"The main thing is to seek as much education as you can get"
-Donny Hathaway
I'm watching a marathon of the series, 'Unsung' on TV One. A series about the lives of under recognized Black recording artists like Phyllis Hyman, Stacy Lattisaw, Billy Preston and one of my favorites, Donny Hathaway. Two things struck me about the stories: First, the old recording industry ate artists alive. So many had their finances wrecked by corrupt labels, managers and promoters. The rigors and pressures of the industry drove many of them to self destructive lifestyles, including drug and alcohol abuse.
The second thing that jumps out at me is how many of the artists suffered with mental illness. Depression was a common theme in so many of the artists' stories. Some even suffered from psychosis. Too many died too early from substance abuse and suicide. Hits close to home. I used to feel bad about the fact that my music career has taken so long to develop. I realize now that I was, to borrow a verse from Psalms 91, abiding in the shadow of the Almighty. While I have had my own struggles with depression, I see that my blessings were held back for a time such as this.
We live in a time where the stranglehold that record labels have held over the music industry for a century is loosening. Today's recording artists have much more say over the direction of their careers. No longer is a record deal the holy grail for an artist. Many like me are happy doing what we do as independent artists, even if we have to 'keep the day job'. It may be harder to become a star, but making at least a partial living at music is more doable than ever. We're living life, and experiencing our art on our own terms. I think that makes for a richer experience for the listener. This will certainly not be the end of tragic stories of talented artists making an early exit from the stage of life, but the game has definitely changed, in favor of the ones who make the music.
-Donny Hathaway
I'm watching a marathon of the series, 'Unsung' on TV One. A series about the lives of under recognized Black recording artists like Phyllis Hyman, Stacy Lattisaw, Billy Preston and one of my favorites, Donny Hathaway. Two things struck me about the stories: First, the old recording industry ate artists alive. So many had their finances wrecked by corrupt labels, managers and promoters. The rigors and pressures of the industry drove many of them to self destructive lifestyles, including drug and alcohol abuse.
The second thing that jumps out at me is how many of the artists suffered with mental illness. Depression was a common theme in so many of the artists' stories. Some even suffered from psychosis. Too many died too early from substance abuse and suicide. Hits close to home. I used to feel bad about the fact that my music career has taken so long to develop. I realize now that I was, to borrow a verse from Psalms 91, abiding in the shadow of the Almighty. While I have had my own struggles with depression, I see that my blessings were held back for a time such as this.
We live in a time where the stranglehold that record labels have held over the music industry for a century is loosening. Today's recording artists have much more say over the direction of their careers. No longer is a record deal the holy grail for an artist. Many like me are happy doing what we do as independent artists, even if we have to 'keep the day job'. It may be harder to become a star, but making at least a partial living at music is more doable than ever. We're living life, and experiencing our art on our own terms. I think that makes for a richer experience for the listener. This will certainly not be the end of tragic stories of talented artists making an early exit from the stage of life, but the game has definitely changed, in favor of the ones who make the music.
