Life is Like Music

“Life without music would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

Welcome to the ninth edition of The Next 30 Blogging Heroes series. Inspired by the book Blogging Heroes: Interviews with 30 of the World’s Top Bloggers by Michael A. Banks, this series will feature the next group of exceptional bloggers who are making an impact in the blogosphere.

These bloggers are getting their messages out there and having their voices heard. They have long-term goals and are working very hard each day to reach them. Blogging heroes create quality content and build a loyal, and very large, base of readers. This series will center on their best blogging practices as well as tips and advice. You will benefit from their helpful tips, advice and insight.

The Next 45 Years is proud to welcome author and musician Tupelo Kenyon of TupeloKenyon.com.

What prompted you to start TupeloKenyon.com
“Prompted” is a good choice of words. A few years ago, in preparation for one of our concerts, we were loading our equipment through the back door of the venue. An intriguing old man was sitting on an overturned white bucket, outside the door. He was ancient, with a joyous and mischievous sparkle in his eye. I slowed my step, even though the load of instruments was heavy. With no small-talk preamble, he looked me straight in the eye and said matter-of-factly: “I’m here to tell you it’s time for you to start writing books.”

I acknowledged his strange statement with a nod, took it in stride and continued with the task at hand. There were people behind me, also carrying heavy loads, so I kept moving to get out of their way. I was eager to go back for details on my next trip. When I returned, he was gone. I asked around and none of the employees recognized my description of the old man. I never saw him before or since.

I enjoy a good mystery and pay attention to “coincidences,” hunches and inner nudges, but this experience was over-the-top. The weirdness of the circumstances and the bluntness of his message percolated within me for a few years as I contemplated “writing books.”

The mystery man planted a seed and successfully prompted me to begin. When I discovered blogging, I recognized it as an ideal vehicle for outflow that combines some of my favorite passions with several personal skills: writing about personal development ideas, contemplating great quotes, song-writing, instrumental music composition and computer skills.

When I think back on the aspects of my life that have provided the most satisfaction and joy, I realize they all started with a hunch, a quiet whisper in my ear, or an intuitive tap on the shoulder. Gratefully, I did not write them off as musings from an overactive imagination and ignore them. Instead, I was willing to at least consider it might be an important “prompt.” Usually, I’ll play along and take the next step in the direction of my nudge, and then the next, and the next, curious where it may lead.

One of my songs is about this willingness to live on the edge with an adventurous spirit:

“So I’m taking off those blinders and throwing them away,
There’s so much more to living than the safe and narrow way.
The meek will surely inherit the earth . . .They won’t get very far,
While the bold go for adventure, exploring beyond the stars.
So I’ll encourage inspiration, and I’ll soak it up like a sponge,
Instead of terminal safety, I’m ready to take the plunge.”
From the song, “Take the Plunge” by Tupelo Kenyon
(http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor11)

So, I took the plunge and started the learning curve on the mechanics of blogging in November of 2006 and launched TupeloKenyon.com on New Year’s Day 2007. The blog is titled, “Personal Development Inspiration and Uplifting Music” and the very first article was titled, “The Power of Beginning.” Perhaps blogging is the first step to the old man’s prompt to “start writing books” since I have already published enough content online to fill a couple.

Your blog is unique in the sense you connect your articles with your music. What is your musical background and experience?
I am mostly a self-taught musician, although I did take guitar lessons for a few months when I was about fourteen. (Thanks, Mom.) After earning my Associates of Mathematics degree, I changed my major to music at the University of Texas in Austin. That lasted about three months. I learned some valuable music theory, but soon realized I’d much rather be making music than studying it. So I moved to Alaska and began making a living singing and playing guitar by the time I was 21.

