my dad tells the story that when I was about 40 years old one night after
about 40 years old one night after
about 40 years old one night after dinner past my bedtime I went to him and
dinner past my bedtime I went to him and
dinner past my bedtime I went to him and asked daddy can you make me a peanut
asked daddy can you make me a peanut
asked daddy can you make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with it being
butter and jelly sandwich with it being
butter and jelly sandwich with it being that late and the fact that we’d already
that late and the fact that we’d already
that late and the fact that we’d already eaten he said no so I asked again daddy
eaten he said no so I asked again daddy
eaten he said no so I asked again daddy can you make me a peanut butter and
can you make me a peanut butter and
can you make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and again he said no so I
jelly sandwich and again he said no so I
jelly sandwich and again he said no so I asked over and over and over and over
asked over and over and over and over
asked over and over and over and over again and over and over and over again
again and over and over and over again
again and over and over and over again he said no until finally he became so
he said no until finally he became so
he said no until finally he became so frustrated and so aggravated that he did
frustrated and so aggravated that he did
frustrated and so aggravated that he did what some parents would do in that case
what some parents would do in that case
what some parents would do in that case especially in those days and he gave me
especially in those days and he gave me
especially in those days and he gave me a little spanking so I cried and I cried
a little spanking so I cried and I cried
a little spanking so I cried and I cried and I cried and I swiped the last tear
and I cried and I swiped the last tear
and I cried and I swiped the last tear for my I walked back in the room daddy
for my I walked back in the room daddy
for my I walked back in the room daddy can make me a peanut butter and jelly
can make me a peanut butter and jelly
can make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich he was shocked he never seen
sandwich he was shocked he never seen
sandwich he was shocked he never seen anything like that from a kid and he got
anything like that from a kid and he got
anything like that from a kid and he got up and he made me the sandwich and he
up and he made me the sandwich and he
up and he made me the sandwich and he told himself from that day he knew that
told himself from that day he knew that
told himself from that day he knew that whatever challenges were in my life I
whatever challenges were in my life I
whatever challenges were in my life I will follow through one step at a time
will follow through one step at a time
will follow through one step at a time to accomplish whatever I had my mind set
to accomplish whatever I had my mind set
to accomplish whatever I had my mind set on I stand before you today as a
on I stand before you today as a
on I stand before you today as a musician composer international touring
musician composer international touring
musician composer international touring performer bandleader and I really wanted
performer bandleader and I really wanted
performer bandleader and I really wanted to talk about music today I really did
to talk about music today I really did
to talk about music today I really did but then I thought a lot of you out
but then I thought a lot of you out
but then I thought a lot of you out there have ideas that you haven’t
there have ideas that you haven’t
there have ideas that you haven’t started on yet or projects that you’re
started on yet or projects that you’re
started on yet or projects that you’re working on now or even projects that you
working on now or even projects that you
working on now or even projects that you feel like you finished already but I
feel like you finished already but I
feel like you finished already but I like to think about what happens when we
like to think about what happens when we
like to think about what happens when we push ourselves beyond the point that we
push ourselves beyond the point that we
push ourselves beyond the point that we think that we’ve already pushed
think that we’ve already pushed
think that we’ve already pushed ourselves and that’s something I like to
ourselves and that’s something I like to
ourselves and that’s something I like to call following through the follow
call following through the follow
call following through the follow through just like I did with the
through just like I did with the
through just like I did with the sandwich so whether you’re learning
sandwich so whether you’re learning
sandwich so whether you’re learning Chinese or planting a garden or wanting
Chinese or planting a garden or wanting
Chinese or planting a garden or wanting a start of business or wanting to become
a start of business or wanting to become
a start of business or wanting to become a touring musician I imagine the concept
a touring musician I imagine the concept
a touring musician I imagine the concept of following through as a hallway an
of following through as a hallway an
of following through as a hallway an imaginary hallway with doors all along
imaginary hallway with doors all along
imaginary hallway with doors all along the sides and these doors represent
the sides and these doors represent
the sides and these doors represent chances and opportunities career
chances and opportunities career
chances and opportunities career highlights and project landmarks
highlights and project landmarks
highlights and project landmarks just like any hallway how do you get
just like any hallway how do you get
just like any hallway how do you get from one door to the next well it’s all
from one door to the next well it’s all
from one door to the next well it’s all the expressions ago one foot in front of
the expressions ago one foot in front of
the expressions ago one foot in front of the other one step at a time for those
the other one step at a time for those
the other one step at a time for those of us that are fortunate to be able to
of us that are fortunate to be able to
of us that are fortunate to be able to walk there might be a seemingly
walk there might be a seemingly
walk there might be a seemingly insignificant concept right but as those
insignificant concept right but as those
insignificant concept right but as those doors represent chances and
doors represent chances and
doors represent chances and opportunities each of those steps as
opportunities each of those steps as
opportunities each of those steps as small as they might seem are really the
small as they might seem are really the
small as they might seem are really the foundation and the building blocks of
foundation and the building blocks of
foundation and the building blocks of what it means to follow through so steps
what it means to follow through so steps
what it means to follow through so steps like taking the time to educate yourself
like taking the time to educate yourself
like taking the time to educate yourself about the latest innovations in your
about the latest innovations in your
about the latest innovations in your field or reaching out to the Masters of
field or reaching out to the Masters of
field or reaching out to the Masters of your craft to pick their brains and see
your craft to pick their brains and see
your craft to pick their brains and see how they do things or even finding the
how they do things or even finding the
how they do things or even finding the courage within yourself to go to those
courage within yourself to go to those
courage within yourself to go to those auditions and take those classes this
auditions and take those classes this
auditions and take those classes this imaginary hallway of following through
imaginary hallway of following through
imaginary hallway of following through has his way of teaching us things about
has his way of teaching us things about
has his way of teaching us things about life in 2004 I met the great saxophone
life in 2004 I met the great saxophone
life in 2004 I met the great saxophone player Jeff coffin who was touring with
player Jeff coffin who was touring with
player Jeff coffin who was touring with bailiff Fleck and now towards with Dave
bailiff Fleck and now towards with Dave
bailiff Fleck and now towards with Dave Matthews Band he’s an inspiration to me
Matthews Band he’s an inspiration to me
Matthews Band he’s an inspiration to me in a musical hero to a lot of us and I
in a musical hero to a lot of us and I
in a musical hero to a lot of us and I got to meet him and become friends with
got to meet him and become friends with
got to meet him and become friends with them around the same time I was working
them around the same time I was working
them around the same time I was working on my debut album how cool would it be
on my debut album how cool would it be
on my debut album how cool would it be to get jeff coffin to be on my album so
to get jeff coffin to be on my album so
to get jeff coffin to be on my album so I reached out to him and he was
I reached out to him and he was
I reached out to him and he was interested so I got my friends together
interested so I got my friends together
interested so I got my friends together I wrote some new music we went to the
I wrote some new music we went to the
I wrote some new music we went to the studio we recorded the tracks and then
studio we recorded the tracks and then
studio we recorded the tracks and then we sent everything to Jeff for him to at
we sent everything to Jeff for him to at
we sent everything to Jeff for him to at his part man it’s gonna be so awesome to
his part man it’s gonna be so awesome to
his part man it’s gonna be so awesome to have Jeff coffin playing my music so now
have Jeff coffin playing my music so now
have Jeff coffin playing my music so now we wait one day goes by no response
we wait one day goes by no response
we wait one day goes by no response another day goes by no response and
another day goes by no response and
another day goes by no response and finally I get an email back from Jeff he
finally I get an email back from Jeff he
finally I get an email back from Jeff he says Jonathan I believe you can do
says Jonathan I believe you can do
says Jonathan I believe you can do better than this
better than this
better than this you always have to make sure you put
you always have to make sure you put
you always have to make sure you put your best foot forward and I’m sorry to
your best foot forward and I’m sorry to
your best foot forward and I’m sorry to say but I cannot put my name on this as
say but I cannot put my name on this as
say but I cannot put my name on this as you can imagine right now I was
you can imagine right now I was
you can imagine right now I was devastated I thought my career was over
devastated I thought my career was over
devastated I thought my career was over I thought I’d never be good enough to
I thought I’d never be good enough to
I thought I’d never be good enough to work with those musicians that I admired
work with those musicians that I admired
work with those musicians that I admired so much I went to sleep that night
so much I went to sleep that night
so much I went to sleep that night deflate it and defeated and I woke up
deflate it and defeated and I woke up
deflate it and defeated and I woke up the next morning and read that email
the next morning and read that email
the next morning and read that email again
again
again johnathan he always have to put your
johnathan he always have to put your
johnathan he always have to put your best foot forward so I gave it a shot I
worked on my writing skills I practiced
worked on my writing skills I practiced my instrument more I surrounded myself
my instrument more I surrounded myself
my instrument more I surrounded myself with the top musicians and the best
with the top musicians and the best
with the top musicians and the best recording engineers I tried it again
recording engineers I tried it again
recording engineers I tried it again happy to say it worked
happy to say it worked
happy to say it worked Jeff Kaufman played on my second album
Jeff Kaufman played on my second album
Jeff Kaufman played on my second album he played in my third album and from
he played in my third album and from
he played in my third album and from time to time he even comes in to be a
time to time he even comes in to be a
