Where have I been?

Its been a real long time since my last blog entry. A lot has been going on since February. I was doing the podcast for a while. It was a lot of fun doing it but life got real busy and I didnt have the kind of time that the podcast required of me. 

I've been working longer hours at my day job and have been gigging and performing more frequently. Things at church have been requiring more time and attention and I've been able to spend a lot of time with my son. 

I've been blessed to be playing frequent gigs at local bars and restaurants. Taps and Apps in Mililani has been having me come share music pretty often and I am super grateful for that. If youre near central oahu and looking for a chill space to grab a bite or a drink, I highly recommend checking them out www.instagram.com/tapsandappsbrewpub I'll be back there playing on August 13 from 8-11 pm and on August 20 for Happy Hour (4-7 pm) 

I've mostly been doing private events like weddings, birthdays and this summer I've done a lot of grad parties. Im always humbled and super grateful that I get to do what I love to do and make a living off of it. I still remember just learning guitar and going to open mic nights and hoping to get the chance to play a gig. 

When people thank me for playing their event or party I always tell them thank you. I dont think people really understand that they are making my dreams come true. Doing music for people that enjoy and appreciate it, thats been the dream. Being able to pay my bills because of it, thats all a crazy bonus. 

I entered The Hawaii Songwriting Festival Songwriting Contest on Oahu and Won. The prize was a dope ukulele and tickets to attend the Songwriting Festival on the Big Island. It was an amazing experience and I got to learn a lot from people in the music industry from around the world. It was all very inspiring and exciting. I am planning to attend next year as well and am really looking forward to it. 

I dont know when the next entry in this blog will be but if youre reading this, thank you. Thank you for having enough interest to stop by the site, and thank you for reading these thoughts. I appreciate it. Stay blessed. Love and Aloha. 

Remembering the gift.

Played a show for some cool kids and their families at shriners today. One kid knew almost the whole set. About 5 songs in, his friend was singing along so I gave him the mic, he was too shy so this other kid jumped on the mic no hesitation and killed it. He just sang along almost for an hour worth of songs after that. #shriners #makeemsmilehawaii #musicwithpurpose #blessedtobless www.makeemsmilehawaii.com

"Played a show for some cool kids and their families at shriners today. One kid knew almost the whole set. About 5 songs in, his friend was singing along..."

Today I was invited to Shriners Hospital in Honolulu. They were having a party for the kids and their families. I played a 90 min set. I didn't know what to expect cause I haven't been to Shriners in about a year. I have been playing at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children across the street from them. Shriners is different from the other hospitals I play at because for the most part the patients are from other countries or American territories. The kids today were from Samoa, the Marshall Islands, and other South Pacific areas. I was concerned with how well my usual music selection would go over for the kids and their families. It went over really well. I had forgotten the basic truth that music speaks every language. There were grandparents dancing, parents clapping along and children singing and smiling. I was so blessed to see how the music had an affect on the room. My favorite part of today was when these boys were singing along to my reggae rendition of "Say Something". They were singing really well. I set up a loop on my pedal and walked the mic over to the louder of the two boys and he was so shy, through his dark polynesian skin, I'm pretty sure he was blushing. His younger friend was not shy. He took to the mic and sang his little heart out. His family and friends, and patients and staff cheered him on. I recognized the look on his face, its the same look I get every time I perform. The kid was a natural. He stayed close by singing along with me for the rest of the show. After it was all over and I was breaking down, he came and thanked me in broken english, very softly. I told him I needed to thank him for reminding me why and how I fell in love with music to begin with. He's about the same age as I was when I started really enjoying singing and rapping. I love what music has allowed me to experience and the people I have met through it. Man, this is a dope journey. 

If you're a musician or singer in Hawaii and want to know how you can volunteer your gifts to children and families in local hospitals, checkout www.makeemsmilehawaii.com or hit my Contact Me page and we can talk about it. Aloha and Blessings fam.