When you were in Kindergarten, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Well, that was a loooooong time ago. LOL Honestly, I can't remember.
The one thing I remember most though, is when I was in high school. I wanted to compose commercial music. Like movie soundtracks and such. I was forced delightfully took piano lessons from the time I was 4 until I was 18. Music was a huge part of my life, both playing and singing.
I attended public high school my junior and senior year, and was in the Madrigal program. Our choir director was one of the most passionate teachers I ever, ever had. Robert Scott was idolized by all of us. He instilled in us a love for all things classical, and pushed our vocal training beyond what normal high school choir members ever thought of achieving.
My junior year, we put on "Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and I was the musical director. Basically, I had a free period and was chose to be the Teacher's Assistant for his classes. That year, we spent three months doing prep work for the musical. I spent every day at the piano, transcribing each song into different keys, and writing out each vocal part for each section by hand. I still have the original handwritten manuscript of the completed work. All several hundred pages.
It was not just busywork. It was a labor of love. Every single note I wrote.
After graduation I went to our local community college. I hadn't planned on that, but I found out that they had the leading commercial music program in the country! Living in Los Angeles, they had access to the best of the best in the business as teachers.
With my background, I thought I was going to be hot stuff :) I was the only one in my Music Appreciation class that played an instrument, and I had perfect pitch. I excelled beyond belief.
What I discovered I didn't have?
Talent for writing, or the dog eat dog mentality for the business.
Yeah.
So, I went to work for a friend of the family who ran a limo company as his office manager. We had a huge list of regular celebrity clientèle, as well as several well known TV shows who's starts we drove to and from set every day. It was kindof cool for the "black sheep" of an entertainment based family.
My dad worked in television and radio his whole life. My mom had her own TV show back in Memphis for their PBS affiliate. My half sister was an actress, her husband a casting director. Even my niece has grown up to be a rock star.
Me? Nothing. So this was my brush with fame.
Things work out, though.
Two of our biggest clients were George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. We did all their transportation, personal and professional. This was during their Indiana Jones and Star Wars days.
One day, while at work I got a call from one our drivers who was doing an airport run. Amblin (Spielberg's production company) had called for a blind pickup- basically, go to the airport, we are sure who all is coming in. On the way there, our driver had been notified that he was picking up John Williams.
John Williams is my hero.
John Williams is my HERO.
He was coming in to score some scenes for Indiana Jones.
John Williams.
Knowing how I felt about John Williams, the driver swung by and picked me up on the way to the airport. I was 19, and had to sear on a stack of Bibles to keep my mouth shut or we'd both be out of a job.
I did. I sat in the front seat of that car all the way from LAX to the hotel, and didn't utter a peep. But I stared in the visor mirror the whole time.
John Williams. I was this close to John Williams.
Sigh.
I need to go listen to some music now.
Please excuse me.
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