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| Castle in Wales -- which castle is it? Postcard to the first to name it. Mostly because I can't remember and I really want to know the answer. |
My identity is wrapped up in having been a full-time independent professional musician since 2002 -- without outside help. I hold too much pride in that I financed my own instruments with bank loans, not angel investors. It's not other people's fault that they came with trust funds or angel investors. I was just never in the right place at the right time. There was I time I could have signed to my dream label, but I left the old man's apartment in Nashville (without harm and also without a record deal) because I suddenly realized why he'd brought me there. A story for the memoir I'll write someday, perhaps.
Anyway, my point is that, while I staunchly believe musicians should be paid for their work and should refuse to work with crap people who don't pay, I also recognize that sometimes artists just NEED TO CREATE! COVID has changed the unpaid stuff into #funpaid. So I'm eating my words and not getting paid. COVID changes everything :)
Here's just a snapshot of the #funpaid things I've done during my "time off." Asterisks denote that I received a small honorarium:
- "Lift Up Louisville" - this collaboration was a fun project to be part of and was featured in Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal, PBSNewsHour, NPR, WFPL and many a newspaper (I played accordion and you can see me and my children in the music video.) Famous names were attached to the project, but so were many less-famous.
- As a "Famous Kentuckian," I read a children's book for "Storytime with The Courier Journal."(Other "Famous Kentuckians" featured are Sportsball Coaches, US Senators, and International Podcasters.)
- I recorded a video for Mayor Greg Fischer, urging Louisvillians to wear their masks! We want everyone to enjoy the spring weather & long weekend — & we want you to do it safely. Take it from one of Louisville's great musicians, @BrigidKaelin: #StayHome & if you do go out, stay 6' apart & cover your face. pic.twitter.com/z6WveuhOLK— Mayor Greg Fischer (@louisvillemayor) May 23, 2020
- WFPL posted this story about the return of Live Music to the world, which features my voice, my music, my photo and my thoughts on how COVID has affected the arts world.
- WFPK featured me in their COVIDiary series, as I did a one-woman band performance of my favorite John Prine song.
- I told a story on one of the Top Kids' Podcasts in the world: The Past and the Curious. It's the story of Typhoid Mary, and it's super-relevant: have a listen! My voiceover is at 15:50 in, but the whole thing is worth a listen!
- I was part of NBC's Virtual Kentucky Derby, where I sung "My Old Kentucky Home," with a montage of other Kentuckians that aired on PrimeTime television on Derby Day.
- Kentucky Performing Arts* included my one-woman-band version of "My Old Kentucky Home," where I played 5 instruments and sung three-part harmony with myself.
- I appeared as a guest on WhiskyCast Happy Hour last week! One of my favorite podcasts.
- I have handwritten cards to the higher tiers of my Patreon community -- and am still working on mailing out some surprises. (If you're a Patron and haven't received anything from me and you're in a higher tier, please stay tuned ... COVID has some mail-treats delayed, but I'll get them out soon! i have a stack ready to go to the PO today!)
- I did a children's livestream (and got a couple of tips!) show for my friends and their kiddos.
- I have provided what feels like constant AV-support for my many friends in the music community who needed a little tech-help to create their own livestreams -- because I believe in helping each other.
Basically I've been busier than ever, but with funpaid work.
This week I've got an op-ed coming out in LEO Weekly and I'm going to do a Pop-Up LIVESTREAM on my Facebook Page whenever I can find some quiet time away from the tiny creatures who need me so :)
Adventures
bucket list
Celebrities
Community
Confessions
Fun
Funny Stories
gratitude
Lockdown
Louisville
mental health
quarantine
Whiskey
3 comments
I’m tossing up between Chepstow and Caerphilly castles.
ReplyDeleteWill go for Caerphilly.
Caerphilly!!!! I have been there. That must be it. I've never been to Chepstow. WAYNE FOR THE WIN!!!! I just mailed you a postcard last week though (i'm sure it will take forever to arrive), so now i'm gonna find something extra to post : )!!!)
ReplyDeleteOhh nice. Will be curious how long it takes. Friends have received things within a couple of weeks, others has been months and still waiting.
DeleteDont stress posting anything extra.
Instead, treat yourself and your kids to an ice cream or somehting yummy once lockdown is over.