December 2009 meetings with renowned physician Mark Kerner ENT in Northridge California showed slight damage to the right vocal cord from years of performing and living hard.  Plain and simple, I wasn’t taking great care of myself.  Additionally, he spotted tonsil inflammation and recommended a course of treatment involving medication and a change in diet.  A second opinion in June 2010 with Jerry Josen, ENT in Scottsdale Arizona revealed that the tonsils have become larger and more inflamed in recent months and that the vocal chords are still red and irritated. Surgery seems to be the best course of action at this point, so we scheduled to have them removed on Wednesday, June 23^rd 2010. 

What will this mean for the music?  Plans to release the new album (Working Title:  The Ivory Coast) are still on point for early fall.  It will be a 12-song full length album featuring and exploring love in all of its splendor.  Fans can expect the music to still be based on real and inspired stories.  We’ve taken up a new producer on the album in wunderkid Chris Doucet and the tracks are still being recorded in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Voice-wise, it’s hard to know how I might be affected.  When I sing the final tracks in August it will be interesting to note if not-having-a-stone-in-the-back-of-my-throat affects my range, timbre, or sound – regardless, I am confident that whatever changes may occur, I have the inner make-up to roll with them and make them work for me and the fans of my music. 

Wish me luck and thanks so much for your concern and continued support!

This Wednesday I had the pleasure to entertain and inspire several hundred Arizona youth and their families in both a day show and an evening show – the proceeds of which went to the Dempsey Burdick Memorial Foundation (www.babyheadstones.org) and Coronado Elementery School in Gilbert, AZ.  The red carpet was rolled out for me at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts as I played on the very piano that Ronnie Milsap played on just a few days prior.  I definitely felt to Ronnie Milsap energy flowing through me as I had a couple near mistake-free shows.

Day Show.  Following the mid-day show for the youth, I went out to sign autographs.  I was nearly eaten alive by young students who viewed me as some kind of Justin Timberlake with sideburns. Many of the kids informed me that they loved my rendition of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” while other’s begged me to sign their foreheads.  Hoping the parents would forgive me (I didn’t sign any foreheads), I went ahead and signed hands, shirts, shoes, books, papers, tickets, arms, and shorts at the show.  It felt good to be appreciated and the show organizers commented that during the show ”this was the best they’d ever seen those kids behave.”  Glad I could have been a catalyst for that.

Night Show.  The night show for local families was slightly more serious, with me getting into some of the extremely sad stories of the families we’d helped at the foundation.  I did break up the tears, however, with my super-medley rendition of Tiny Dancer, Cheers, Facts of Life, Charles in Charge, Greatest American Hero, and Laverne and Shirley.  After the night show I mingled in the foyer with many old friends and new fans, signed autographs, and took photos.  Many thanks to all of those that came out, supported, and donated to the foundation – as well as those who bought t-shirts, CDs, and posters – the support was hugely appreciated.

Thank Yous.  Big thanks to Jared Platt for his intro and photography (I’ll be posting those next week), Jennifer DeTemple and Shayla Taylor along with Coronado Elementary for being their awesome selfs as the show organizers, Aaron “Chives” Chavez for coming out from Los Angeles to play amazing percussion with me, Senior Cody McCormick for his “Roadiness” and his excellent handling of Merch Sales, and the staff at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts for being so accomodating and easy to work with.  It was a great day that I won’t soon forget!!

Photos of the show:

This week I took some time and honored Dempsey at a concert for her foundation.  We raised over $600 for headstones for low-income families who have also lost babies.  It was a great day of performances and activities (I’ll post photos tomorrow).  A lot of people at the event expressed a desire to help the additional families on our waiting list who are patiently waiting for headstones for their babies.  Here are some ways you can help:

Donations.  With very little overhead, we are able to send virtually every penny of your donations directly to local headstone manufacturers to make each family’s heartfelt wish happen.  If you wish to donate, please go to:  http://www.dempseyburdick.com/donations.html

Awareness.  We simply need more people to know and understand the good work that we’re doing at the foundation.  You can help people discover and become “fans” of the foundation through your Facebook page.  To explore our Facebook presence go to:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dempsey-Burdick-Memorial-Foundation/98710166216

Simple Things.  The Dempsey Burdick Memorial Foundation is now partnering with GoodSearch.com to raise money for the cause.  If you start using GoodSearch.com as your search engine of choice, they will donate a penny to the foundation every time you search for something on-line.  Try it!  For details, go to:  http://www.goodsearch.com/

To read the heartbreaking stories of the families we’ve helped, or to find out more about Dempsey, the Charity, and the Headstone Fund, please go to:  http://www.babyheadstones.org/

During the wedding ceremony I played some pretty background piano music that I improvised entirely – mostly variations of church hymns - as Amanda and Jessica and their wedding procession walked to the front of the standing-room only chapel.  Jessica’s only instruction to me was “you can play anything but the wedding march.”  So I took some liberties, even adding some simple light Jazz to the mix.  Later that night, during the evening reception at the Museum of Art, I played a brand new love song off of my new album called “God Made You Just For Me” as well as my rendition of “It’s a Wonderful World.”  The brides danced with each other and then danced with their fathers as I sang.

All and all, it was a beautiful snow-covered day and the two girls looked both elegant and ecstatically happy.  The biggest thing I got out of the experience was a simple reminder that no matter if we are gay or straight, black or white, or tall or short, we are all God’s children and we all deserve to have love and be loved.  Everyone deserves happiness.  Thank you Jessica and Amanda for reminding me of that and for allowing me to take part in your important day.  Congratulations!!

