JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Success Stories Forum 3rd st. / LA Promanade

Hey Everyone!

I am a singer songwriter originally from New York. This year has become such a crazy time in all our lives. But for me, it has turned into a spiritual journey. One that has completely awakened my soul....

About two months ago I realized that I was very unhappy with myself and with what I was doing. I was a singer songwriter, I was playing out regularly, I was getting good feedback, things were coming together, and then things completely fell apart. Well actually, I was the one to rip it all apart.

It became aparent to me that the importance in my life had become "Getting Signed" & "Making it". It became about all the "Buisness" and what must be done in order to "Get there".

I was rushing my life away faster and faster. There was no sense of why I was doing what I was doing in life. I couldn't remember the last time I was truly "Happy" with myself.

I decided it was time for me to take a break. To go somewhere different so that I could just have fun and find my smile again. To find the calm, the beauty in life, in music, in art.

So I did a bunch of research and prepared my three week venture to La. The trip turned out to be the best experience to date. I found my smile, I found my calm, I found kindness in humankind.

Where?
All @ The Promanade in Santa Monica. The second day in La I went to get a permit @ City Hall to play on The Promande( a three block radius of an outside mall where musicians play)

By day three I was singing my little heart out. I was playing the music I had written every day of the week , I was getting smiles from all walks of earth. I was selling both my cd's and I was making a living without even trying. I was doing what I loved and getting paid for it, not just through money, but through the energy of the people.

The three top stories I have to tell that touched and shocked me where:

1.A homeless man giving me a dollar tip.

2. Another homeless man telling me I needed a big sign for people to know who I was. I told him I would be here for a few weeks and I would get one. Well, 5 minutes later I see him return with a big cardboard box and starts writing my name in big bold letter, neater than I could ever have done. On it it said,
"MISS JENNIFER VAZQUEZ
from THE BRONX".
I cannot tell you how touched I was. I used that sign every day afterwards.

3. A few days into my second week I was singing on The Promanade, not having a very good day. I was playing my songs and I messed up one of them and eyed a heavy set gentleman who had been listening to me for at least 6 songs. Well, he walked up to me and reached in his pocket and haned me a $100 bill. I am not joking. He said to me, " You are very good, don't ever give up."

I was dumbfounded and said, "I can't take that and he said "Yes you could", and waked away. I didn't even have a chance to give him a CD of mine.

Anyway, I have lots more stories like this one that are unreal yet at the same time make so much sense to me. I ended up booking four gigs out there and went to every open mic possibe and getting a small fan base in that time. I got a good sense of what LA has to offer if I make the effort. I went out to LA to catch my breathe and ended up getting so much more.

I have decided to take a big step and take a 6 month trip back out to LA this September. I see life more clearly and my career makes a lot more sense. I write because I have to and I write because I want to touch people. LA gave me a sense of that again.

Thanks for letting me share my baby step successes....
Sincerely,
Jennifer Vazquez

Thanks for sharing. I think perhaps the grassroots experiences keep music personal.
Good luck with your trip to LA in September.

Vondelle

Jennifer,

What a great story. The Santa Monica Pier is one of my favorite LA area places. We do our largest member showcase right there each November (we had 60 artists perform last year) on the Sunday night of the TAXI Road Rally. It's been a 4 year tradition with year 5 coming up.

Thanks for sharing. I hope we'll get lots of other cool stories like yours!

Brian

I agree. Very neat story. Made me think about Joni Mitchells song "For Free" (I think that was the name.)
A good reminder of the power of music. I'm so glad I read it. Thank you!

JeanB

Jennifer - Thanks for sharing your personal and moving story!

I heard you at one of the Open Mics and was impressed by your follow-up with the songs you sent me. That man was right - "Don't ever give up!" It's clear that you are following your heart . . . and that is when you find true happiness. You weren't even trying and look at all the good things that happened.

Let me know when you'll be back in LA, and I'll try to help you get a little extra exposure.

I used to live in NYC, and sometimes you just need to get away! Hope the benefits of your trip keep you smiling for months!

Thanks so much Vondelle..
I look forward to taking my career one step at a time so to not loose touch of the essense of it all...
Jen

HI Jen!

Sounds like the City of Angels has yet Another Angel out there!

To Steal a New York Line, "If you can make it There, You'll make it Anywhere"..

I haven't Made It there, but LOVE Every Visit. I see you've discovered some of the Many Great Folks in the vicinity!

Sounds like They're Discoverin' You, too!
Great Tales! Bravo!

Wishin' you Even Better Luck, Next Time!
Big Hugs,
TampaStan

Jennifer, that is NO small success! What you described is what took a lot of music people, (maybe not a lot), as well as my partner and me sooooo long to find out. By letting go and just "doing" music, you ARE in music! No matter the level of business success. I started a subject on these boards about how many will make it,,,,well, you are one! I was told of such things and knew in my heart it was so, but your story cemented that notion of how important and worthwhile affecting people, if even just one person, really is.

You are the kind of person that SHOULD have some decent lable sign you, and allow you to be YOU. Just from your writing here, your soul shines bright! More people need to see that, to maybe inspire them, at least.

In "any" event, shine on, you brightest of stars!

John