Last Tuesday was my first ever public performance. It took place during the N...
More...Last Tuesday was my first ever public performance. It took place during the National Night Out hosted by my church - Trinity Lutheran Church, Menasha, Wisconsin.
I was scheduled to perform between the hours of 4:30 - 8:00 pm, so I set up a schedule to sing three songs each half hour. This amounted to about two hours of singing in all.
To begin with, I sang the album in order, three songs at a time. It's amazing how much work it is to prepare a public performance of your own material! I practiced for weeks to be able to sing my songs without forgetting the words, etc. I also wanted to be sure I could actually have the endurance to sing that long. When the show started, I still wasn't sure how it was going to come off.
And there was also the issue of nerves. You may recall my learning experience in Nashville. In retrospect, I wish I had been able to do the National Night Out first, because it really helped to calm the whole nervousness thing. By the end of the evening I was feeling really comfortable and now I have a much better sense of how I want to be "on stage."
One of the things I was really pleased with was that my voice held up well. I wasn't really tired by the end of the night. When I got home (Liz had a class and couldn't stay the whole evening) I was so happy to greet my wife with a voice that showed no signs of fatigue. And when I woke up the next day, my voice felt fantastic!
So I'm thinking: Man, I can really do this! I can't wait to do it again!
I do wish I had a band, though. Singing to tracks is better than nothing, but I think it would be fun in the extreme to perform with a live group. I pray God will lead me in that area.
BTW, if you want to hear me sing live, feel free to contact me. All I'm asking right now is for a free-will offering and travel expenses. So just drop me a line, and let's see what can be arranged, ok?
