For the rest of the year and some of 2018 I set out with Jerrod Niemann. It was a non-stop party – my liver officially hurts – but the camaraderie and casual fun was just what I needed. The last few years I saw an onslaught of business managers injecting themselves into life on the road and it had me starting to believe the days of a band playing for love of music first and business second were over. This was what I needed when I needed it.
Jerrod had opened for Miranda so I had toured (and partied) with him a lot before but I never paid much attention to his showmanship. Seeing his approach to entertaining the audience and backstage guests nightly gave me a new respect for his clever and tireless dedication to being a host. Treating everyone with dignity takes effort – a sharp contrast to my previous employer.
Although it restored my passion for being part of a touring act it was also a temporary situation since I’m finally ready launch my next live band. For my last night he stopped the show and with an arm around me had the audience wish me well on my next adventure. He has many more ahead of him as well, no doubt!