time to time he even comes in to be a special guest with my band even till
special guest with my band even till
special guest with my band even till this day I don’t know that’s a pretty
this day I don’t know that’s a pretty
this day I don’t know that’s a pretty cool name drop we got to hang out in
cool name drop we got to hang out in
cool name drop we got to hang out in Amsterdam with Dave Matthews you know
Amsterdam with Dave Matthews you know
Amsterdam with Dave Matthews you know fun times but just like the opening
fun times but just like the opening
fun times but just like the opening story with the peanut butter and jelly
story with the peanut butter and jelly
story with the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I took the beating I got myself
sandwich I took the beating I got myself
sandwich I took the beating I got myself up I took those steps one by one to
up I took those steps one by one to
up I took those steps one by one to follow through with what I had in my
follow through with what I had in my
follow through with what I had in my head this imaginary hallway following
head this imaginary hallway following
head this imaginary hallway following through has a way of taking us to places
through has a way of taking us to places
through has a way of taking us to places that we never thought we’d be of course
that we never thought we’d be of course
that we never thought we’d be of course I never thought I’d be doing concerts in
I never thought I’d be doing concerts in
I never thought I’d be doing concerts in China and the Czech Republic but I don’t
China and the Czech Republic but I don’t
China and the Czech Republic but I don’t mean geographically earlier this year I
mean geographically earlier this year I
mean geographically earlier this year I was scheduled to do a performance at a
was scheduled to do a performance at a
was scheduled to do a performance at a special-needs school in Taiwan and I’d
special-needs school in Taiwan and I’d
special-needs school in Taiwan and I’d never done a concert in that setting
never done a concert in that setting
never done a concert in that setting before so to be honest I was kind of
before so to be honest I was kind of
before so to be honest I was kind of nervous just hoping that my music would
nervous just hoping that my music would
nervous just hoping that my music would connect with this new audience here we
connect with this new audience here we
connect with this new audience here we are halfway across the world still
are halfway across the world still
are halfway across the world still having to push ourselves further and so
having to push ourselves further and so
having to push ourselves further and so we started the concert and you know what
we started the concert and you know what
we started the concert and you know what the kids loved it
the kids loved it
the kids loved it they really did there was even
they really did there was even
they really did there was even percussion and other drums in the front
percussion and other drums in the front
percussion and other drums in the front of the room for the kids to join in and
of the room for the kids to join in and
of the room for the kids to join in and they felt inspired but in that room
they felt inspired but in that room
they felt inspired but in that room there was a seven-year-old kid in a
there was a seven-year-old kid in a
there was a seven-year-old kid in a wheelchair and he was in this wheelchair
wheelchair and he was in this wheelchair
wheelchair and he was in this wheelchair because he never had the desire within
because he never had the desire within
because he never had the desire within himself to even try to walk and as our
himself to even try to walk and as our
himself to even try to walk and as our concert continued and there’s all the
concert continued and there’s all the
concert continued and there’s all the kids were having a good time this kid
kids were having a good time this kid
kids were having a good time this kid turns to his mother true story and says
turns to his mother true story and says
turns to his mother true story and says I want to try to walk today the mother
I want to try to walk today the mother
I want to try to walk today the mother had never been able to get a response
had never been able to get a response
had never been able to get a response from him like that ever and so with the
from him like that ever and so with the
from him like that ever and so with the tears streaming down her face and the
tears streaming down her face and the
tears streaming down her face and the middle of our concert she assisted her
middle of our concert she assisted her
middle of our concert she assisted her kid making his first steps at the age of
kid making his first steps at the age of
kid making his first steps at the age of 7 when I started this path
7 when I started this path
7 when I started this path I never imagined that I’d be part of
I never imagined that I’d be part of
I never imagined that I’d be part of something so incredible as that and I
something so incredible as that and I
something so incredible as that and I walked away feeling really fortunate to
walked away feeling really fortunate to
walked away feeling really fortunate to see firsthand that if I push myself it
see firsthand that if I push myself it
see firsthand that if I push myself it can impact someone else to push
can impact someone else to push
can impact someone else to push themselves further than they ever
themselves further than they ever
themselves further than they ever thought they would be able to but this
thought they would be able to but this
thought they would be able to but this imaginary hallway of following through
imaginary hallway of following through
imaginary hallway of following through that I have in my head it’s not really a
that I have in my head it’s not really a
that I have in my head it’s not really a comfortable place just like a hallways
comfortable place just like a hallways
comfortable place just like a hallways in your house it’s not meant to be a
in your house it’s not meant to be a
in your house it’s not meant to be a place to settle we just use it to get
place to settle we just use it to get
place to settle we just use it to get from one door to the next right and
