8/16/2009 4:36:18 AM
This is my first time ever having any of my songs on-line for the world to listen to. I hope the world likes them

8/16/2009 4:36:18 AM

This is my first time ever having any of my songs on-line for the world to listen to. I hope the world likes them
My song writing began quite a few years ago. It has taken me a long time but thanks to IAC, I am finally on-line with at least 2 songs for the world to hear. Wow, the whole world. A few years ago I did put out a CD of 15 of my original songs that I wrote, performed, produced and self published. About half of the songs are with some helpful musicians but the rest are just a solo act. Actually, due to my recording equipment, each solo song is a live performance because I did not have the ability to go back and over dub, add tracks, etc. These solo songs are me doing the vocals, acoustic guitar and sometimes harmonica where I felt the harmonica would add to the songs overall appeal.
These songs all pretty much tell about me and the life I have lived. Not that they are so much story songs, but more just songs that are truth and from my heart.
When I was a little younger, I was very much into performing out in clubs and on any stage I could get on to. My travels took me from Maine to Florida trying to get known. How strange it could be too. One night I would perform in a club and the audience would be standing on the chairs and tables calling out for more. The next night just down the road in a different club, the audience was yelling that I stunk and to get off the stage before they threw stuff at me. So strange.
Now, as the years have progressed, I realize I much prefer the writing of songs more than performing them out on stage myself. So I semi-retired from performing, except for a couple of gigs like at the Summer Nationals. Even though, I still decided to release a CD album which I did do. To my great surprise, I have since sold over 500 copies and because of demand I have released a second printing of it. I mean, I hardly perform out anymore but people hear my songs in my little music store, or they hear about my CD from their friends and they come and buy one. All I can say about it is that God loves me. And He certainly does.
I went through a heartbreaking divorce after 23 years of marriage. I was so destroyed by it that I could write music but I could not write any words for such words were just too painful to sing. I have gone for some years now without writing anything new.
As I said, God loves me and after the divorce I had the pleasure of meeting a Chinese woman on line no less and we became good friends. As life sometimes go, we finally met when by accident I ended up going to China after she invited me to come and see the Great Wall which had been a dream of mine for many years. This whole story about how Xujing and I met is really quite the story but I will save it for another time. Leave it that we met, fell in love and now she is here in the USA with me and we have had a wonderful daughter, my Chinese Viking that I named Oji, cuz I kept saying Oh Gee, I am 50 years old and I am having a baby? Oh gee. I'm having a baby? So I took the O from Roger and the J and the I from Xujing and we have our Oji. How I love her so.
But with Oji came more time lost with my song writing. Every time I tried to do my music, Oji interfered and made it very difficult to concentrate or do any work. You know, it's that Daddy stuff again. So I have stayed away from my music for a while now because I have been busy trying to be a good Daddy. It is important to me because I love her very much. But she just turned 6 and now that she is a little older and more understanding, I feel I can make time to get back, get back to my music and give it a try.
No one in the music business has ever heard any of these songs that I have on my CD album as far as I know. Nope, I never did get around to sending any out to publishers or record companies or to anyone in the music business. But now I have decided to send my songs out to you and the heck with the Corporate America big wig bozos. Well, ya, when I released my CD, I self published it. Yup, I am registered with BMI because I made it so myself. Oh ya, I graduated from the business school Babson College back in 1973. Oh how I show my age. Ah. but what the heck, I need have no secrets. So I'm older. So it doesn't mean my songs don't have meaning. They are all new to you, and I do have many more running around in my head wanting to burst out and be sung. Their day will come soon .... as soon as I learn how to use the computer recording studio program my son-in-law got for me. I am not really very computer savvy, but I can learn and I am getting better. Hey, it only took me 3 days to figure out how to get my 2 songs onto iacmusic.com, but I did it. I am learning. I'm getting better at it all the time. Guess I'm finally joining the 20th century. Oops, ya, I know, it's the 21st century. OK, OK, I'm getting there. One must have patience when dealing with an older guy like me. Well, with me anyway.
So I am glad to become part of the IAC community. I am very grateful that they invited me to join them. How they found out about me is beyond me, but by the grace of God I was found and now here I am. You see? I told you God loves me.

8/16/2009 4:53:10 AM

Welcome onboard Roger, thanks for providing some background too.You have some nice songs, added one to What the Folk!
bryon

8/16/2009 5:06:53 AM

Thank you Bryon.
You are very kind. This is all new to me, this computer high tech world and all. But as I said, I am finally joining in. Will it be a long strange trip for me? Let's hope it's long anyway. I can do without the strange. Life is strange enough as it is for me anyway. I already think this computer world is strange enough for me too. I usually have to find a kid to help me out with the computer stuff as it is now. And then there's my Oji. I mean, I am 57 years old and I have a 6 year old daughter? Ah, I figured if Paul McCartney and Dave Letterman can do it, why not me too? So there you have it, here she is, my Chinese Viking Oji.
It will be interesting to see how this song competition goes. It's another first for me too. I have questioned if the world is ready for me but maybe I should question am I ready for the world? Too late cuz here I am, ready or not here I come.
Thanks again Bryon.

8/16/2009 5:18:35 AM

Just listened to "Without You" I enjoyed it... Welcome to IAC and the world of original music sharing. It has its ups and downs, but overall it is a great experience.

Regards,

Jeff

8/16/2009 5:34:52 AM

Thank you Jeff,
Your kind words are an insiration. How wonderful it is to hear such great music, including yours, on this web site. Who knew? It is amazing me who is on here too, I mean I am impressed. You have two number one songs on the Cashbox Mag Indie Charts? Wow, God bless you. But we know He does. Plus I just met Bryon Tosoff the keyboard player for Bo Diddley. Man, this is really quite the site. But how much time it takes. I mean, I have so much in my life to do every day as it is without doing this too. I have a business / store to run, I do Ebay selling, I take care of my Oji, and I dio whatever needs to be done. But here is my dream. Here is where I belong. I am glad to be here. Thank you so much for your kind welcome.
Roger

8/16/2009 5:55:28 AM ---- Updated 8/16/2009 6:37:57 AM

Roger, let me clarify about that Bo Diddley thing. i actually stepped in with the band I was with at the time thebluevoodoo, we backed him at a concert here in the Vancouver BC area so I did not tour with him, we were hired by his agent.....I just had the opportunity to back him a few years ago which was quite the privilege and indeed a great experience.

thanks for your enthusiasm and terrific music and look forward to you being here on the pipe in the future as well

bryon

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