As this is my music page, I will keep my thankfulness to my professional thanks... just to keep it simple.
TODAY, I am THOROUGHLY thankful that I was finally able to release "When She's Gone", a song that I THANK THE UNIVERSE for sending through me. It's so beautiful, so haunting, that I am surprised every day that those words and that melody are my own... but truly, they belong to the Universe!
I am thankful for Chris Taylor of (the) fundamentalists for helping me produce that song. I am also thankful to him for allowing me to be a part of this band, being part of this experience as we play, record, and write in a whole new way. He is an amazing bandmate and an amazing friend. I am also thankful to Jess D. Wojcik for joining the band and completing, not only our sound, but our personalities as well. She is awesome in so many ways, and I am so glad that we get to work with her.
I am thankful to my friend Ashley Helper for dragging me to the Legally Blonde audition workshop and then to the audition. I am thankful to the entire cast and crew of Legally Blonde, especially Denny, Tracy and Kayla for putting this show together, and Peggy and the Downriver Actors Guild for producing the show. It was such an amazing experience.
I am thankful for two more chances to audition for shows with DAG coming up. Even though I am torn as to whether I should only do one, both, or neither, it is an exciting prospect and BOTH would be something amazing to add to my entertainment resume, as well as my personal experiences!
I am thankful for Kathe Koja and Diane Cheklich for giving me the opportunity to work with THEM this year on projects for "Under The Poppy". I met Kathe last year at an event where (the) fundamentalists performed, and I've know Diane for years, thanks to "Magic Mentah" (for those of you who don't know... it's a long story, LoL; long story/short: a movie I was in that filmed in 2006, yet to be released). It was a great honor to be asked, and it was a lot of fun working with the two of them, singing and... dancing (*wink*).
I am thankful for ALL the opportunities I have to perform. Many of these are provided by the Performers Awards of Detroit (current president: Jason/Frosty) and the Michigan International Gay Rodeo Association (current president: Scott Korff, and a special thanks to my friend/sister/brother Miss MIGRA: Angel Essence). I also want to say that I am grateful to Weekend Picker's Indoor Flea Market for giving me the chance to perform there and meet some great people, and reconnect with some friends and family who came to watch me perform!
There are so many more people and things I am grateful for, and I've barely touched the surface, but it's just so difficult to write about everyone. THANK YOU for reading on this beautiful Thanksgiving Day. I try to be grateful everyday, and I hope you will, too.
Don't forget, links for "When She's Gone" are on the sidebar. Currently, my new single is available on CDBaby, Myspace Music, and iTunes, with other retailers currently processing.
THANKS AGAIN!
James Taylor, Jr.
