By: Ken Boone I get excited just before I publish a new podcast episode. Going to the host page to see the episode revealed to the world to me is the equivalent to hearing your song on the radio for the first time. It never gets old. It's a different story when I publish a podcast launch episode. That's when I question my sanity. That's when I ask myself why am I still a glutton for punishment. Although I'm convinced I create quality content, I still don't have a solid base of listeners. But that doesn't seem to stop me from creating new shows. Just call me the Ed Wood of podcasters! After creating 10 different podcasts with nearly 100 combined episodes under my belt, I know the real purposes for taking on this task. The first is that there is always something to say that can be of benefit to others. The second is that they are fun to do! I learned long ago that for me, success isn't measured by the number of downloads or sponsors. It's knowing that I fulfill the need in me to act when there's a duty to act. It's in keeping with my purpose(s) that I ended my first Ken-hosted podcast to begin another. This new one will shine a light on the stories of independent gig workers as they make their way through this pandemic that's gripping the world. To kick off the show, I told my own story. I admit that I'm luckier than many other giggers out there, but am facing my own challenges as well. One such challenge was to line up enough people willing to share their stories on the show. While I've gotten commitments from just about everyone I reached out to, getting them "on tape" has proven difficult. Remember, these are gig workers who list resourcefulness as chief among their traits. In other words, they are shifting to Plans B, C, D, and E to keep their heads above water. And I applaud them all. In the course of my pre-release social media campaign, I got a Facebook "like" from my brother, Mike. He's an accomplished musician and music educator based out of the Metro Philadelphia area. He's an in demand bassist who's worked in the music space for 43 years! Although I wanted to record his story, I didn't think that our schedules would allow us to pull it off. It was to my great delight that, after a couple of Facebook messages, he was dialing in to a Zoom meeting I set up late last week. Note to self: don't forget to write about how difficult it was for us to "join" that meeting. And the folks at Zoom made it so easy for us laymen to use their service. While the conversation was both engaging and informative, it was also long overdue. That's because, as male siblings, it's human nature for us to drift apart. Especially brothers who are in their early 60s. I've always found that odd, because with sisters, they tend to draw closer the older they get. In addition to answering the six open-ended questions I posed to him, Mike and I played a wonderful game of catch up. We talked about our spouses, our kids, and our grandkids! That one is hard to believe -- GRANDKIDS! I also came across an CD that he recorded 10 years ago, performed by a trio consisting of Mike and two of his best friends from the Philly jazz scene. I'm going to use the first track as a bumper to go at the end of our interview. Great job, Mike! In the coming weeks, I'll be recording more interviews from some fascinating people. I'll probably publish them in the same date slot as my recently-ended podcast, "From Grievance to Gratitude". However, I'm not sure whether this new show will be published weekly or bi-weekly. As I said earlier, I'm fortunate that demand for my gig has increased. Even though there is no guaranty that anyone will listen to my show, I'm going to press forward and publish it real soon. How soon? You'll just have to stay tuned. But it is coming soon. Why? Because I: (1) still have something to say, and (2) it's still a whole lot of fun!
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About the AuthorAs owner of the Descant Music & Media Group, Ken is a creator and producer of several podcast shows. He is also a music producer, as well as a writer and an accountant for small businesses and nonprofits. Archives
June 2020
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