Tag: Ruthie Foster

In late 2014 I challenged guitar builder Tony Nobles to create a visionary Dream Guitar.

But I didn’t want it to be my dream guitar.

I wanted it to be HIS dream guitar.

Three years later, Tony succeeded.

He announced, “There is no guitar like this on the planet.”

I’ve now seen it.

And played it.

And he’s right.

It’s a masterpiece.

Let me tell the story behind it:

Tony has been building guitars for almost thirty years. He’s made them for celebrity musicians such as Joe Walsh, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Alejandro Escovedo and others.

He’s also made them for lesser known collectors and players, like me.

Melissa Etheridge showing me some of her guitars in her home

I have a collection of a hundred old and new guitars by great luthiers, known and unknown.

Some of them (to name drop) are Bean, Baldwin, Collings, DK, Manzer, Maton, Versoul, D’Angelico, Veillette, Bacce, McElroy, Teye, Oxbow, Huss & Dalton, PRS, Santa Cruz, Fylde, Gigliotti, Trenier, Tesla, Trussart, and Zemaitis, as well as vintage Martin and Gibson models.

I’ve also seen impressive private collections, like that of rock icon Melissa Etheridge.

Guitars are playable art.

And sometimes a good investment.

I love them.

And no, you can never have enough.

I suspected a luthier with Tony’s decades of experience might be open to a bold idea.

I wondered –

What if I acted like a patron saint of the arts and commissioned him to create something visionary from his own mind, not mine?

Tony accepted the challenge in 2014.

For the next two years he read, thought, dreamed and wondered.

He also came to my home and spent a day examining my own collection, from the Fylde guitar made out of a former Scotch whiskey barrel, to Danelectros with their lipstick pickups, to an Oxford Guitars baritone electric made from gem stones and prehistoric wood.

I would also supply Tony with coffee table sized books about some of the greatest guitars of all time.

One book in particular became the resource for what would become the Dream Guitar.

The book was a hefty volume called Archtop Guitars: The Journey from Cremona to New York.

It displayed artistic photos and inside stories of museum quality guitars from three legends, D’Angelico, D’Aquisto and Monteleone. I had bought it from Rudy Pensa, the author and owner of Rudy’s Music in SOHO in New York.

Tony would later tell me, “Whatever I created had to be of the caliber of these guitars in this book, else what was I doing?”

Fast forward to October 20, 2016.

After almost two years of research and incubation, Tony showed me a sketch of an idea.

It was a light pencil outline on a torn off sheet of butcher paper, but I could see the vision being born.

The 1970’s Ibanez “Iceman” guitar inspired Tony. Paul Stanley of KISS made the Iceman electric famous.

“I like how that guitar sits well on your knee,” Tony explained. “Builders often forget the guitar has to be comfortable.” (Tony is a player, too, being in the band The Beaumonts.)

But that was only the beginning.

He knew he wanted an archtop, like those in the Pensa book, and he wanted an electric pickup.

My only request when I commissioned this guitar was a Bigsby or whammy bar. I love them.

Otherwise, Tony had a blank canvas to create per inspiration and will.

Tony was now off and running.

Using sinker log redwood, rare Brazilian Rosewood, and more, he began to carve and build what would become the world’s first Dream Guitar.

“I wanted the fret system to be different,” he says, “so I used what’s called True Temperament.”

Those are “wiggly” shaped frets that look odd but help the guitar stay in tune better and longer.

Things got even more unique when it came to the pickup.

“The Austin Sidewinder pickup was made specifically for this guitar by Bob Palmieri of Duneland Labs in Chicago,” Tony says. “I’ve never heard anything like it.”

When I finally saw the Dream Guitar in late December 2017, right before Christmas and just days before my 64^th birthday, my jaw dropped.

But then I held it.

The guitar is feather light.

I thought of the term “floating guitar.” Tony says it’s less than five pounds. It sat on my leg as if it was tailor made to fit my knee.

Playing it was a surprise, too.

Each note has a distinct ring, and a sustain that is clear, rich, and drawn out.

The odd shaped frets weren’t even noticeable as anything different as I played, and may have made my chord fingering easier.

Guitar Monk Mathew Dixon, who I’ve made several bestselling instrumental albums with, was with me for the unveiling of the Dream Guitar.

He said, “Tony has undoubtedly created a masterpiece.”

I agree.

I play the guitar every single day.

It’s already inspired two new songs.

And it’s inspired a new instrumental album that Guitar Monk and I have started “allowing” to happen.

The Dream Guitar is, well, a dream.

I saw that Tony had stretched in making this guitar.

Tony told me, “The little push you gave me down the path of uncertainty really did spur some growth.”

For me, seeing a man exceed his perceived boundaries and go pass tradition was inspiring and gratifying.

My books, music, coaching, mentoring, and presentations are all encouragements to do more and be more, to dream and achieve.

Even the album I made with Grammy nominated singer Ruthie Foster, and producer Daniel Barrett, was all about stretching, so much so that we called it Stretch.

And the new book I have coming out soon about strongman feats of strength, titled Anything Is Possible, is all about exceeding what we think is impossible.

I feel I succeeded in inspiring a builder to stretch, just as his one-of-a-kind Dream Guitar is now succeeding in inspiring me to create and play new music.

Maybe consider:

What would you do if you forgot tradition, perceived limits, and everyone’s expectations of what was possible – including your own?

Ao Akua

Joe

PS – Tony Nobles can be reached at https://www.facebook.com/tony.nobles.5

Note: The professional photos of the Dream Guitar were by Rodney Bursiel.

Bonus: Here’s a 23-minute video about the making of the Dream Guitar:

Motivational songs?

Yes.

