Persistently Pursuing Progress
I had the lunch of my dreams in January 2025 and don’t remember what I ate. This, gentle reader, is because I had 2 hours to spend with Bruce Hornsby, my musical (& life?) hero. I have never hung on the words of another individual so closely. For those who may not know, my first Hornsby “show” was in the 7th grade when he played with the Richmond Symphony & since then I’ve seen him live 100+ times with various surrounding & supporting players at venues from an Austin City Limits taping, W&M Hall on the night of the millennium, the Troubadour in Hollywood, the Blue Note Jazz Festival in NY, the Biltmore in Asheville, the Fare Thee Well show in Santa Clara and countless Performing Arts Centers, outdoor amphitheaters, converted High School gymnasiums (I see you, Portland), clubs etc. While some of the stories generously shared were not meant for publication, I wanted to share what I have taken with me in the weeks & months since.
Excellence is not to be achieved, but pursued asymptotically: Bruce recently turned 70, but continues to seek greater levels of achievement & virtuosity for himself, the members of the Noisemakers and the group as a collective. I shared a post a few years ago about the number of hours that Noisemaker Gibb Droll practices while on the road with the band and it is definitely of that ethos. “Getting to know your instrument” is not achieved in grade school, but a lifelong pursuit of a deep understanding & relationship. The value is in the journey, not the destination and failure to continue on this journey could let down the players around you.
Follow “the chills”. When working on song ideas, Bruce shared that he improvises until he hits upon a phrase or musical idea that gives him the chills and THEN hits record to capture it. I am nerdy enough to share that I do still get “the chills” in my own Customer Experience profession on occasion, but sometimes settle for strategies or ideas that are functional & proven. The truth is that if I don’t have the chills, my team won’t nor will our customers. The idea of listening to the inner voice that tells you “this is the way” is something I can definitely lean into more (link to his song The Chill here).
If “the business” doesn’t fit what you’re passionate about doing, innovate. In 2019, Bruce made one of his best and most innovative works called Absolute Zero, which does indeed refer to the scientific concept of the same name – not exactly super commercial. While some of the songs have instant appeal, others are more challenging and traditional record companies weren’t up to the task of marketing it. Ironically, “Cast Off” and “Voyager One” from this album both did break through in a major way, but getting the album onto shelves was a journey later chronicled by The Washington Post in a great story about the state of the music industry at the time. Bruce had to bet on himself to get this out and it paid off in spades for fans & critics. Bruce also made a fabulous mandolin-based record in 2016 which is why I asked him to sign this for my office. See also: it’s hard to bring a piano to lunch…
To improve, seek outside inspiration & feedback. Hearing that Bruce seeks feedback from collaborators, producers & trusted parties at this stage of the game honestly kind of shocked me. He has such a strong drive & inner voice, what is there to learn? I think the advantage of age and experience is the ability to listen, take in outside feedback, and know what to keep or leave behind. Hearing how much modern music he consumes didn’t shock me at all however, given his recent collaborations on his albums and those of others. By the way, I did give Bruce one piece of unsolicited feedback. The merch buying public needs this original Bruce Hornsby Band shirt originally worn by Michael McDonald on a tv appearance:
What we keep we lose & only what we give remains our own. And finally, a nod to my alma mater’s motto and a phrase I think about pretty regularly while continuing my own pursuit of happiness. This experience would not have been 1% as special had I not experienced it with my two “Hornsby siblings”, Kim & Laurence. The anticipation, planning, enjoyment and intense review of the game tape wouldn’t have been half as sweet had I simply been alone or with my family. It really took being with fellow fans to appreciate the conversation and the gift of this time. The next photo is the 3 of us in front of the Bruce Hornsby wall at the Virginia Musical Museum & Hall of Fame.
Thank you to Bruce for being kind enough to put your time up for auction for a good cause and for the generosity with which you shared equal parts wisdom & funny stories. You inspire me to push ever forward in my own career, but also to think differently about aging well. I literally can’t wait to see you on the road again soon.
