Anyone who knows me knows that I enjoy radio and love my job as a program director (for the most part). But I've found a way to take a break, and apply it to my current job. When I think of it, I'm a damn lucky person.
Over the past couple months, I've conceptualized, directed, produced, and hosted a show called "Coming Home". It's a 1-hour show about a very important branch of Texas music. I interview independent artists. Many of whom not only record and perform their music, they also book their own shows, call radio stations to beg for airtime, pump their own gas in their own tour trucks, create album art, often produce their own (or each other's) cd's, and love doing it. All the while, a large percentage of them work what they call "real jobs".
Imagine if everyone did what Tim Fralik does. He accomplishes all of the above, and still works for his brother-in-law doing manual labor during the week.
After spending years on tour with nationally recognized acts, Tim made the mistake of trying to promote his first solo cd all by himself for five years before deciding he needed to make another disc and get some help "getting it out there". Not only is he maturing as a musician, but he's learning every aspect of the music industry in order to do it on his own terms. I am amazed and impressed with his love of music, his respect for the industry, and his ability to continue plugging away, trying to get as big a piece of the pie as his work ethic and talent will give him.
Tim is just one of a thousand stories just like this in Texas. They didn't have the youthful dream of being a band manager, or a producer, or a traveling secretary. The dream included making music and sharing it with anyone - everyone - who cared to listen.
Tim grew up loving Gary Stewart and Waylon Jennings, among others. For others in the same situation, the influences vary from artist to artist, but the passion is nearly identical. The desire and willingness to do what it takes to share a passion is shared as well. I don't like some of the music I've been listening to over the past couple of months, but I don't have to in order to be a fan of the artist.
I guess what I'm saying is, I needed to find people who were passionate about their work to remind me of my own passion for mine. When I spend time with independent artists, I feel like I'm fighting back, feeding off the excitement that the music brings to these musicians and recharging my own excitement at the same time.
I am damn lucky.