When I Was in Heaven - Live Performance

Here's a conversation between myself and some angels before I was born... Based on a true story.

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When I Was in Heaven (Michael Stegner)
Originally Released on the album Fascination Nation
Lyrics:
When I was in heaven
before I was born
I would sing, I would play
in the clouds with the angels and their harps.

They gathered me around
and said my time had come.
Then the angels sang this song for me
to prepare me for the world...

"Sometimes your brains will hurt.
Sometimes your food won't taste quite right.
And sometimes you won't get what you want -
That's more often than not."

I don't want to hear any more.
I just want to stay where I am.
I can't wait to be big and strong.
I'll just run around and do whatever I want.

What do I need to do
to stay up here with you?
I don't want to live down there
in that crazy people stew.

"It's not as bad as it seems.
Some people are really nice down there.
Time will go by so fast...
You'll be back here in a flash."

I don't want to listen any more.
I can see with my own two eyes.
People down there - they can't get along.
Whose to say I won't play along?

When I was in heaven,
before I was born.
The angels sang this song for me
to prepare me for the world.

by Michael Stegner

Copyright © 2009

Elliot Smith Cover - "Between the Bars"

Some friends have been really getting into Elliot Smith lately. This led me to practicing along with his recordings. I finally decided to give "Between the Bars" a try. It's such a beautiful song and I can't wait to get to know it better. Here it is after working through it for a couple of days.

"Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" Piano Lesson Series - Part 3

Here is the third lesson on "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" - the classic song made famous by Willie Nelson. This one goes over chords and patterns we can use to back up a singer or melody instrument.

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Why I'm celebrating Willie Nelson and his 80th birthday...

This Tuesday, April 30, will be the 80th birthday of Willie Nelson.  This has become a yearly holiday in my musical calendar the last five years. Andy Sells and I were playing a weekly gig across the street from my house at the Park Pub and randomly decided to do a Willie Nelson night on his birthday.  That was the first time I had sung at a show for over ten years.  I’m positive I didn’t sound very good. But I later discovered it wasn’t the point.

Relearning those songs triggered the awakening of a voice that I never realized I had.  This musical self-discovery is still in process as I hope it always will be.  But I think the right thing hit me at the right time.  And the right thing was the power of Willie Nelson’s musical vision and his artistic voice.

For years I had been guided musically by voices such as Miles Davis, Bjork, Prince, Joni Mitchell, Sly and the Family Stones, Squarepusher and Bill Frisell to name a few.  But as a small child I spent hours listening to vinyl and singing along with the Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson classics.  I remember strumming along on the guitar as well - but I suspect I wasn't hitting the right chords.

Relearning those Willie Nelson songs brought me full circle musically.  It brought me back to the sounds that first mesmerized me.  These sounds made something gradually click for me.  The light bulb faded on slowly and I began to see the connection between Miles, Bjork, Prince, Joni and all the artist I had become enamored with over the years.  As I rediscovered the music of Willie Nelson, I discovered for the first time after many years the reason I always wanted to play music.

I realized I would never be a comfortable keyboard guy who could play the right part at the right time using the right sound.  Those gigs (which I have done a lot of) really stress me out because I can’t relate to that role very well.  But Willie’s music connected me to the source of what turns me on about playing and listening to music.  

Willie and wife Connie with Miles Davis

All of my musical heroes are considered rebellious because they didn’t conform to what the industry and society told them was ok.  This rebellion was not contrived to get attention, to gain a following, to shock the world into taking notice.  It was a rebellion that actually put us in touch with our true and most basic self.  It may or may not be intellectually or academically groundbreaking.  It is a sound and vision that strips away the unnecessary layers that society, politics, marketing, education, religion, the music industry and all institutions put between us and our own integrity.  It is sad that this constitutes as rebellion, but I suppose this is why we need rebellion and this is why we need heroes.

Willie Nelson is a hero figure in the classic sense.  He has been honest and open about his lowest points in life and shares them as equals to his peaks in life.  He has used his own suffering to evolve personally and musically.  He has broken down prejudices against gays, African-Americans, minorities, religious leaders and anyone who people don’t consider to have a place at the table - and has done so without shouting, screaming or being angry.  He does this with quiet grace and openness.

Musically, he exudes that same grace and openness as he courageously stays in each moment.  Always in tune with the room and the situation, he makes the song not just his own - but the listeners’ as well.  In the music business there is always pressure to play something the same way each time.  Willie makes sure he plays it the right way each time - not the same way.  He moves air with his sound that penetrates us to our true self.  And in my case awoke something that had been dying to come out for years.

So on yet another run of Willie Nelson birthday shows this upcoming week, I am very grateful for this true American treasure who is now turning 80 years old. 

I sincerely thank you Willie Nelson.

Michael Stegner

We’ll be celebrating his 80th at the Royal Room on April 30 at 8 p.m. - click here for tickets.

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