Onstage II

Mick

It great to live in an area where there are many venues that have live music regularly. At a time when I might have been at loose ends I embarked on a path to master a song list and practice playing onstage, and it's become very engrossing and fulfilling. 

    In a way this is a logical progression. In Nashville I played occasionally at writer's nights, but mostly worked in the studio on projects for other artists. There are a lot of tourist bars downtown and the bands that played in them had A-list musicians and performers who were vying for the attention of the record labels. This was not something I aspired to, being more focused on songwriting and recording. Besides, the competition for those gigs was fierce and I was frankly intimidated by the amazing players who were in that scene. I did watch and learn, though, and that has served me well as I've found my own way to the stage. 

    One thing that became clear was that the best of the best could not only dazzle with their virtuosity, but that they also could entertain. Time after time what came through to me was that if a performer could connect with the listeners and project a sense of joy and fun, that was the key to success. I think this is what compels one to perform; to be able to communicate the pleasure they get from music to others. It sounds like a simple thing, and on a basic level it is, but on another it's quite a bit more complex and elusive.

    This month the Rolling Stones are on the road. Touring, even at the comfort level I'm sure they must enjoy, is grueling and yet there they are, in their 70s after a half century of performing and arguably the most successful rock band in history, still hitting the stage night after night. It's very lucrative, but it's difficult to believe they need the money at this point. Something else must be driving them and I think it's because they love doing it, even as they kick off "Honky Tonk Woman" for umpteenth time, and their ability to share that joy is what brings audiences.

    One more thing. As I make the effort to perfect my own performance, I'm heartened by seeing Mick and boys out there. My guess is that we share something fundamental about being onstage.

    It's extremely rare to have a flawless performance. Even when a piece is mastered there inevitably are glitches that occur, usually, hopefully, unnoticed by the casual listener, and in fact part of being accomplished is the ability to make a mistake and not let it disrupt the flow. Every musician walks offstage vowing to do better the next time, because one always can, and I'm betting that it's no different for the Stones than it is for me. 

Singer/Songwriter Rick Millward lived and worked on the West Coast until moving to Nashville in 2000. He was part of the Music City songwriter community, collaborating with other artists and producing over 30 projects in his boutique studio, including two EMMY nominated soundtracks. Now in Southern Oregon, Rick has discovered a vibrant local music scene centered around the many tasting rooms. 

His latest record “Loveland” is available on Spotify and other streaming platforms.

LOVELAND ON SPOTIFY