What's your "cause"?

For all of my life I've been a professional musician. For most of that time I've been what I call a "journeyman." What I mean by that is that I am a professional, which entails a lot of different things, including the ability to play in a lot of different styles, in a lot of different situations, some of which require specific clothing, and attention to myriads of other details.

In recent years, I have finally found my own voice, and have been writing, recording, playing, and promoting my own material. I'm doing my best, like so many other independent musicians, to get a handle on this challenging, ever-changing business. As a result, I occasionally run across an article or opinion that talks about increasing your exposure by affiliating with a "cause." It always seems to me that using a non-profit organization and their network of affiliates to further my own cause is a pretty cold-hearted way of building my career.

At the same time, I've actually been searching for a "cause" for a long time. I've always been happy to assist just about any cause and am usually the first one to say yes when someone is putting on a fundraiser or raising awareness about their own cause. I've done shows for innumerable individuals, and I don't know how many non-profit agencies. Although I'm always happy to help, none of those causes have ever been personal to me. I had yet to find something that I felt could change the world and affect people's lives in a positvie way.

Well, in May of last year, my life changed. I became very sick and entered into a fight for my life. So far, I'm winning. I'm currently active on the liver transplant waiting list, but have become healthy enough to begin to work a little, to work out, to travel, and to pursue my career again. In the process, I've found a cause. I wouldn't recommend this as a way to find a cause, but all of a sudden I have something that affects me and tens of thousands of other people in a very real, life-dependent way.

Since February of 2010, I've become involved in organ donation education and registration. I believe in it, and one day my very life may depend upon the success of our efforts.

And, as the "experts" have written, my career trajectory is already changing because of it. The change is mainly a result of my commitment to the cause. I've been representing Donate Life California at community events as we talk to people and help them make the decision to register as organ donors. I've been attending their meetings every month. I've gone through their training for classroom teachers, and will be teaching my first high school science class about organ donation next week. I've helped to make 1" buttons for different events. I've stuffed packages for conferences. I've helped input donor information into the digital database. I've volunteered as chairman of a committee. And there's a lot more to come.

So, how does that fit into my career as a musician? Well, my music is a product of my life. In the same way that I can't affiliate with a cause just because it has the biggest chance of helping my personal career, I can only write what I know. I don't try to contrive scenarios about which to write, I have way too much stuff going on in my own life to need to make things up. As a result, I've begun to write about what I've gone through over the past sixteen months.

Because of my commitment to the cause, I was asked to speak at a conference for doctors and nurses, along with a group of eight transplant recipients. We each shared briefly about our dreams, and all of the others spoke about dreams that they've been able to experience as a result of their transplants. As the only pre-transplant patient, I could only speak about what a transplant will mean to me. The invitation to speak came in the form of an e-mail, and I immediately responded yes, and attached a song to my reply. In my reply, I offered to do whatever I can to help, including playing at the conference, providing back-up music for some of the creative elements of the event, or whatever they might need.

Well, they took me up on the offer, and I was able to perform a song during that small segment, plus I played during their lunch break. They offered me marketing space, so I was able to sell some CD's, plus they voluntarily paid me a small honorarium, and I've now entered their radar because the national chairwoman of the organization was the emcee and she really liked what I did, and so now I'm being considered (and now I'm actually being recommended by the organization) for some national-level events. (You can view the simple video of it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u2nYWWjZZI )

So, to finally get to my point . . . yes, it's good to read as much as you can regarding this crazy business that we love. Yes, it's good to be affiliated with a worthy cause. However, know that the large organizations have been approached by a lot of people trying to use them for their connections, and they're often very leery of being used. You must be aware that you need to give a satisfactory answer to the one question in their minds: What can YOU do for US?

We so frequently get wrapped up in our own stuff that we get that question backwards, and we only want to play for people or at places that can do something for US. If they have a big event, suddenly we want to be listed on the bill. If there's a concert coming to town, we want to get in front of that band's fans. If there's a local music venue, we want them to pay us to play. Many independent bands are coming to grips with scratching each other's backs, but they expect so much more from the local club or from the non-profit organization that they get involved with. We expect to get paid more. We expect them to do more promotion and advertising. We give off the vibe that we're only looking to take, take, take.

In regards to clubs, concert promoters, and non-profits alike, to be successful in the long run and over the long haul, it MUST be a win-win situation. Yes, affiliate with a cause (or a club or promoter), but be wary of wanting to start at the top. Learn about them (or their clientele). It's especially important with non-profits to learn the issues that matter to them. Learn to speak clearly about those issues. Get to know them. Volunteer to help with whatever they need at that next big event. Show up, on time, appropriately dressed, and participate with them. Let them get to know you.

You'll find that what happens is that all of a sudden you'll start to be in the know. When they start planning that next big event, you'll know about it well in advance, and when it comes time to decide on an opening act for that big benefit concert, they'll listen to you when you say that you'd like a chance to be part of the bill.

When you get the chance to be on that bill, you'll get the chance to REALLY make a difference for that cause. You'll be fully prepared, ready to speak out, able to make a positive contribution to the world.

In return, your career will reap the benefits, just like the "experts" say you will. I've just seen it first-hand.

Before I close this entry . . . I hope you're an organ donor. If you have questions about it and/or want to connect with your state's (or country's) donor registry, go to: http://www.donatelife.net/

Talk soon --

Brother Dan