Well, the hard work has started as I try to fulfill my dream of being a singer with a guitar all by myself, except for (perhaps) an audience.
It’s been a dream of mine for a long time and I have announced that I am going to do a solo gig on Saturday night, Jan. 11, which is my 70th birthday. Better late than never, right?
Well, some of the details have been falling into place.
Jim Linneman, the impresario at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 1001 E. Locust St., has stepped up and offered his stage for this event. Linneman's is one of those guys who has built a successful bar and has made a commitment to local, live music for years. He opened his place 20 years ago and has showcased just about every band that called Milwaukee home.
He’s a musician himself and in the early years musicians had to play on boards laid across the barn to a shelf on the wall. If you were too tall, your head was likely to bounce into the ceiling. But he gave in to pressure and built a wonderful stage and created an intimate and welcoming place for music.
So, now we have the venue set. What we need is music, and I’m on my way.
John Sieger is teaching me one of his songs, "After Hours," a lonely lament about what happens when the music stops. Phil Lee, known in Nashville as the Mighty King of Love is helping me with his song "Just Some Girl" that’s about peer pressures and loneliness.
I’m also going to do "Moondance" by Van Morrison. My mentor on this will be Bill Dwyer, just about the best guitar player I have ever seen. He lives in Montana with his lovely wife so we are going to conduct this experiment by Skype. I can’t wait to get started.
I still have space for two or three more songs, so if anyone has a suggestion, feel free to let me know. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is out. Also nothing by Julio Iglesias or his son. And nothing by The Eagles or Bruce Springsteen or Garth Brooks.
That’s it for now. I’ll keep you up to date with my progress, as well as letting you know how to get tickets (I've always wanted to say that). I’m kidding, of course.
With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.
He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.
This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.
Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.
