Karma

These are good times if you are a self-taught musician. Take me, for example. I hear a song I like on the radio -- or someone tells me about a song I should play. All I have to do is "google" it, and I'll easily find the chords and lyrics. It's actually too bad I wasn't better, because more often than not, I also find guitar tablature that's way above my ability. Anyway, I take what I can use, print it out, and then teach myself the new song.

I've been hearing a new song on the country radio station -- "15 Minutes" by a somewhat local country singer named Jamie Lee Thurston. Not to digress, but I feel I should mention that three years ago, I not only hated country, but swore I'd never listen to it. These days -- and I'm not sure how it happened -- I am a country music addict. Not to digress further, Jamie Lee's song, incidentally, is about how last night he decided to quit all of his vices -- smoking, women, and drinking and how "...it was the worst 15 minutes" of his life. Apparently Jamie Lee is just on the verge of making the big-time, but he's not quite there yet. How do I know this? Because when you google his song or him, you get some hits, but no information.

How am I going to learn his song? I asked myself. I've only heard it like twice, so I don't even know the words. I decided that the first step was to call the radio station so, at least, I could hear it again. Knowing I was going to be in my car for an hour, I called the radio and asked the DJ if he would play my song. He said, no, that the entire playlist was locked in for the rest of the afternoon, but there was a request program later that evening, and I could try back then. Suddenly my phone beeped and flashed. "No Service Area." I lost him.

The next morning, no closer to learning the song, I thought of that DJ. I felt a little badly because I bet he thought I hung up on him. I decided to set the record straight. "I'm the guy who called yesterday to request a Jamie Lee Thurston song," I said when he answered. I explained how I had hung up on him, but that I really hadn't hung up; I had just lost cell coverage. I told him I listened to his program all the time and I wanted him to know I understood that they can't always play requests. He said that sometimes callers do get really angry, and he thanked me and we hung up. I never even requested my song.

Two songs later, he put on "15 minutes." At the song's end, he came back on the airwaves and, although he did not reference our conversation, his voice was more vivid and lively. I felt good -- and I heard the song I wanted to hear. So last piece: how am I going to learn that song? I think what I'll do is go down to the music store and buy Jamie Lee's CD. He's on the verge of making it, I hear he's a hard-working, local guy... and I bet another CD sale wouldn't hurt him at all.