The Courage Of Your Conviction

Here's a phrase that I use alot, but have you ever given thought to the meaning behind it?
To me each of the those words express a great deal of emotion...courage and conviction. Let's decipher them to get to the bottom of why this phrase means so much to me.
First, courage: the dictionary defines it as the quality of being brave. It defines conviction as a firm belief or opinion.
Roughly translated this phrase means the bravery to act on one's belief.
One reason you'll hear me say this so much is that I really have admiration for people who are constantly trying something whether it's new or old. They chip away at it until it becomes a diamond or a some great entity.
I can think of dozens of people that I know of or know personally that have this quality.
To be involved in music takes some real courage if you're going to make it a career; why? Mainly because it calls for some true sacrifice, like spending time away from family and friends, subjecting yourself to the ridicule of the occasional drunken heckler, and the ever present request for Freebird, and or Mustang Sally ( don'tcha just wish those songs would go away, or at least wish that someone would open a nightclub especially for people who love those songs... it could be called Mustang Sally's Freebird Utopia.).
I'm not gonna get all philosophical about karaoke, it has it's place, and in reality it's pretty fun, but to play music in circumstances that I've laid out takes real courage.
I can't tell you the amount of times that I've argued about the music that the Carpenter Ants does..."you all are supposed to be a blues band, you all are an R and B band, I hate all this country twang, the gospel stuff is fine up to a point," and on and on.
For those that speak against what we do have you considered breaking out your pad and pencils and writing songs for us? Now don't get me wrong, alot of your imput is warranted and really, even welcomed to some degree but let's look at this another way...
When your favorite band, or singer (fill in the blanks for yourself here) started out they like most of us chose music that appealed to them right? Well what should have happened after they began to grow, should they have continued doing everyone else's music or should they start to find their voice and do their own music?
Another consideration...think about someone like Ray Charles. Brother Ray infused gospel music with some soul and look what came out. Look at Aretha Franklin, you just can't deny what she's done for music, and it was on her own terms. You see, they had the courage of their conviction.
I know that for some people that is a bitter pill to swallow, but like it or not, everyone ( and I do mean everyone) wants their own voice, and they want the chance to grow. The best way to help that come about is not by bemoaning those who are simply trying to make a career, or moreover just simply trying to entertain you. If it really bugs you what we do, what we on this side of the game have to accept is that you won't support it. So shouldn't it be a compromise for everyone involved? Tell us what you like, but pardon our insistance if we chose our own direction.
Truthfully though, if music is like the Internet, out there somewhere is an audience waiting to hear genuine original musicianship; give it time and each will find the other.
Lastly, I think Frank Sinatra said it best..."for what is man, what has he got, if not himself, then he has naught, to say the things he really feels, and not the words of one who kneels, the record shows, I took the blows, and did it my way."

This post is dedicated to Andy Ridenour, his bravery and belief gave birth to Mountain Stage.
It's also dedicated to Terry James, you should have never given up.
On November 18th 2005, I've added Michael from the blog "A Girl Named Michael..." Michael epitomizes the essence of true love, and standing by your man spirit. Her bravery gave a snub to the devil...he couldn't end her marriage.