About 12 years ago I was introduced to his music and about 9 years ago I met the man. My favorite singer/songwriter and a probably the reason I'm a fan of the genre. He writes songs with many layers, just like life. He sees depth in the simple things we experience. He has a vantage point on the human condition so his songs seem to come from your head, or more so your heart, instead of his. This man sings about my heart so poetically that I was speechless when I met him. For those of you that know me, I wasn't exactly speechless but the words that came to mind and the few that came out of my mouth seemed inadequate. Here is my story about when I met David Wilcox.
It was right around my 22nd birthday, I believe just a couple of days after. I heard he was playing at someplace in Orlando called the Sapphire Supper Club. Mind you this was way back when before the internet was as prominent as it is today. So when I say I "heard" I cannot recall how exactly. I think my friend Jaysen told me. I seriously called information from my land line to get the number of the venue, called the supper club for directions, got in my car and drove from St. Petersburg to downtown Orlando with vague directions in hand. (Did I mention this was in the days when I was young and naive, or maybe more daring, or maybe I just really wanted to see DW in concert.) I found the venue and paid my $20 to get in. Then I really had to visit the facilities. (I had been in the car for an hour and a half, and yes this needs to be part of the story.) When I washed my hands and walked out of the bathroom I almost ran in to the man himself making his own pit stop. The only greeting that came to my mind was "You're David Wilcox!" Luckily the filter in my brain that keeps me from saying stupid things was on and reminded me, he already knows that. So I decided not to tell him who he was and just walked past him to find a place to watch the show.
The things I remember about the show are he tells a story almost as well as he sings a song. He has this laugh that almost makes him sound crazy. He took a few request, one of them was Mango that he didn't sing because he couldn't remember the words, which I thought was weird since he wrote them. He wore a t-shirt and plaid shorts. He was supporting Turning Point and played with a band.
But after the show is when it gets good, or at least it's when my words became inadequate. The show was small, probably under 100 people. I decided to purchase the new CD since it was new. (Which is weird to say since it was my 3rd DW CD and I've had so many more A-Ha moments listening to this man's wisdom since then. Strange how he feels so familiar but I don't even know him. It was his words that encouraged me to risk stepping out in faith and move to Nashville.) It was a small show so he was accessible and an autograph line formed. My mind was blank, what do you say to someone who you lean on for lyrical wisdom, to make sense out of life, and to encourage your heart? The best I came up with was "You're Great" and then I stared... I mean really stared...awkward stared...at him. I'm a dork all the way to my core. I think we all are in some form or fashion. He must have asked my name because it is on my CD, spelled correctly with the words "Thanks, David Wilcox".
Friday, April 21, 2006
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