Live Your Truth 🥁 🎤
Welcome to another edition of my monthly musings - a little dose of inspiration to fill your cup!
I'm excited to share the latest in my coaching, songwriting, and inspiration of all flavors.
Please share this newsletter with a friend if you find it inspiring.
Onward we go! Dave 🥁 🎤
Are you ready to ride shotgun with me? Well, it’s time to put me in your ear :) Doubt Riding Shotgun Audiobook is done and available on most of the big platforms. I’ve worked really hard to finish my audiobook. It’s 5 hours and 20 minutes long and took about 10 times that amount of time to edit, clean up, and put in the right formats for Audible, Spotify, and many more with Apple coming soon.
If you are inspired by my story or think this audiobook can help others, I would greatly appreciate you commenting and/or sharing any of the following links.
As promised, I’ve completed my interview of Michael Shrieve about his new album (which I wrote and played a track on 25 years ago!). If you don’t know of Michael, he is a beautiful soul and deep artist that I respect. He was the original drummer for Santana for 10 years+, who played with countless rock legends. He played the “Soul Sacrifice” drum solo at Woodstock when he was 19 (must see!), and is even in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (here’s his acceptance speech).
I was lucky enough to be Michael’s assistant for about 5-6 years in the 90s. I helped him organize his samples, pack up his drums for tours, and even wrote some music together. One of our creations: a song I wrote and produced is called “The Fierce Energy of Love” which we discuss as well as Michael’s vast wisdom of what being an artist is about. He openly talks about his self-doubt and challenges with sharing his own work. Please like, comment, and share this video if you do that type of thing.
Here’s a link to the FULL interview:
One treat I granted myself this year was to go back to jazz camp. I attended back in the 90s and studied drums with Jeff Hamilton, who still teaches at the camp. But this year, I wanted to stretch myself. Also, I just find that I’m happiest when I’m immersed in music. It will be a full week of 15-hour days full of jamming, practicing, and learning from world class jazz artists just fit the bill.
What’s different is, I’m 53, AND, since their piano slots were full, I’m going as a SINGER! I’ve been working on my voice a ton, but it will be a BIG stretch to sing jazz, improvise with my voice and gulp, perform! My high school jazz choir teacher told me it was best if I just mouthed the words 😃 Well, not anymore buddy, I’m heading into the fray to be heard as I am. I’ll make a video or two to share some thoughts as my own self-doubt is visiting me daily. Here’s a link to this great jazz workshop that was established in 1979!
Here’s a FREE MP3 of a new song called “Angry Eyes” that I wrote and had my friend Jonathan Plum record and engineer for me. You can download it by clicking on the download icon shown here:
I tracked these drums and piano at home and then had my friends Jack and Jonathan play guitars and basses as they heard them. I’ll release the track on all the streaming networks soon.
I completed FOUR livestreams in June and learned a lot. I’m going to keep doing these as a way to vulnerably share my work and even works in progress. It’s not about being polished, it’s about being OK with where we are. Follow me on Facebook or Youtube for more info.
The working title of my next book is ‘The Accidental Executive’.
This book is about sharing the lessons I wish I had learned before I had the pressure of having to lead and manage others with our jobs on the line. It’s the book I wish I had when I was hired as a Director at Ableton and yet again when I was recruited to become the VP of Marketing and Sales at iZotope. I hope this book can help my sons, and their generation navigate the challenges of business in a more healthy way. I am wrestling with the word “executive” as it feels a bit exclusive to me. But it may be the most honest accounting of the material. I half joke that perhaps I should go with “the Accidental Adult” instead. When did I sign up to become an adult anyway?
Why do I mention all this? Well, this time, I’d like to interview YOU, if you feel you have a lesson to offer. Are you an accidental executive? manager? leader? influencer? If you’d like to share, I’d like to learn from you and bring the best of all worlds into this book.
If you’d like to be interviewed, send me a note with some of the following to help me understand your experience and to get you thinking about our discussion:
What is your current title?
What is the highest title you’ve had at any former company?
What do you wish you knew before you were promoted or hired?
What lessons would you give the next person to take over for you?
What key methods or approaches have your developed that you would be willing to share?
I’ve been on vacation with my family in the UK for a couple weeks and am off for part of August too so have been slow to post updates on social media. I have LOTS coming soon. Keep a watch out for a busy fall!
Thanks for riding shotgun with me!
Stay courageous out there 💪,
Dave Hill Jr.,
PCC Certified Executive and Leadership Coach
Learn About My Coaching www.davehilljr.com
Check out my book: Doubt Riding Shotgun www.doubtridingshotgun.com
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