Curious about the happy couple?  Check out their blog:  http://lesbianmomma.wordpress.com/

Fashion Revolution:  Working with Shane, Ari, and Veronica of Fashion Revolution these last couple months has been an amazing look into the world of commercial and retail fashion.  I was able to go with them to the fashion district in L.A. and was treated like rockstar royalty as we toured many of the lines of clothing that they carry.  In fact, I was so excited with the whole experience, I hope to have my own line of clothing someday.  I’m proud to have Fashion Revolution’s sponsorship logos on the tour bus and am pleased to wear their awesome clothes at night and on-stage.  You can see some of the samples of pants and shirts I got from them from our photo shoot at Runyon Canyon at the bottom of the post.  To find out more about Fashion Revolution or to order clothes off of their website (coming soon) go to:  www.fashionrevolutiononline.com

AcaiSoda:  I have been drinking AcaiSoda regularly for the last two months.  It’s a lightly sweetened energy drink which has helped me control my appetite without crashes.  You simply tear open a pack and add it to a bottle of water.  I am excited to be able to call them part of my music family.  Dr. Anthony Kleinsmith, the creator of AcaiSoda and also a fan of my music, had this to say about the new relationship, “AcaiSoda is excited to be sponsoring Kevin Burdick’s music. I formulate while listening!”   Thanks Dr. K, for the support.  To try a 15-day Risk Free Trial of AcaiSoda, go to:  http://www.acaisoda.com/?aid=kb

Truth be told, the weather in L.A. is often spectacular, but it can get a little chilly in the winter months especially at night.  For many of the homeless it can be a challenge to stay warm while huddling up under their favorite overpass during Christmas-time.  Tonight the temperature would get into the low 40’s.

For the last few years, my parents have forgone the neckties, the chocolate covered cherries, the tool sets, and the Shamwows and, instead, have requested that their 5 children partake in a random act of kindness on their behalf.  A “charitable act” is all that they want for Christmas.

And so it was with my parents request in mind that I placed one of my favorite sweat shirts in the backseat of my car.  It’s a black Hurley sweatshirt, thick and warm, with a zipper that goes all the way up the hoodie.  It’s still stylish, but with 4 other cool sweatshirts in my closet, it will soon be forgotten.  I told my close friend, Tim Nichols, that we were going on a drive tonight.  I explained that we’d get some dinner, and then, by a miracle of the universe, stumble upon the right homeless person who would most benefit from this jacket. 

Later in the evening, as I emerged from a convenience store lobby with drinks in hand, I noticed a man shivering near the front door.  “Would you have some change that I can borrow so that I can get me some smokes?” the man asked politely.  His pants were dirty and his t-shirt was old and worn.  “Sure,” I said taking $5 out of my pocket and handing it to the man. “It’s kind of cold out.  Could you use a coat too?” “Yes sir,” he replied, “That would be nice.”  Walking to the back of my car, I pulled out the Hurley jacket I had set aside just for this very purpose.  “Here you go, man.”  I quickly pointed out the finer details of the jacket to him, how the zipper could go up to the top of the hoodie for “total face warmness” and how he would probably be the hippest guy out here.  He laughed.   As he walked away I said, “Merry Christmas man – hope this year’s a warm one for ya.”  He nodded and waved as he slipped away into the night to join the army of other homeless people on the streets of Los Angeles County.

So tonight, somewhere out there in the darkness, you may encounter a hip homeless man wearing a Hurley jacket.  Hopefully, he’ll remind you that it’s never too late to do something nice for someone else this Christmas season. 

In thinking of tonight, I remember that Jesus Christ himself was born homeless in a stable near Bethlehem.  One of my favorite Bible quotes that I learned as a kid reads:  “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (Matthew 25:40).”   This, my friends, is the spirit of Christmas:  The act of giving for the sake of giving – The spirit of Jesus Christ. 

Thanks so much for reading my story, and may you and your loved ones have a very merry Season of Giving!!

Nate McMillan went on to design my second piece which is a Salvador Dali inspired idea of heaven, with my life being recorded as a great Piano Symphony in the sky as the hands of God reach to play the keys.  This piece stretches around my left shoulder and comes underneath my arm – it is complete with bullet holes for my divorces, an emerging butterfly symbolizing my daughter, and the two hands of God (see partial photos below).

And finally, Adam Moorhead of Los Angeles has been working on my colorful 3/4 sleeve that is ripe with symbolism.  Attaching to the Piano in the Sky on my shoulder, it is a collection of images and ideas that represent my life and who I am.  A giant winged lion stretches up the arm as a rememberence of who I’m becoming, while 3 women (symbolizing the women that I have truly loved) are bathing in a pool in a grotto nearby.  The lion is ready to pounce on a gazelle to provide food and support for his subjects as his rusted iron crown with red jewels lays fallen on a rock near where he perches.  A better understanding of the detailed symbolism includes the knowledge that I’m a Leo, my birthstone is ruby, and my Native-American totems include iron and salmon.  I won’t get into the rest, including the death of the old me and rebirth of a new me, the roses and my family, and how this piece intersects with the hand of God and heaven.  Instead, I’ll let you click on the photos and analyze for yourself the 22 hours I’ve spent in the chair on this 3/4 sleeve.  And to think, I’ve still have another 10 hours of work still to go on my arm – it’s a good thing I have a high tolerance for pain.

At the end of the night I took about an hour and jammed with my great percussionist Aaron Chavez for the few stragglers who had stuck around to jam and drink.  Big thanks to Barry and his crew, John the owner of Club Trip, Aaron “Chives” Chavez, and everyone who attended the show and stayed until the wee hours of the night to celebrate life with me.

Photos from the show:

 

 

 

For those who missed it, here’s a little peek at what you missed: