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The musician wasn’t opposed to activism. Some of the greatest songs ever written were acts of protest. They opposed wars, exposed hypocrisy, confronted racism, and gave courage to people who […]

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They told methere would be empty chairs. I believed them.Empty chairs always honest companions.They never ask for encores.They never wait by the merch tablepretending not to look. I rehearsedfor absence. […]

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The two musicians tuned quietly before the rehearsal. The bassist wore a black-and-white keffiyeh around his neck. The pianist a Star of David. For several minutes neither mentioned either one. […]

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“Open a little wider,” said the dentist. The musician obeyed. “No, that’s an E-flat,” said the dentist. “I need more of an F.” The musician attempted to laugh but was […]

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“Hold the violin gently,” said Mrs. Novak. “It isn’t trying to escape.” “It feels like it is,” said Oliver. “Every time I put it here it wants to fall.” “That’s […]

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I recently asked a booking agent whether they might be interested in working with me to pursue folk festival bookings. They said no. Not because they disliked the music. Not […]

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There were no dramatic declarations about artistic integrity. Just accumulated grievances, exhaustion, money, personalities, and the peculiar chemistry that develops when the same people spend too many hours inside the […]

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Musicians spend yearstrying to soundlike themselves. Actors spend yearslearningto disappear. Some crywithout grief. Some laughwhile mourning. Some kisspeoplethey would neverinvite to dinner. The audiencecalls this talent. Lifecalls it Tuesday.

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Lyrics rarely arrivewearing a tuxedo. They shuffle inmissing a shoe,carrying somebody else’s umbrella,insisting they belongin the second verse. Usually the first lineis wrong. The second pretends to understandthe first. The […]