Soundchoices: Paul Elwood

Gordon Parks and a Chance Encounter

Gordon Parks, the great American photographer/filmmaker found his calling in 1947 as a conductor on a train; not as a conductor but as a photographer. Someone left a magazine on a train seat with a photographic spread detailing a social issue of the day. Parks believed that the images held a power to tell a story and possibly change the world. So, when his train arrived in Seattle, he bought a camera for $7 and commenced a career in the visual arts that took him to the pages of Look and Life magazine, among others. He had an incredible compositional eye as well as an eye for light and shadow. He was sent on assignment once to document the life of a low-income family in Harlem, and on another occasion with a similar family in a Brazilian favela. In the 60s he became friends with Malcolm X and documented his work; in the late 60s he spent time with the Black Panthers also photographing their lives. His later career dipped into film directing, most notably with the film Shaft.

His whole life developed a trajectory from his chance encounter with a magazine photo spread. It's important that we stay awake to ideas and opportunities that may present themselves to us—a random event may send us on a positive life journey. 

Marketing a Way to Success?

The heart of creativity seems to lie in a spirit of giving. After all, there is no guarantee of a return for our work - money, acclaim, performances, a publishing deal - nothing is assured, so there must be reasons beyond that which drive us. Part of what drives me is habit - forty years of habitually getting up in the morning and working on projects for better or worse. Sometimes the projects pay off in a variety of ways and sometimes they land on the shelf only to stay there.

I used to blame myself sometimes if my music went nowhere. It seems I could do a better job of marketing my wares. But, as someone pointed out, you can't necessarily market your way to success. It doesn't hurt trying. And the spirit of giving can be a good reason to do your work; I often write for my friends who may perform and appreciate the music. The works that end up languishing, well, they may be regarded as practice and I always need practice. 

John Hartford and Making a Hit

Through the graces of fiddler/producer Matt Combs in Nashville, I met and spent a little time hanging with composer/musician John Hartford a couple of years before Hartford passed in 2001. Hartford penned the renown hit "Gentle on My Mind" that Glen Campbell made famous in 1968. I believe he wrote it in less than 1/2 hour. 

One day I mentioned to Hartford that it was interesting that he didn't try to duplicate that success. "Oh, but I did," he reflected. He spent three weeks trying to write another hit in that vein called "A Simple Thing as Love."  That's a great song, but it never caught on in the manner that "Gentle on My Mind" did.

One can't plan a hit, really. Serendipity, timing, luck, and airplay, etc. are all factors in creating something that will catch on. It doesn't matter. I believe that one should just write and write and create honest expression. If a success comes out of it, great!  If not, you've created a body of work that will be strong on its own merits. 

Hartford spent the rest of his life writing great songs, none of which caught on in the manner of his 1968 success. However, he left a body of work that a now much younger generation is playing and recording. So, who knows?  One of those renditions may become a hit yet. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWuxqg4gmPU