If East Side Storytellin’ 74 is ANY indication of the kind of year that 2016 will bring us all then we need to just give thanks to the cosmos and get ready for one of the best years anyone has ever experienced.
Thank YOU, thank YOU, thank YOU. Hello Again! Welcome to another wonderful collaboration and beginning of our greatest year yet in 2016 between East Side Story and The Post. Let me be the first to officially, whole-heartedly welcome you to the 74th epic edition of East Side Storytellin’! Like the 73 previous shows East Side Story has put together, we all decided to take a break from our busy schedules all over town in order to sit back and relax and get everyone cultured up just right in the form of a Nashville writer reading from original prose, followed by an amazing local musician performing and talking about their original music, and then a round-up creative conversation with all featured guests of this event to talk about their individual journeys and personal ties to Nashville. Without further ado, fulfilling the entertainment portion of your day, this is recap and recording of East Side Storytellin’ 74. Let us begin, again.
The first featured guest of the night is someone who never fails at inspiring every single person he meets and greets with his powerful words and heart (no pressure for tonight). He is an activist, actor, and an award-winning Spoken Word Artist who calls Nashville home. A natural born trailblazer, he was one of the first spoken word artists to release an all spoken word mixtape in 2005 with the album “Witness to the Truth” and in November of that same year releasing “Vol. 2 the Love Session” before finishing up that series with “Vol. 3 the Trilogy” in the summer of 2006. In 2008, he went on the “Talk to the People Summer Tour” while hitting over 30 cities and solidifying his place as one of the front runners in the Spoken Word game. The numbers prove it too. He’s sold over 20,000 albums independently and has released well over 10 hip-hop cd’s to his credit and counting. In April 2013, he brought down the house at the TEDxNashville event, of which you can experience online. He was also notably one of the first hip-hop artists to be featured at Nashville’s own Musician’s Corner as well. One of the major pieces of the outstanding non-profit Southern Word (and contributor of one of the coolest stories found in the Based On anthology that East Side Story put together and published this past year with proceeds going to the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville – you can purchase your copy of that project at East Side Story later), here’s to someone who I fully believe will go down as the most influential writer in Nashville. I’m talking about Rashad Rayford, aka Rashad thaPoet.
Rashad arrived to The Post about 15 minutes until show time and he promptly went to a corner and pulled out a notebook and a pen. After catching up with his day and making sure he was okay with the show template, I left him to his devices. By the time I introduced him to the absolutely jam-packed room filled with all shapes, sizes, ages, and races, Rashad was as ready as ever to help create another unforgettable evening for all in attendance. He opened up by explaining the differences between poetry and spoken word. He clarified that poetry is from the page and spoken word is about the performance. He excited the crowd by revealing he was about to do a little bit of both.
Rashad broke out the notebook he had dove into in the corner and said that he was about to share two pieces of poetry that he wrote minutes prior to taking the stage. It’s just how he rolls and writes. You can listen to every single thing shared during this monumental evening in the recording below, but I’ll briefly describe a little of everything just in case you are thinking of skipping the recording (which would be so foolish of you to do). The first piece Rashad shared was an insightful social work inspired by a family tragedy back in the 1930’s involving children playing, children missing, and the Klan. As with anything Rashad shares, it was powerful, poignant, and moving to your core. The second poem was no different, asking the people to think about what they would shed blood for, combining current events and people and places and topics that have flooded our news feeds for weeks, months, and recent years. Both were breathtaking.
Rashad then went into his spoken word bag. I’m not sure if I can give any of his work more justice than you simply listening to it all below. I will say that the following line was the most awesome line I’ve ever heard spoken at any spoken word event: “$1 for a burger, $85 for a pill, $5 for a salad that can give you all you need to heal.” I’m serious, y’all, it doesn’t get much better than Rashad doing what he was born to do. He asked the crowd if they wanted him to do a curated piece or an improv piece … he opted to do both AND bring Eric Dozier up on stage to add instrumentals to his words. What happened next was like jazz, dooooo dooooooooo do dooo dooooo. He literally took words and turned garbage into a slapstick version of his vision of personal liberty. Do yourself a favor and listen the recordings below.
With the brilliant transition of getting Eric on stage alongside Rashad at the same time, the music was primed for takeoff.
The featured musician of the night is another major influential artist who Nashville is beyond lucky to have at the moment. He embodies soul, gospel, and the blues while connecting us all to the past while bridging history with the history he is making on the daily. He is a gospel music educator, cultural activist, musician, and father. He is the former Musical Director for the world famous Harlem Gospel Choir and co-founder and Director of Arts and Education for One Human Family Music Workshops, Inc (we’ll talk more about this and everything after the performance). A graduate of Duke University with a B.A. in Public Policy Studies and a Master’s in Theological Studies at Duke Divinity School (which I’ve heard is the best Divinity School in the world), he has been committed through his workshops and programs and performances to investigate the global spread of gospel music and its effect on cultures outside of the African American community. He has recently launched the Young People’s Freedom Song Initiative, a community of supported grassroots music education movement. Host and founder of the Mobile Soul Café, of which he began at The Post this past summer alongside Rashad, the entire room of family and friends and new fans gave a soulful applause and their full attention to the likes of the one and only Eric Dozier.
