I was living in Jacksonville, Fl. (my hometown, now and forevermore) in Riverside. While driving down I-95 on my way home from work I finally ended a game of phone tag with an old friend of mine, Joel Khouri. We had stayed in contact over the year or two after we had worked on “These Streets Come Alive” and played around with the idea of starting a studio.
At this point in my life I had a job with a great church in town but it was my third church job in my life and I never wanted to work at a church. Don’t get me wrong, I love the people in church and I love God. I had simply grown tired of the politics and drama of church and the people in it. I grew up in a minister’s home and worked at a church for eight years and like all things, if you spend enough time with someone/thing you see the ugly parts. Anyway, I was just over working for churches but they were the only ones paying my bills and the work was “close enough” to the work I wanted to do.
So, I’m on the phone with my ol’ pal Joel Khouri and he’s telling me he knows I’m pretty settled down in Jacksonville with my job and my girlfriend and all but he wondered if I would want to move. He had finally decided to move on his dream of opening a studio which would be the centerpiece for a community artists; Singers, Songwriters, Musicians, Directors, Videographers, Photographers, Artists of all kinds. Joel had gathered four investors willing to put money where Joel’s mouth was and see this thing come together. He had a track record of Producing incredible projects in the past and massive potential, favour, and vision to see the Artistic Community in the Charlotte area swell into something like the Music Community in Omaha which spawned Saddle Creek where Bright Eyes, Cursive, Now It’s Overhead, and other great Indie Bands.
Joel Khouri told me that sunny day while I was on I-95 he wanted to have a resident Engineer at his studio and there were a hand full of guys in the Charlotte area who could hack it but his first thought was me. He offered me the position and told me to think about it. I was overwhelmed. By the time I arrived home, a house on Myra Street I shared with one of my greatest friends and favourite songwriters Jude Kahle (check out Shangrala. Your mind will be blown and renewed), my head was spinning. I loved my friends around me and loved my girlfriend but I had dreamed of working in a studio creating real music with real musicians and now I was being offered my dream. Once my girlfriend Sara called me back while she had a quick break from work I told her about the offer. She told me she would never stand in the way of my dream and if we were supposed to work out we would (we didn’t) but one doesn’t turn their back on an opportunity like this when it just falls in one’s lap. She also reminded me that of all my friends who’s careers involved music and who had promised me opportunities Khouri was the only one who consistently followed through.
I decided to go with it . . .
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