I saw Tony Bennett on Oprah last night. They’ve started replaying her show at 10 PM and so I watch it if it looks like something interesting might be on. The show was about top performers and their songs that have been downloaded on IPODs. Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel” has been the most popular download. She was there to sing her big hit. Josh Grobin’s “You Raise Me Up” is another big one and he was there to sing something from his new CD.
Then Tony Bennett came on. He sang a medley of some of his more popular tunes. He also sang a few songs from his new CD, “Duets”. Oprah did a short interview with him; Tony has just turned 80! She asked him if it was true that he didn’t have a drivers license or own a home. He said both were true. He said the one love he had was singing and that is all he ever wanted to do.
He said when he gets tired of singing, he takes a break and does some painting. Then when he gets tired of painting, he goes back to singing. He said that keeps him in the creative zone…and that keeps him happy. And you have to admit, Tony Bennett sure looks happy. He always has that smile on his face. And it’s not that fake looking “I’m a performer” smile….it looks like the genuine “I love what I’m doing” smile.
I know for me…when I’m in that creative zone….I’m a pretty happy girl. I love thinking about the next thing I’m going to do….the next song, the next concert, the next retreat, the next CD. In fact, I’m always working on something and sometimes, several things at once. And it’s like I can’t get enough of it. I think I could sit in a room and write songs all day long and NEVER get bored. Just pipe in some fresh brewed coffee to inhale and I’d be good. I love the moment when I am writing and I feel like the “creative vibe” just washes up on shore and takes me out for a ride. I just hang on and enjoy the feel of being on that great wave. It’s an awesome place to be.
I love how creativity sparks creativity. I’m discussing a song idea with a friend that I co-write with occasionally…he’ll have a suggestion about a lyric or a possible melody and before you know it, we are diving into that creative zone. I can’t think of anything that is more fun than that. We are in the zone and we know it. We spend three hours working on something before we realize how much time has gone by. And the only reason we quit is because we have families to get back to and work to get ready for the next day!
But really, if I could eat, sleep and breathe writing, I would. In fact, I think I already do!