Eric kicked off his set by playing a tribute to his grandmother about holding on for hope and life in general. I knew from the very first note that Eric was taking us to church and we would feel his grace. He had lyrical and melodic inspiration from Sam Cook and Otis Redding, but I also heard a heavy tinge of the man Bill Withers and “Grandma’s Hands” throughout his performance. Yes sir, Eric is that deep and that good at what he was born to do too.
Eric took time in between songs to set up the stories behind the songs and give respect to the people he wanted to pay tribute to via the songs on this given night. He didn’t take long, the second song to be specific, to shed light on recent family facts and announce that I’m now a dad too. Eric prefaced the second track by giving a short description of why he and another person he admires loves African American hymns so much – because they refuse to devalue emotion or simplify reality. That said, Eric dedicated his original song about life being found in the simple things to me and the rest of the new and old moms and dads in the crowd. I recorded the entire song on my phone for keepsake, but you can hear the dedication and wonderful tune alongside the others below.
Eric didn’t just stick with the insightful and positive side of things in his music. He dove deep into the other side on the track about the other side of life that involves the grit and heart of life adversity. He also performed a song titled “Today” and explained how today is so important because it’s today and we’re all here together right now. I couldn’t have said or sung or played the keys any better if I tried for years. All that said, just when you thought he couldn’t get any better, Eric played his big finale with the first train song that he co-wrote with a close friend. I’m here to say that it is without a doubt the best train song played in Nashville since Johnny Cash. Don’t believe me? When was the last time you saw a train song being played live in Nashville and random children who have no relation to the performer drop what they are doing and head up to the front row to dance and clap along with the song? That’s right. It doesn’t happen … ever. But it did with Eric.
Now, because both Rashad and Eric were phenomenal at sharing the stories behind their songs and their art in general throughout their performances, it was easy for me to bypass the regular interview questions and throw out a few that were pulling at my heart while I took in the show from the crowd. I asked and they told me their thoughts about why they do what they do for the community and world-at-large and how Nashville is such an important place for each of them to do everything they want to do going forward. They also had brilliant and heartfelt responses to my question about how fatherhood and parenthood has affected their creativity and drive to make art. Coming from two fathers and artists who I admire more than any others in town, I was all ears and eyes and heart during their answers. Again, do yourself a favor and listen to the entire show below. I told Tom not to edit much of anything and keep the show as long as it ran live because it was that special of an evening and event for everyone who experienced it.
I don’t think you’ll find another event as extraordinary as the combination of these two modern geniuses in the same room and sharing their missions anywhere in Nashville or beyond in the next year. I’m just saying, these guys are the best and we are all better people for being around them. As my uncle Matt said after the show and I agree, I want to be like Rashad and Eric when I grow up.
I can’t say enough great things about these two humans. They took time to mention their respect and admiration for East Side Storytellin’ and our 74 shows and counting accomplishment similar to the way many musicians and artists pay homage to The Ryman Auditorium when they perform there. I’m forever grateful that I’ve met Eric and Rashad and can continue to be inspired by what they do and who they are. Before you make plans to check them out live in the near future, go ahead and listen to the recording of East Side Storytellin’ 74. Here is the link for said show that featured Rashad Rayford and Eric Dozier at The Post on Tuesday, January 5th, 2016, and kicked off the amazing year of 2016 the best way possible. Enjoy and share this experience, over and over:
Before I say goodbye for this round of fun, I’d like to give a big round of thanks for Rashad and Eric for sharing their stories, talents, and time with us.
You can read more about Rashad’s writing here- www.rashadthapoet.com
Here is Rashad’s TEDxNashville performance -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td9SBHm46KE
You can listen to more of Eric’s music here- www.ericdozier.com
Here is Eric’s TEDxPeachtree performance-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g_7yT4ILCk
You can listen to this show, edited, soon, alongside the previous shows too, on our website,www.eastsidestorytn.com, at our In Our Own WordsTab – see here – www.eastsidestorytn.com/in-our-own-words
I’ll keep the gratitude going for Tom Eizonas, my lovely wife and most talented artist in Emily Harper Beard (efharper), and everyone that came out live to support the show … and to everyone who has helped continue to spread the word and support the show online afterwards.
I’d also like to show much love to Clay Brunton for the beautiful artwork online to promote the show.
Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to give one last shout out to Tonya and Chris for making The Post so welcoming and positively life-changing for the East Nashville community at large.
The NEXT East Side Storytellin’ event will be …
East Side Storytellin’ 75
Tuesday, January 19th
at The Post (1701 Fatherland Street) at 7pm
reading- Kendra DeColo (www.kendradecolo.tumblr.com)
singing- Lauren Shera (www.laurenshera.com)
That said- that’s all for East Side Storytellin’ 74 and the start of the best year ever in 2016 until the next and another fabulous event at The Post with East Side Story at the helm. Thanks for coming out and sharing the good word and giving some love to all of these great Nashville artists and our creative ideas. Please remember to be nice to one another out there.
much love,
mE
ps- this show was dedicated to two people who couldn’t be there physically because of dinner time at home in that of Emily Frances Harper Beard and Avett Otis Beard!
