Get On The Road Again!

Whether or not you are a country music fan, you’ve almost certainly heard of Willie Nelson.

His first hit song as a singer “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” was released over 50 years ago. Even earlier, he found success as a songwriter with “Crazy,” famously recorded by Patsy Cline.

Since Willie is still writing and performing at age 92, I could go on and on about his catalog of songs and performances. But I’ll leave that to others; learning is my thing 😉.

I recently found Willie’s autobiography at my aunt and uncle’s house. Originally written with Bud Shrake and published in 1988, the book weaves together memories from Willie, his family, friends, and close collaborators. It traces his life from growing up in Abbott, Texas, through years of scraping by as a singer-songwriter, to his rise as a legend. Of course, since it was written nearly 40 years ago, there are decades of stories still left to be told.

What stood out to me most was the importance of getting on the road and getting in front of people - learning through doing.

Willie started performing in a polka band in 1943 and kept performing wherever and however he could. He worked as a disc jockey, played in other people’s bands, and even sold Kirby vacuums to make ends meet.

What do Kirby vacuums have to do with performing?

To me, it’s another example of selling something you believe can benefit others. Willie saw his music the same way. As he put it, “What I do for a living is to get people to feeling good…”

The bottom line is this: he kept going.

He practiced by doing. He learned by showing up. He stayed on the road.

That same approach can help you or me. Keep trying. Keep doing. Keep learning along the way.

Sometimes, the best way to learn really is to get on the road again and figure out how to fly while you’re already in the air.

Learn in the Flow of Life

Jason