Hold onto your seats folks, you are about to enter the "Twilight Zone!"

I have a friend who swears that I am a "projective empath". Let me try to explain. I perform often at venues with multiple performers, The people are often just as intent on socializing as they are on listening to music. The music is, of course, variable, some very, very good and some just learning the ropes. Usually, the audience gets quiet within the first song or two of my set and stays quiet most of the way through.

My friend, who performs more frequently than I, says I am able to "project" the feeling of the songs and that is what grabs the audience.

Me, I don't know, but I certainly enjoy quiet listening to chatty background. What I do know, is I can't "will" it to happen. Whatever I do has nothing to do with "making" the audience listen. What it does have to do with is putting myself into the song and the situation it describes. This is what connects with the audience.

I choose good songs, play adequate guitar, and have been blessed with a mellow baritone voice, but I don't think of my performances as musically "stunning". So I accept my friend's explanation. If feels good even if it's not right.

This may also mean that I, or we, are also empaths, able to feel the feelings of others through their music. There are several songs that just make me cry, even with repeatedly listenings. Three that come to mind are John Mc Cutcheons "Christmas in the Trenches" and Guy Clark's "The Randall Knife" and "Let Him Roll". When I requested one of the latter in concert, Guy said he tries to keep it to one "wrist slasher" per set. I have to be careful in performing these songs, because I frequently cry when I sing them which is not all bad, but sometimes I can't finish the song.

Anybody got any ideas?

Roger in Baltimore