S.O.B.

It's September 5, 2013. Thursday, early afternoon.  I'm in my Mom's silver KIA sedan and driving on familiar Paris, KY roads that I haven't driven in nearly a year.  In the backseat is my cousin and fellow artist/performer R.E.A.L. Tha Poet aka Russ to family.  Riding shotgun is none other than my co-pilot and partner in crime and first time visitor to the Bluegrass State, Mocha Frappe aka Nicole to family and the rest of the world.  We're en route to the location of my first video shoot... well, the first shoot of a video for MY song, S.O.B. (Shot of Bourbon).  In January, Russ and I drove to Pekin, Indiana (a small town not unlike Paris, KY) to shoot his video for his outstanding song "Last of the Mohicans".

6 months ago I couldn't imagine shooting a video for my music.  Then, I had only finally found the courage to share my music with the rest of the world instead of the safety net of my family and friends.  Despite my inexperience, I feel adequately prepared.  As an actor, I know that showing up on time and prepared to work is something on which I hang my hat as a professional.  On the outside I'm cool.  I'm laughing and enjoying the conversation with Russ and Nicole as we drive on 8th Street approaching our left turn onto Gano Street.  Everything has been going smoothly.  We have a screenplay, we have the cast and we have the location and we have each other.  The only thing missing... is the DP (director of photography)/cameraman with all the equipment to shoot the video.

Jake aka J-Ideas, is the DP as well as producer of the song for which the video is being shot. Without him, I'm not sure if any of this would be happening as it was his idea to do a Blues fusion album after our first collaborative effort, The Sound of Love, was warmly received.  Ideas is driving from Pekin, IN although he has visited Paris in the past for other projects. We have a later start than originally planned but I'm not stressed because 1) I'm on vacation. 2) I'm with people I Love. 3) I'm doing what I Love. 4) Did I say I'm on vacation with people I Love doing what I Love?

It's nearing Ideas' ETA (estimated time of arrival) but we haven't heard from him.  Russ suggests I give him a call.  I take the suggestion and when Ideas answers he tells me that he's in Paris... on Gano Street!  You're kidding me!!  This could NOT work out any better.  We meet Ideas on Gano and he follows us to the location: my Dad's house!

You're probably wondering why I'm going to my Dad's to shoot my first music video for a song about Bourbon.  Well, I'll tell you why:


Paris, KY is in Bourbon County

I was educated in the Bourbon County school system and graduated with honors from Bourbon County High School

Bourbon is my spirit of choice (Knob Creek neat)

I grew up in Bourbon County and spent countless hours in the garage/turned man cave that is the set for the video.

So, you see, this place is perfect for my first shoot because I know it well.  It's a piece of me and that's what I want to share with each song on my upcoming EP: Shot of Bourbon.

We pull up to the house and everything is as I remembered it. The yard is green and cut, my Dad's car is parked in the large driveway in the shade of the large tree standing guard next to our mailbox in the front yard.  We all get out of our vehicles and Dad comes out to greet us, followed by my step mother Bonnie, a petit woman, with coal black hair, a sweet Southern accent and a warm embrace.  She invites Nicole into the house and the men stand outside to chat and catch up as Ideas builds his dolly for the shoot.  We all laugh and joke and talk about times past, the current events and the plan for the day.  It's warm, actually it's muggy and sunny.  I go inside to grab bottles of water for the fellas and before you know it we're ready to shoot.


Inside the garage, the set of the video, looks like a sports bar.  The walls are covered with UK and Cincinnati Bengals memorabilia along with Coors, Bud Light and Stroh's lights.  There's a dart board, fooseball, flat screen TV and full bar with barstools along with three tables at which to sit and dine or enjoy a drink.  There's even a lounge area with a couch, recliner and rocking chair if you want to relax while watching the game or listening to music from the Sirius satellite radio fed through the stereo system.  Behind the bar are shot glasses and spirits along with two turntables and a microphone and crates of hundreds of vinyl records from my Dad's DJ days and love of music.

We set up the first shot and I run inside the house to change into my costume and say a prayer.  Hey, you can never have too much help from God when it comes to these things.  A once over in the mirror and self pep talk a la Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights and I'm ready to shoot!


