “Brahms Lullaby” and my arrangement of “Jupiter” by Gustav Holst.

Hey, I realize that these musical performances aren’t anywhere near as interesting or captivating as some young girl telling us what’s in her purse, but then I like to think that I appeal to a more sophisticated audience…you.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who watched even one of these vids, and to invite you to watch the rest; and to pass the link along to a friend…or 10,000 friends. It would be really remarkable to see the number go over 20,000 sometime this year.

2 new songs

Here are two chances to add to your evergrowing Tom Rasely music collection:

OVERNIGHT ON THE RADIO is a catchy, country tune about...listening to overnight radio! You can download it here:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/TomRasely1
and watch the video here:
http://youtube.com/tomrasely

And in honor of our 39 (!) anniversary, a bonus free download, NEW LOVE SONG:
http://youpublish.com/tomrasely

Enjoy!

Free on the First, "Hand to the Plow"

http://www.youpublish.com/tomrasely

A country-style song to start the summer season.

Boght Arts Center, Cohoes, NY

A casual Friday evening performance.

From the "Life on the Road" Department

I had to travel all the way to Indiana for this story.

Way back in October, 1983 I was touring churches and Christian coffeehouses all over the place, trying to make a living. One evening, I was booked at a coffeehouse in Indianapolis. More than likely it was called The Lighthouse or The Upper Room- they all were. The place was a mess: buckets catching water dripping from the ceiling, the place wasn’t well lit, I was worn out from the traveling, and my host wasn’t there- that happened a lot.

Well, I did two sets of music that lasted an excruciating hour and a half. When I finished and was packing up, a young man who had sat in the back the whole night, came up to me. He said, “Man, that was great. God really blessed me. I had a hard day at work and that was just what I needed.” I think I had the presence of mind to thank him and shake his hand, but I distinctly remember thinking “Brother, if that’s what you needed, you DID have a hard day at work.”

Lesson learned: you never know who’s listening or how it will affect them, so always play your best.

Wrong or write

Someone* said that the art of writing is actually the art of re-writing. As a composer, I can vouch for this. Once I have an idea for a song, I try to get a sense of where the lyrics (if any) want to go. Then I write on instinct. When I get a piece to the point where I can see it is a complete song, I usually set it aside for a short time: 24 – 48 hours, generally. Then I go back and start the re-write process.

Even in my recordings, I will put in all sorts of instruments, some of which will not make it through the editing. Each part must have its own place in the mix, and no one part can get in the way of another part. This requires some intense listening. The best way I know to accomplish this is to listen as though it was someone else’s song.

In the end, I hope that I create music that musicians will want to perform more than once, and that people will want to listen to more than once. If you haven’t sampled any of my music, you can do so on iTunes or Rhapsody, or any number of music download sites.

*Might have been Kathy Mattea. She said "You have to write badly to write at all. If it`s crappy, I will rewrite it later. But it will be mine. You can hear the resonance of an artist who goes into herself."

Playing at the White House

I distinctly remember the day the phone call came in 1998 inviting me and my friend and musical partner Scott B. Adams to play at The White House.

I had been told it would never happen.

A store owner had given the Clintons a gift basket containing (among other things) one of my CDs, and, after that, anything seemed possible, even performing at the White House.

Of course, it took almost 4 ½ years to accomplish it.

I sent at least 4 different demo copies of CDs and multiple letters (sidenote--this persistence has earned me the nickname "Mr. Squeaky", a topic for a future post), until someone from the Music Committee (who even knew there was such a thing?) was compelled to champion us in. We played for the VIP Christmas Tours, when staffers from all over Washington were invited to come and see the decorations. We did not see or meet the First Family, but we performed in the East Room; what a thrill!

In 2002, I went again, this time as a soloist. The experience was about the same; that is, just as exciting. Once again, I did not see or meet the Bush’s, but I performed my Christmas arrangements in the East Room. The White House staff treated me like royalty and (trust me) they know how to do that!

Will I go back? Who knows at this point? Not me. I’m sure I’d like to, but it really is more a matter of time than anything else.

If the call comes again, I will let you all know.

From the "Life on the Road" Department

One of my favorite guitar arrangements is the Erroll Garner song “Misty”.

One day in the early 1990s, I was playing it as background music for a function at the Morrisville (NY) College campus; when I finished the tune, a little old (blue-rinse) lady appeared at my left elbow.

She said, “That was just beautiful. Could you play “Misty”? I hesitated, looked at her and said, “Sure.” And I played it again. She stood there and listened to the whole thing (again), and when I finished she said, “Thank you; that was lovely” and left.

To this day I have no idea what she thought she was listening to the first time I played it. I still occasionally play “Misty” and every time I do, I think of that lady. It’s a moment to be treasured.

To find out where I’m performing (which is rare), and where you can go to request “Misty”, check out the Schedule page on my web site: http://www.rasely.com/road.htm

Practice Makes Perfect...Practicers!

Question: Hey buddy, how do you get to Carnegie Hall?
Answer: Practice!

Conventional wisdom says, "Practice makes perfect.” Usually, when you take music lessons, you are expected to spend a certain amount of time practicing. The truth is that sometimes the only thing practicing makes you perfect AT is practicing.

My idea has always been that, if you insist on using the word “practice”, use it in the same way as doctors and lawyers.

When doctors talk of practicing medicine, they do not mean that they are rehearsing in order to get better at it. The same goes for lawyers. It reminds me of what Yoda says in Star Wars, Episode V, “Do or do not; there is no try.” I tell my students to Play, even if it’s a simple exercise. Consider that every time you play, it’s a performance, even if you are the only one in the audience.

So, how do you get to Carnegie Hall? PLAY!