from one door to the next right and
from one door to the next right and believe me to get here today it’s been a
believe me to get here today it’s been a
believe me to get here today it’s been a pretty uncomfortable flat uncomfortable
pretty uncomfortable flat uncomfortable
pretty uncomfortable flat uncomfortable path right out of college I had a lot of
path right out of college I had a lot of
path right out of college I had a lot of random jobs I was a dishwasher
random jobs I was a dishwasher
random jobs I was a dishwasher landscaping I cleaned vacation homes and
landscaping I cleaned vacation homes and
landscaping I cleaned vacation homes and one time I got this random job on the
one time I got this random job on the
one time I got this random job on the internet cleaning gutters on houses just
internet cleaning gutters on houses just
internet cleaning gutters on houses just to make a little extra money but the
to make a little extra money but the
to make a little extra money but the whole time I knew that those were just
whole time I knew that those were just
whole time I knew that those were just step by step
step by step
step by step progression on my path so my last real
progression on my path so my last real
progression on my path so my last real job that I had was the five-year stents
job that I had was the five-year stents
job that I had was the five-year stents at a factory that may affect her CDs and
at a factory that may affect her CDs and
at a factory that may affect her CDs and DVDs they wanted to offer me a full-time
DVDs they wanted to offer me a full-time
DVDs they wanted to offer me a full-time position with arrays’ and benefits
position with arrays’ and benefits
position with arrays’ and benefits sounds comfortable but I knew that it
sounds comfortable but I knew that it
sounds comfortable but I knew that it was gonna stop me from taking those
was gonna stop me from taking those
was gonna stop me from taking those steps for it on my path and when the
steps for it on my path and when the
steps for it on my path and when the time came for me to put in my two weeks
time came for me to put in my two weeks
time came for me to put in my two weeks notice to quit
notice to quit
notice to quit finally they offered me a position where
finally they offered me a position where
finally they offered me a position where I could make my own schedule and work
I could make my own schedule and work
I could make my own schedule and work whenever I wanted to sounds comfortable
whenever I wanted to sounds comfortable
whenever I wanted to sounds comfortable yeah I know it would have been awesome
yeah I know it would have been awesome
yeah I know it would have been awesome to have that job with those benefits and
to have that job with those benefits and
to have that job with those benefits and not go through the struggles and the
not go through the struggles and the
not go through the struggles and the beatings of trying to pursue a career as
beatings of trying to pursue a career as
beatings of trying to pursue a career as a touring musician but just like the
a touring musician but just like the
a touring musician but just like the opening story I knew that there could be
opening story I knew that there could be
opening story I knew that there could be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on
a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on
a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the other side of that spanking so now
the other side of that spanking so now
the other side of that spanking so now that I’ve painted this picture now that
that I’ve painted this picture now that
that I’ve painted this picture now that I painted this picture in your head of
I painted this picture in your head of
I painted this picture in your head of this imaginary hallway of following
this imaginary hallway of following
this imaginary hallway of following through I want you all to think about
through I want you all to think about
through I want you all to think about that with whatever ideas and projects
that with whatever ideas and projects
that with whatever ideas and projects you have right now I want you to think
you have right now I want you to think
you have right now I want you to think about all those people that inspire you
about all those people that inspire you
about all those people that inspire you the most they all know that this hallway
the most they all know that this hallway
the most they all know that this hallway is infinite and they all push the
is infinite and they all push the
is infinite and they all push the selves as much as they can even still as
selves as much as they can even still as
selves as much as they can even still as successful as we see them they’re still
successful as we see them they’re still
successful as we see them they’re still putting themselves I’ve seen what
putting themselves I’ve seen what
putting themselves I’ve seen what happens when I push myself and that’s
happens when I push myself and that’s
happens when I push myself and that’s enough for me to get up every morning
enough for me to get up every morning
enough for me to get up every morning and work on my projects and even work
and work on my projects and even work
and work on my projects and even work late into the night often times so
late into the night often times so
late into the night often times so whether you’re learning to play the
whether you’re learning to play the
whether you’re learning to play the piano or learning Russian or have the
piano or learning Russian or have the
piano or learning Russian or have the next great business idea I want you all
next great business idea I want you all
next great business idea I want you all to imagine that hallway take those steps
to imagine that hallway take those steps
to imagine that hallway take those steps one after the other endure those
one after the other endure those
one after the other endure those spankings that life has for you and get
spankings that life has for you and get
spankings that life has for you and get your peanut butter and jelly sandwich
your peanut butter and jelly sandwich
your peanut butter and jelly sandwich further down the path thank you
”
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