Across North America there are probably thousands of men and women who every night strap on an instrument and go about the business of making music.
None of them are famous, none of them make huge amounts of money, and very few of them have roadies to carry, set-up, and take down their equipment. Most of them have no illusions about becoming "stars", or any of the other brass ring type dreams that television shows like American Idol encourage people to believe is what matters when it comes to pursuing a life in music.
They're just intent upon making a living at doing what they do best; at doing what they love.
Austin, Texas is best known as being the home of the South By Southwest (SXSW) music conference, where thousands of musicians show up every year to showcase their wares for the industry and the press, in the hopes of attracting the attention of booking agents and distributors to further their careers.
Austin is also home to its own thriving music scene, which, like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, or any other large metropolitan centre, has its own fixtures; musicians who are talented and passionate about what they do, but don't seem destined to ever break out of the bar scene.
Producer/ director Mark Finkelpearl of Treadmill Productions, in collaboration with Freedom Records, is set to release the documentary film Swept Away on DVD that tells the story of one of Austin's favourite sons, Jon Dee Graham. Jon Dee has been part of the Austin music scene since the seventies, and has progressed from band member, to sideman, to band leader over the course of his career.
He was a founding member of the True Believers who were in the forefront of the alt-country movement and when they disbanded, moved on to playing with Texas luminaries like Michelle Shocked. In 1997 he released his first solo album, and was subsequently signed to New West Records for whom he released three recordings. His 2006 release, Full, received critical acclaim, and the same year saw him being named musician of the year at the SXSW conference.
Yet in spite of what seems to be a career path that appears like it had the potential for at least national recognition, if not stardom, the story that's told in Swept Away is of a man, who while earning the respect of nearly everyone who's heard him play, has never managed to do much more than make a living with his music.
Article comments
1 - Joe McCune
At the American Music Festival in Berwyn, IL a few years back, I told Jon that he was the "Charles Bukowski of rock and roll." He responded by saying "That's the best compliment I've ever gotten." It's true.
2 - Richard Marcus
Joe
I never would have made that connection on my own, but thinking about it I think you've hit the nail on the head with that comment. Thank you very much.
Richard Marcus