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Jonesongs Music Group, Franklin, TN

I was thinking today about how when we perform, it is often called "playing" music, not "working".  Yet it is work, hard work.  And although we are blessed to enjoy performing, it comes with it's challenges just like any other job.  But it is also more than just a job for most musicians, it is an actual part of who they are.  I know that is the case for me.  I don't ever remember saying "I want to be a performing musician when I grow up", it just happened organically somehow.  And I don't think I could ever completely put it aside without actually losing a part of myself. 

But back to the "work" thing.  I know a lot of artists feel that what they do is under appreciated. Whether that is a fact or not, it is a general under current among struggling artists.  That lack of appreciation may come in many forms, mostly monetarily, but in general, the arts are not revered as they were in long ago tales of kings and queens who called to be serenaded by the best of the best.  I know that most musicians/performers prefer a room full of people who are truly into what they are doing and, over a room with scattered filled seats, even if the latter pays 10 times more.  So in the final analysis, it's not about the money.  However, the bills do need to get paid!  Here is where the work part comes in.

There is always practice, practice, practice!  It doesn't have to be new material. Sometimes it is old material that needs a polish, or maybe a new arrangement of a standard.  But there is always something to "work" on.  Then there is equipment.  The buying, the learning, the loading up, the hauling in, the engineering, the set up, the trouble shooting, the tear down, the hauling out, the loading up again.  Don't forget the driving, in any kind of weather you can imagine.  More reliable than the postal service, a gig is a gig and nothing is more important than getting there.  "There" is another job, because just finding places to perform is a lot of "work".  Endless calls, emails, connections, and so on just to land a job.  And you can't call in sick!  Forget it!  I personally have performed with a stomach flu, walking pneumonia, and a number of other ailments that details are better left out.  Why?  It is our job.  It is our work.  It is what we "do".  We still call it "playing" for some reason. I guess it's because no matter how "seasoned" we get, or under appreciated we feel sometimes, we secretly have a whole lot of fun!

Blessings, Robin and "Proud Murray"

Proud to be a fan of our music? Like us on facebook too!
www.facebook.com/jonesongsmusicgroup

Well, this is my first blog entry.  I wanted to give folks a heads up about a change in the works.  Now that we have added the talented bass player and vocalist, Michael Dean, to the McHugh Jones Group, we have been tossing around a new band name. I think we came up with 25 names or more, everything from the simple to the absurd.  We had to check to see if anyone else was using the name, if it fit our group and our personalities, and we had to like it.  After much consideration, there was one name that kept making Jeff and I smile when we thought about it.  We hope it does the same for our fans.  It was Patty's suggestion and we are glad she came up with it.  The McHugh Jones Group will soon be known as "Proud Murray"!  Yup.  A little play on words there from the classic Tina Turner hit Proud Mary with a twist.  Just a little bit on the quirky fun side (like us) and also hopefully memorable (also like us).  So, we'll be "Proud Murray", and of course, we'll "keep on burnin' " up those songs you love.  Hope you like it as much as we do!

I think it is a nice idea to tell a story about a recent gig to share with those who couldn't be there.  So I will try to make it a regular part of the blog.  Saturday night, a couple came in and sat down at a table just as we were starting a song.  I love it when we play a song that people just don't expect to hear.  We like to do that.  So as we started into this song, the couple both started to smile and laugh, even sing a long.  The song was "Little Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs! Remember that?  I remember as a "tween" dancing around my bff's room and singing that song because she had just got the 45 record.....(now I'm telling my age!) Anyway, back to the gig.  During break, the couple told us how much they enjoyed the music and that they had NEVER heard anyone else perform that song.  That is the best!  Bringing that look of surprise and delight to someones face when they least expect it.  That is a gift to us that we treasure! 

Well, that's all for now.  Please bear with us while we make the name change.  God bless.

Robin and "Proud Murray" 

Proud to be a fan of our music?  Like us on facebook too!
www.facebook.com/jonesongsmusicgroup