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The Business of Screenwriting: If it ain’t got no soul, it ain’t gonna sell
The time the legendary musician Taj Mahal laid words of wisdom on me.
It’s 1979. After getting my M.Div. degree from Yale, I take a year off before pursuing my doctorate (at least that’s what I thought at the time). Long story short, I have found my way to Aspen, Colorado where I’m playing music for a living as part of the duo Myers & O’Flynn. That’s Myers as in me. And O’Flynn as in Pat Flynn, who would later go on to perform with one the greatest collection of musical talents ever: The New Grass Revival featuring Pat, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck and John Cowan.
But not this night. Tonight Myers & O’Flynn has performed at the Paradise Theater in Aspen, opening for Taj Mahal.
Myers & O’Flynn did really well, even getting an encore, unusual for warm-up acts. And now we sit taking in Taj’s set. It’s just him. His guitar. Banjo. Occasional harmonica. Standing on stage, singing and talking. Like he’s in your living room. And here’s the thing: He’s got the entire room completely in the palm of his hands.
How do you do it?
That’s the dumb question I ask him as we’re backstage after the show, Taj kindly putting up with the fawning of a couple of white boys.