“Life is like music, it must be composed by ear, feeling and instinct, not by rule.” - Samuel Butler (1612-80)

The musical teamwork with my wife, Janey, has resulted in 11 music CDs and performances in all 50 states plus several foreign countries. We are known as “Laughing Bird.” We’ve also produced a feature-length video DVD titled, “Celebrate the Journey” of our unusual lifestyle as touring musicians for the last thirty years. (You can see a 7-minute preview online free here: http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescCJ.html)

More information about our unique musical journey is in the article titled: “Benefits of Music for Personal Development.” (http://www.tupelokenyon.com/2007/02/23/benefits-of-music-for-personal-development/)

What is your process for choosing how you link a song to an article on your blog?
The songs I recommend at the end of each article are chosen to support the subject matter and tone of the article. Sometimes they are specific and the reference is obvious. Other times, the song may be a related tangent. Sometimes the songs are chosen to facilitate the listeners to come to their own understanding and discover their own insights about what a particular idea means to them. Those are always the best.

Choosing which songs fit best with a particular article is a fairly straight-forward process since I also wrote the songs. As I am writing an article, song titles will pop into my head as good choices for related themes. After I finish writing the article, I usually scan a list of all the songs we’ve recorded (112 so far, with more added regularly). This helps me make sure I don’t overlook any appropriate recommendations.

The instrumental selections available at the beginning of each article require a different process. I currently have three CDs of original instrumental music to choose from, so I try to match the feeling of the article with the instrumental selection that best supports it. It’s a more subjective process, so I try not to over-think it too much and just go with whatever feels right at the time.

Are you achieving what you set out to do with the site?
It’s a good start, and I’m enjoying the process. I’m also recognizing the benefits of surrounding myself with these powerful, empowering ideas in such an active. I’ve been attracted to these themes of personal development and inspiration since I was 17, so these are the ideas I contemplate in my quiet time. The process of writing the articles gives me the opportunity to explore deeper and discover what I really think about these important topics. The act of writing clarifies ideas and inspires new viewpoints that I may never have considered otherwise.

The site has evolved into an extension of my own process of personal development and my dedication to living an inspired life. So yes, I am achieving that aspect of continually taking the next step in the expansion of consciousness that has been so important to me for about forty years.

One of my songs explores this theme . . .

“My feet are in the water, my head’s up in the clouds,
Floating on a fantasy, but living out loud,
Living out loud.
An’ I wonder if I’ll ever do you proud.

“I’m not exactly grounded, but I’m not entirely free.
I’m not exactly ready to go, but this never felt like home to me.
So I’m eager for that next step, even though I’ve come so far,
With my seat right here in the saddle . . . and soul in the stars.”
From the song, “Soul in the Stars” by Tupelo Kenyon
(http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor4)

One of things I set out to do with the site was to supplement my income, and this intent is manifesting slower than I had hoped. However, my quality of life is more important than stressing over the blog’s income issues, and the blog has contributed to my excellent quality of life from the very beginning. I knew blogging was not a get-rich-quick scheme, so I began with lots of patience and a long-term attitude.

As I continue my focus on delivering quality content with the potential to make a real difference in the quality of life for my readers, I am confident that the readership and the income will continue to grow. Since we have other income streams from other passions (concert performances, CD sales, and our recording studio), there’s no pressure to risk compromising my vision by trying to prematurely squeeze money out of TupeloKenyon.com.

Although success is usually associated with money, according to Emerson’s definition of success, I am already enjoying a measure of success . . .

“The definition of success–To laugh much; to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give one’s self; to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived–this is to have succeeded.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82)

Where do you get your ideas for the content for your blog and for your songs?
I enjoy reading a wide variety of authors, philosophies and disciplines. I consider myself a “free agent,” so I don’t prescribe to any one particular “brand.” Some of my favorite authors include Esther and Jerry Hicks, Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer, Lee Carroll, Richard Bach, Paul Twitchell, Dan Millman, Steven Covey, Joseph Campbell, Neale Donald Walsch, plus many others.

There’s a page on my blog with brief reviews of the fifty or so books that have had the biggest impact on me. (http://www.tupelokenyon.com/books/) These books have moved me, opened me up, amazed me, thrilled me, and helped me feel something profound.

While reading, something will strike me just right, and an article title will occur to me. I use the original idea as a springboard and do my best to find a fresh perspective. Whether I’m writing an article or a song, I never know where it’s going. Instead, I trust the process and enjoy the ride. I am often surprised where it ends up compared to where it started.

I realize it’s an unconventional way to write, but it’s satisfying to me because it’s not as rigid and structured as strictly left-brained writing. Instead, it allows for the freedom of random associations and an overview of the big picture made possible by allowing the right brain to have free reign also. Since I enjoy the process of working this way, songs and articles get completed.

What do you find to be the more difficult aspects of blogging?
Time constraints are the most difficult hurdles I face with my personal commitment to publish a new article every week. My average article takes between 8 and 14 hours to complete. I decided at the beginning not to create a blog of short posts. There are plenty of excellent blogs with short posts, but in the interest of something for everyone, I decided to concentrate on the more in-depth coverage made possible by the technology.

I have published one new article per week since TupeloKenyon.com was launched on January 1, 2007. That may not seem like a big time commitment, but it feels like it with all the other activities that require so much time. Janey and I do major concert tours every year that keep us on the road for about six months. When we are at home, our recording studio, Riversong Studio, keeps me busy. I produce CD projects for other artists as well as our own. Busy, busy, busy. You know what they say about the self-employed: “You only have to work half-days . . . and you can choose which twelve hours that is!”

They also say, “Busy people get things done.”

“It is not enough to be busy. The question is: what are we busy about?” - Henry David Thoreau (1817-62)

Do you do anything special to increase your readership?
I stay focused on providing consistent, quality content that can make a difference in people’s lives. My intent is to make it so compelling that my readers won’t be able to keep it a secret and will share it and recommend it to the people they care about. I provide a link at the end of every article to make it easy to “email this article to a friend.” I also make it easy for people to submit each article to their favorite social networking sites.

I have also dabbled in carnivals, listed the site with blog directories, and have begun to learn more about the social networking phenomenon. All these things take time, so I haven’t explored them in depth.

I am not interested in spending my entire life in front of a computer screen, so I budget my computer time carefully. As I prioritize the limited time I am willing to stare at a computer screen, most of that time is spent writing articles.

Do you use SEO? If so, which techniques provide the best results?
I made sure my META tags include specifically chosen keywords that relate to the theme of my site. My decision to submit my articles to carnivals was driven, in part, by the hoped-for advantage of getting incoming links from related sites. I have a few hundred by now, but I honestly don’t know how much they help.

I try to use keywords in the article titles and in the body of the copy, but mostly I write in a stream of consciousness style better suited to human readers rather than search engine spiders.

The algorithms used by the search engines will continue to get more sophisticated and keep getting better at catching on to the myriad ways used by people who try to “game” the system. The purpose of the search engines is to find the sites that do the best job in providing value and reward them with higher search rankings. If my purpose is also to provide value, the search engines will recognize that and everyone wins. And hopefully, I won’t have to spend too much time on boring, mind-numbing busy work like SEO. (Warning, this may be a blue sky, pipe dream with no basis in the real world of online traffic-building. Sometime in the future, I may change my tune and discover that yes, indeed, it is necessary to be more proactive in this area – but I hope not!)

What do you find gratifying about blogging?
It’s always gratifying to hear from someone who was touched by one of my articles or my music. It’s fascinating to hear how someone was able to apply an idea from a song or article to the unique circumstances of their life in a way that would never have occurred to me. I love to hear creative interpretations and stories of how something made a positive difference in someone’s life. The lyrics to one of my songs express this idea . . .

“The way we live our life is like a pebble dropped, into a quiet pond,
It carries on just like a circle growing.
The ripples that we make may touch another shore, you may never know for sure,
How much you’ve helped someone without you knowing.

“Sometimes the ripples from our deed’s a gentle touch, doesn’t seem to matter much,
It’s like dropping flowers in the Grand Canyon.
And though we’ll never know just what becomes of them, it’s all the same to them,
So drop them anyway, because you can.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting battles too,
Cruel wars within themselves, just like it is with you.
Be kind, because you’ll never know just how much good you’ll do,
A heartfelt word or two can soothe a hidden wound.”
From the song, “Be Kind” by Tupelo Kenyon
(http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor9)

What are your future plans for TupeloKenyon.com?
I realize that big companies and corporations must have detailed, well-thought-out business plans for the future, but my approach with TupeloKenyon.com has been more organic . . . more in the moment . . . more about now. I take it one article at a time and do the best I can with the amount of time I have available.

I do have a vision for the future but have not nailed it down with any step-by-step action plan. I enjoy a wide-open approach to allow the universe plenty of latitude to take it in any direction . . . whatever is in the interest of the greatest good. I appreciate surprises, serendipities and “coincidences” orchestrated in the more subtle planes of consciousness, well beyond the one-dimensional confines of my best, well-laid plans.

My vision for TupeloKenyon.com is an ever-growing site contributing inspiration to those attracted to ideas of integrity and techniques of personal development and expanding consciousness.

It is personally satisfying when readers of my blog discover my music and when my music listeners discover my articles. As these readers and listeners continue to grow in number, this provides me with a ready outlet for more articles, songs and music. I see it as a full circle of contribution. I am gratified that all this is made possible by my own personal commitment to inner growth.

It feels like right livelihood. When people buy our CDs, download our music and contribute in other ways, it’s a vote of confidence that I am on the right track of making available something worthwhile for the good of the whole. That inspires me to become an ever-clearer conduit for ideas, words and music to flow through me, knowing there is an appreciative place in the world for it.

Now, after all that, here’s the short answer: My plans are open-ended. My vision is win/win.

What advice can you offer other bloggers?
Since I am a relative newbie myself, my first morsel of advice would be to take my advice with a grain of salt. One of the ideas that made a lasting impression on me came via Esther Hicks to a fellow-writer friend of mine: “Write for your own connection.”

To me, that means the act of writing should be done first and foremost as an exercise to deepen your own understanding and facilitate your relationship with your own inner self. It allows you to entertain ideas, concepts and feelings in detail that have the power to make a dramatic difference in the quality of your life. Instead of being motivated to write for money or fame or recognition or shallow ego gratification, write for you. Write for (and from) that deepest part of you, which cries out for its connection to the infinite. I am confident that this approach provides the greatest benefit for the greatest number, including the writer.

Actively engage the mystery in your life. Be unique, be yourself, be the brilliant individual you were born to be, and do it in your own way. Nobody else in the whole world can do what you do. Be sincere, be real and light-hearted, and be committed to excellence.

Learn whenever you can from whomever you can. Be aware of any advice offered. But also beware.

“No one can give you better advice than yourself.” - Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC)

Instead of basing your direction on the advice of others, look inside for your own way. Listen for (and expect) nudges, hunches and intuitive taps on the shoulder from you inner self. Learn to trust them and discover for yourself that your intuition has your own best interests at heart.

Whatever you do, do it well, and others will recognize your commitment to excellence and will be attracted to whatever you have to contribute. Make it fun so you enjoy the process. Be in the moment. Give first without attachment to outcomes. Balance that with your expectation of great things already moving toward you. Receive the abundance of life graciously. Be grateful every day. Take nothing for granted – especially the wonder of life itself. Most importantly, do whatever brings you joy.

Previous bloggers featured in this series:

Tina Su of Think Simple Now

John Wesley of PickTheBrain

Leo Babauta of Zen Habits

Ellesse Chow of Goal Setting College

Andrew Galasetti of Lyved.com

Peter of I Will Change Your Life and PickTheBrain

Andrea Hess of Empowered Soul

Todd Goldfarb of We The Change

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Helpful Blogging Resources

• Unique Blog Designs: Nate and his team are excellent blog designers. They provided expert design advice as well as much need technical support. If you are ready to take your blog to the next level, I high recommend Unique Blog Designs.

• ProBlogger is an outstanding online resource for learning effective blogging tips. The site has many useful and relevant articles to help you build a better blog and to earn money, too

• Michael A. Bank’s book Blogging Heroes is as informative as it is inspirational – a must-have reference book for serious bloggers.