Jay Mathes

Blog

  • On Performing for 4th and 5th Graders

    This afternoon, I gave two, short presentations of classes of students at Norton Creek Elementary School, in West Chicago, IL. The presentations were a part of the school’s segment on “Writing in the Real World”. Obviously, I spoke to them about songwriting and lyric-writing. I then had an opportunity to perform a couple of songs for them all. It was an awesome experience.

    First of all, any chance I get to perform, I take it. I just plain love it.

    Secondly, speaking to these students reminded me about why I write, why I perform, and why I pursue a career where people on the outside think that I’m crazy. I was born to write music, born to create it, and *have* to make it. To not act on these most-basic of passions is to act contrary to how I was hard-wired to live. Writing, to me, is as vital as breathing. Whether it makes me any money in the end is of no consequence – or relevance.

    I love writing music, and performing and recording it.

  • Today’s Tasks

    I have a lot on my plate today, but I’m excited to see how much of it I can get done. Promoting my music is a never-ending process; but this week, especially, I feel like, if I am able to get a few things out of the way and behind me, I’ll be able to spend the rest of the week making music. (Yes, I’ve said it. The job of most performing songwriters involves an inordinate amount of non-music tasks.)

    Here’s what I’m up to today:
    • Follow up with people on Facebook about downloading my record. (As you already know, I’m giving it away in exchange for signing up on the mailing list, here: http://box5496.temp.domains/~jaymathe/downloads/glimmer)
    • Reconnect with a few, former professors (and friends) of mine at Columbia College. This, of course, is where I went to college; and I visited a bunch of people back in December.
    • Contact Martin Guitars about an endorsement deal. This is something that has been in the works for a while now. I’ve been formulating ideas about how to approach them, what to say, etc. and I’ve finally decided on how I’m going to “pitch” the idea to them. More on this in a few days.
    • Of course on my list is to *write music*. That will happen at some point today, regardless of what else I get done.
    Maybe there’s something that you can think of that I should be doing, that’s even more pressing than what I’ve listed above. It’s difficult to look outside of your own situation to see opportunities and prioritize. So if you have a suggestion about something else I should add to this list today, let me know by posting a comment.