"A New Identity"
Misty and I had a steady job with our band
in a high class Coral Gables supper club,
playing light jazz dance music,
and occasionally slipping in one of our songs.
We had made a couple of records that got local airplay,
but were getting nowhere fast.
Dick Gillespie was a regular customer we talked with a lot.
He was witty, in the Robin Williams style,
and owned a local country station.
He had won an Emmy for producing the Colgate
Comedy Hour on TV.
A savvy guy.
I asked him one night why we weren't getting anywhere.
We were good musicians, I said,
we sang well, looked okay, and made nice records.
Why didn't he see that, and help us?
His answer hurt our feelings and saved our life.
He said: You have nothing to sell.
Nobody is interested in the things you mentioned.
People won't walk across the street to see a
good looking musician,
but they'll stop for an auto accident.
More importantly, he said:
Go home and develop an unusual style,
costume yourselves to attract attention,
change your name if necessary.
Try singing different ways until the style is pronounced.
Style is more important than good singing.
Good singers back up artists with style.
Change your attitude.
Go for stage presence.
Be whoever you want to be,
but be unique.
Then he added:
But, you can't do this here in the town where they
know you.
They won't accept it.
Go to a new place and walk in your new way,
and no matter how self conscious you feel,
they will think you were born that way.
Misty changed her name from Mary Blanchard,
we dressed pretty wild,
worked up a lot of new material and attitude,
went to Key West and tried it out.
We thought we'd be laughed at,
but they not only accepted us,
they packed the place to see and hear us.
We had a recording contract in two weeks,
and a Billboard Pick within a couple of months.
We found out that the roles we were playing
were more real than playing dinner music
in suit and gown.
We faked it 'til we maked it.
Now we can't think of ourselves the old way.
We've been who we are now over half our lives.
It's us.
Dick Gillespie gave us the best advice we ever got,
so we pass it on.
It works.
Copyright © January 16, 2001 by Jack Blanchard. All rights reserved.
