Leading Artists ...The First Time

I am excited to be teaching next Thursday at GCC's INNOVATE conference about leading artists ... I remember the first time I tried.

The moment was in 1978. I was 13 and in junior high band. I was trying out for 8th grade drum major. The competition was fierce; only Molly Burton and I remained. The final test was simple but practical: call the band to attention by saying in your most commanding voice, “BAND! TEN HUT!”

Molly went first. She delivered strongly, but I knew with great confidence I had her beat. She was a girl. I was a man, a 13-year-old man complete with a solitary whisker … but you see I didn’t realize I had this strange new substance floating in my 13 year old body – testosterone- and by some peculiar twist of fate, it found its way to my vocal chords that precise moment. I took a deep breath and delivered in my loudest voice, “BAND, TEN huuuu ...uuuuuuut !” My voice screeched. Dogs howled.

It was as though I had been possessed by the spirit of Peter Brady.

The fully-dressed, dickey-laden Bobcat Marching Band erupted in laughter falling out of rank and into a chaos that resembled a “Who” concert. And so, my taking leadership of the band was not to be. Molly had in fact, been the better man that day.

God has had a great sense of humor with me when it comes to helping me with my pride.