Everything falls into place and we shoot the rehearsal and then get a couple more takes for safety.  Russ is prepared and delivers his lines with exquisite timing as the Bartender.  Jake is in full effect running the shoot and Nicole is in charge of lighting and continuity.  Dad is handling craft services and it all flows fluidly.  We shoot for hours getting every shot we have on the shot list while consulting the screenplay and also improvising.  Cast, crew and environment is clicking far better than I could've ever imagined or hoped for in my dreams, making for a fun-filled learning experience.


Between shots, I take a few seconds to marvel at what is taking place.  As a kid growing up in this house/garage/neighborhood/town I didn't know what I wanted to be or do with my life.  I went from wanting to be a pediatrician to orthopedic surgeon, to football player to basketball star, to actor.  In the 14 years I've been getting paid for my acting skills, I've considered quitting all of ONE time and even then, God stepped in to get me back on track so that this moment, shooting a music video on a Thursday afternoon in September of 2013 in Paris, KY could happen. I take it all in and I'm humbled by the determination of these people who believe in me and what I want to accomplish.  Everyone is on point with suggestions and their performances.  We don't have a Hollywood budget, the set is homemade along with the dolly.  We don't have the most expensive camera, hair and makeup artist or costume designer.  No big name director is at the helm and no record company is pressing us for time.  All of this is being done on our time, with our dollar and being done our way because of Love.  Everyone here wants to be here because they Love the people involved and that shoots the enjoyment of the experience into a stratosphere not often visited in the world of theatre, film or TV and music production.

We break for dinner and enjoy a meal that consists of grilled chicken and ribs, sweet potatoes with brown sugar, butter and cinnamon, grilled corn on the cob (in the husk), and other delectable dishes that you have to be here to fully appreciate.  While we eat we relax and it feels like we've just been hanging out having fun all day.  I don't feel like we've done one bit of work though we've accomplished so much.  At this time Peyton Manning and the Broncos are putting an old school butt whooping on the defending champs, the Ray Lewis-less Baltimore Ravens to kick off the 2013 NFL season.  We catch a glimpse here and there and then decide we want to have Russ wrapped after day one of the shoot.


Once again, we get the shots we need and Russ is wrapped after day one.  Ideas and I talk and realize we only have about 3 or 4 shots to get the following day to wrap this shoot.  UNBELIEVABLE!  When we planned to shoot this video, you couldn't tell me that it would only take 2 days to shoot and that we'd have this much fun doing it.  I mean, you could probably tell me but I wouldn't have believed you.  You could try to convince me all you want with cinnamon and sugar goodies and I would've shook my head and laughed at you as if you were Kevin Hart telling jokes about his Dad.  I would've hit you with a, "You go'n learn today!" and kept it moving.  BUT...

photo courtesy of blackdiamondonline.com

You would've been right.

Day 2 of the shoot goes just as smooth.  We start the day off with a good and very entertaining breakfast with my Mom and Aunt Vickie at iHOP and we drive back to Paris to wrap the shoot.  One of my cast members was unable to be in the shoot due to an illness so my Dad, Doug Jones, steps in and does a great job at the last minute with little to no notice.  Even Ideas makes a cameo!  After the shoot, we help Ideas load his equipment into his car, give him a pound and send him off with gratitude and well wishes.  Nicole and I stay and chat with my Dad in the shade of the tree in the front yard.  Everything feels right.  We set a goal to do something we hadn't done and we did it!  In the process we all enjoyed the experience immensely, grew closer, and I left feeling inspired.

I wanted to give the world a shot of Bourbon it had yet to taste, a shot of something that I've been reluctant to offer to the world's palate.  Conquering fears has been a mission of mine this year.  Conquering my fears of playing/singing in front of more than 2 people at a time, taking on roles that will challenge me in ways that take me out of my comfort zone and having confidence in who I am as a man and artist have been on my 'to do' list for 2013.

I just watched the first cut of the video and am very pleased.  A few tweaks here and there and I will be happy to offer you not only a shot of Bourbon but a shot of me... Cheers!!

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