The Start of Something New

Where to start… where to start?

This ‘blogging’ stuff is pretty new to me. Oh, I posted some things on the “Bus Nut” site but that’s different, confined to topics related to our buses.

And for someone like me, limits can be a good thing – there’s less chance I’ll get completely sidetracked (which I tend to do). But here, where there’s no predetermined topic, I can yak about any darn thing I want… and darned if I can decide what that should be.

So I guess I should begin at the beginning. Not the historical beginning, but the very recent ‘beginning’ (you’ll get enough ‘history’ as I ramble on). So as not to bore anyone to death, I’ll give you the ‘Reader’s Digest’ version.

I was a street musician for years, playing the flute… mostly classical but with some modern tunes and improvisation rolled in. But the flute doesn’t offer much versatility when doing solo performances. Oh, I’d luck into the occasional concert or special event, but those opportunities were rare. And then I picked up the guitar – mostly to serenade my (then) baby daughter ‘beddy-bye’ (not easy to sing while playing a flute).

Me and my daughter, Leyla ♥

I started to like this guitar / singing thing and tried playing more complex music, mostly in French. Eventually I got pretty good, but knew hardly any songs in English. and next to nothing about American music. Oh, I’d heard of Johnny Cash (then again, who hasn’t?) but nobody else. I hadn’t even heard of that great American icon, Willie Nelson – rather ironic, considering later developments.

A couple years ago, practicing at home…♪ ♪

And one cold winter day everything changed… my whole life veered down a different road.

This fellow – this American fellow ♥ – came by to visit. I’d met him at the restaurant where I worked as a waitress. Keeping this long story short, I played a couple tunes, singing – of course – in French. And this fellow just stares, giving me this look… like he’s frustrated, you know? I’m thinking he just hates my stuff, but I carry on.

When I’m done, there’s a long silence. I’m holding my breath, waiting for a reaction – for the first time, realizing this is actually important to me. Not that this guy was any big wig in the music business, but he was from across the border and involved in the arts.

Finally, he says, “What the hell are you doing, playing to these four walls?”

Not sure what he’s getting at, I just sorta cock my head - looking, I hope, intelligent yet inquisitive.

“From now on, take that guitar to work," he says. "Put it out where people can see it. And when someone asks for a song, play it for them. In fact, take it everywhere you go.”

But I’m dubious. “And what if nobody asks?”

And he says, “Don’t worry… they will.”

And, sure enough, they did. Pretty soon, enough people asked that I was hired to play music during dinner. And, of course, I soon ran out of songs and had to learn new ones.

One of my first gigs

And then, of course, I had to learn some English songs.

And then I had to write my own songs… and create an album.

Working on my 1st cd

And then I had to play more venues and get my songs on the radio.

Viviane Ricard - Nellie Wilson ------ 02:35 --2009-01-18 04:26:11
Viviane Ricard - The Rose ------------04:43 --2009-01-19 04:38:28
viviane ricard- What's Going On ---- 02:34 --2009-01-19 23:08:15
viviane ricard- Puzzle of My Heart - 03:39 --2009-01-19 23:10:50
Snapshot: some of the songs on my play list ♫ "

And then I just had to open a big name concert in the States...

Opening IROC for Big Machine Records in 2007

And then I had to tour around, play some cool places... like Nashville. And if I did pretty good, and liked it, I’d have to get a bus to travel around in.

Hamming it up in Nashville

As it turned out, I did do pretty good – and I liked it just fine. So then I got the bus.... and put the finishing touches on my first album .

My first album

And that’s how it all evolved, and that’s about where I am… presently.

There’s a lot more to it, but figured I’d just hit the speed bumps for now… in keeping with the old KISS principle. But I’ll probably fill in the blanks as I go… some of them at least .


To be continued...