Once upon a Pandemic, 2020, the World changed. Humanity changed, Life Styles were, smudged, erased & others burst forth and flourished.
The lives of musicians were turned upside down & inside out.
No place to gather safe, therefore, no “Live Music,” therefore, no gigs (work) meant income plummeted and in some cases, disappeared entirely.
Thanks to our Government, I received an IDLE loan.
I am thankful & grateful to the Grammys & the Long Beach Art Council for grants.
I searched my soul on how to get some work for the musicians & singers that have worked with me for many moons.
I identified that my neighborhood was in a sad, depressed, lack luster, & fearful state.
It was a scary, apprehensive time for all, myself included. The apprehension & fear varied from individual to individual, but it was palpable.
I was moved, inspired, to create, Concerts on my Driveway (CoDs), lifting spirits in my beautiful neighborhood, paying the talented musicians & singers to perform 2 hour presentations.
I was doing something, helping make a bleak time a little better, with music.
We shared our talents & made folks forget, if only for a few minutes, the Pandemic.
Folks danced, sang, brought lawn chairs, stopped by on their walks, bike rides & while driving down the street.
All gave thumbs up, applause, smiles, sharing joy & happiness.
2021 enabled me, with a PPP Loan & a California Grant to continue Concerts on the Driveway.
We played 21 CoDs in 2020.
We played 24 in 2021, so far…
That makes 45 CoDs during the Pandemic!
I am Thankful, Grateful & Proud!
As Mr. Roger’s says, It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!