My First Composition

The first thing I ever wrote was a very (very) short piano piece called “The Robin’s Song”. Chances are that I was inspired by all that wonderful music in the Schaum piano method books; I think I only ever made it to Book B (I know the series went at least up to G). Anyway, I was 8 years old and riding in the back seat of the family car. I had a small notepad with me and I began by drawing music staff lines. Adding a g clef, I started to pen (or pencil) my master opus. The whole song lasts about 20 seconds. Frankly it isn’t very good, but it’s a first, and I still have that original sheet of paper.

Instead of laughing at it, my parents were quite excited that I had written musical notes of my own choosing. They always encouraged me, and I hope that I am passing that along to my students and friends.

Encouragement--pass it on.

FREE ON THE FIRST, "Six Days"

March's free download is called "Six Days" and is a fingerstyle piece with a bluesy feel. Enjoy it and share it with your friends.http://www.youpublish.com/tomrasely

CD Giveaway

Late winter seems like the perfect time for some grassroots marketing; let’s keep me inspired with some new readers.

Tell one new person about the Musician in the Middle of Nowhere and then post here about who you are and that you spread the word about Tom Rasely’s music (or on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/trasely) .

You don’t have to walk up to strangers either. Write the blog address on a post it note and leave it at the music store. Email a coworker who likes music; leave the Facebook link scribbled on a napkin at the Open Mike night. The idea is to spread the word about the nowhere guitarist and help my readership grow.

So post today who you told and that’s it--you’re entered in the drawing. At the end of the week, I’ll pull a name out of the hat and announce it on the blog and Facebook. Then you email me and I’ll send you the free cd; couldn’t be easier.

(Thanks to Jenna at Coldantler Farm for the idea).

My drummer buddy, Bob Tousignant

Not all of my friends are guitarists. Bob Tousignant (too-SEE-nyahnt) is a drummer…an extraordinary drummer. I met Bob through a mutual friend, Chris Natoli. Bob is one of the more serious students of drumming; he practices rhythms that he’ll never get a chance to use, just for the joy of learning them.

You probably have heard Bob play. He was the drummer for The Music Explosion (“Little Bit O’ Soul”) and Crazy Elephant (“Gimme, Gimme Some Lovin’”). Bob has performed at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame where the Music Explosion album is part of the Bands from Ohio display. One of the biggest differences between Bob and me is that I had to pay to get into the R&R Hall of Fame, and he was invited to play in the main foyer.

Bob has no web site, but if you are anywhere near Chenango County, NY you might catch him playing with Eric Porter and/or Jes Sheldon some night. You can also hear Bob on “Tea with the Man in the Moon” on my HALFWAY CD, and “Mon Ami” from my ONE TO ONE CD.

Who is the Best Guitarist?

Get two or more guitarists get together, and the discussion will eventually wander to the question: Who is the best guitarist?

With so many players to choose from, in so many different styles- let's face it, there never was, and never will be just one "best"; and after all, what we really mean by "the best" is "my favorite". Insisting on your favorite will only prolong an argument, not end it. It's a classic case of apples and oranges, or even fruit salad.

Don't get me wrong; it's good to have guitar heroes. It's good to have opinions about players. However, a better question to ask might be: WHY do I think that (fill-in-the-blank) is the best guitarist? When you answer that question, you actually begin to learn something…or teach something!

One of the reasons that guitarists look for "the best" is that we secretly want to BE the best. And even the best players have other players who they look up to. Andres Segovia, the grand master of the classical guitar, had the inspiration of Gabriel Ruiz de Almodovar, of whom he said "I felt like kissing the hands of a man who could draw such beautiful sounds from the guitar"; and although he'd never met Tarrega, the maestro reverently referred to him as the man who "created the soul of the guitar".

So, here's the bottom line: aspire to be the best (at whatever you do), and remember that even the "best" players are trying to do the same thing.

My guitar buddy, Bill Cooley

Bill Cooley is not a household name...unless you happen to live at Bill Cooley’s house…or at Kathy Mattea’s house. Kathy Mattea is one of the truly great musical artists whose voice lends itself to a variety of musical styles. From “18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses” to “Where Have You Been?” to her provocative CD “Coal”, her constant musical companion has been lead guitarist Bill Cooley.

I met Bill on the forum at http://www.guitarnotes.com/ and it turns out that we not only share a love of guitar playing, we share a birthday. We also share that birthday with Jimmy Page and Les Paul!! That’s all “good company”.

Bill has released several CDs of his own music that deserve attention. You can find out more at http://www.billcooleymusic.com/

On Writing Music

I write to task. I seldom sit down and write something just because I think I should, although my string quartet would probably fall into this latter category. I write with a specific performance in mind, a particular set of lyrics or idea, a deadline. Because of this I have never experienced what is known as “writer’s block”.

My composition teacher at SUNY Fredonia (NY), Walter Hartley, once said about writing, “If you are a composer, you will pick a note to start on. If you are a really good composer, you will choose a second note and it will be the Right Note.” It took me over 10 years to understand this. What he was saying is that the second note is “right” not only because it leads from the first note, but it also leads to the third note. That’s what makes it so difficult.

When writing a vocal piece, I try to let the words sing for themselves. Words are very lyrical, very melodic, if you know how to listen. This also does not happen overnight.
You can check out some of my music on http://www.cdbaby.com/rasely

Standing out by blending in

Usually a Musician in the Middle of Nowhere works hard at standing out from the crowd--honing his craft to be the best musician he can be, staying in the public eye and ear, being innovative and keeping the music fresh.

Sometimes blending in can be a great way to stand out. Working with local business owners, being a part of the local arts scene, being available to help other artists--these are all good ways to be a stand out in your community.

Here's an artist who has given new meaning to "blending in" and has thereby developed a stand out style:


http://v1kram.posterous.com/liu-bolinthe-invisible-man