Why?

Because everything programs you.

You don’t have to be consciously focused on conversations around you, or the media blaring news over TVs in a bar or restaurant, or billboards in your field of vision as you drive, or even the music playing in the background as you work, walk, rest, exercise or lounge.

It’s still all programming you.

Your mind is picking up around 40,000,000 bits of information in every second.

Even right now, as you read these words.

You’re not aware of it all, thank goodness, because another part of your mind is filtering it.

That other part lets you become aware of only what is necessary to your goals and survival.

But that other part is also receiving all that other programming.

My fifth and most recent singer-songwriter album

When it comes to attracting more of what you want using the Law of Attraction, you need to become aware of this hidden programming, and consciously surround yourself with what supports you.

And that’s where I want to talk about motivational songs.

Music can program you for lack and limitation.

I’ve written about this many times, explaining if you can’t seem to get what you want today, it could very well be due to the Rolling Stones singing “You can’t always get what you want” into your brain since the 1960s.

Great song.

Lousy affirmation.

What we need to do today is carefully choose what we allow into our heads.

We have choice.

You can still listen to the Rolling Stones, or any other band you love, just with an awareness of the lyrics and the consciousness to prevent any limited thinking programming.

You can also search for more upbeat, positive music.

For example, more and more music is being called “healing music” and “self help” music. It’s music intentionally created to motivate you, inspire you, or even enlighten you.

A quick search brought up these top motivational songs:

• What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
• Eye Of The Tiger – Survivor
• Over The Rainbow – Judy Garland
• Beautiful Day – U2
• Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye
• Here Comes The Sun – The Beatles
• Imagine – John Lennon
• Walking On Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves
• Don’t Give Up – Peter Gabriel
• Let It Be – The Beatles
• I Feel Good – James Brown
• Heroes – David Bowie
• Heal The World – Michael Jackson
• Get Up Stand Up – Bob Marley
• Walk – Foo Fighters
• Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
• Dream On – Aerosmith
• Perfect Day – Lou Reed
• Lovely Day – Bill Withers
• Smile – Nat King Cole

You can of course create your own playlist of self-help or motivational songs.

Meanwhile, let me share some of my own adventures in making motivational music:

Back in 2011, when I began recording my first album, I consciously decided to make it a “meditation meets the blues” recording.

I brought in my muse and support at the time, Sarah McSweeney, and together with producer Daniel Barrett, we created Blue Healer.

We also recorded it in record time (no pun intended), so I could be on the cover of Austin All Natural magazine announcing my first ever music album.

We succeeded, too.

My famous band

My next album in 2012, was my first singer-songwriter one.

I knew I wanted to create songs that helped me feel inspired and motivated. The album title track, Strut!, was a rally call for people to “strut around” when they felt down.

It’s the positive psychology principle that just smiling, even when you don’t feel like it, will change your internal state.

Fake a smile to feel a smile.

Strut to feel like strutting.

My first major music video from the Strut! album became, over the years, my all-time most watched video. You can still see “Everybody’s Going Through Something” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzT_yljj-SU

At this point I’ve recorded five singer-songwriter albums.

I’m going to record album six in January, after my private songwriting lesson with the legendary Melissa Etheridge next week. (!)

I’ll again attract my all-star band back into the studio:

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Joe Vitale (yes, same name as mine),
• legendary bass player Glenn Fukunaga,
• Guitar Monk Mathew Dixon,
• and of course my producer, Daniel Barrett.

Together we’ll make more motivational songs.

But I’m not the only one creating music to help people.

Free book at http://www.healingmusicbook.com

In the last few years of making music, I’ve met many other artists creating their own forms of motivational songs, or healing music, and self help music.

For example –

• Jana Stanfield, another great singer, told me about a group of singer-songwriters who were all making positive music. Called EmPower Music & Arts and it’s at https://www.empowerma.com/
• Bob Baker, well known for his books on how to market music, dropped by one day and gave me a copy of an album he created with Pooki Lee. I listened and loved it. Opening Up to the Good is all about feel-good music you feed your mind. Check it out at https://soulmassage.bandcamp.com/
• Ruthie Foster, a Grammy nominated blues singer I adore, made an album with me (!), and Daniel Barrett, called Stretch. We call it musical medicine. Details at http://www.transformingmusic.com/
• And of course Guitar Monk Mathew Dixon and I have recorded several instrumental albums, many of which are bestsellers for us. Almost all of them are inspired by the Hawaiian spiritual healing system called ho’oponopono. You can read about those albums and others at http://www.allhealingmusic.com

I could go on.

Obviously, you have choice in what you listen to.

The Jive Aces, a really cool swing-jump-jazz dance band from the UK, has a video that makes me smile whenever I watch it. Over 2,000,000 have seen it. It’s “Bring Me Sunshine” and you can watch it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXvJ8UquYoo 

The point of this post is to help you remember to consciously guard the roads into your mind.

Whether it’s audio or visual, you want to feed your brain what will nourish and support you.

Listening to the right music is one key way to do it.

Meanwhile, dance, sing and strut your stuff!

Ao Akua

Joe

PS- A list of my singer-songwriter albums is here at CDBaby and almost all of my albums so far are listed at http://www.allhealingmusic.com

Member BBB 2003 – 2017

One day my cell phone rang.

It doesn’t ring very often because very few people have the number.

I didn’t recognize the calling number, and there was no Caller ID name listed, so I figured it was a random sales call and declined it.

But a minute later, the phone rang again.

Same number.

Again, I declined it.

But a few minutes later, I got notified of a message.

Curious, I played the voice mail.

I was shocked at what I heard.

It was a slightly muffled conversation between two people, a man and a woman, bad mouthing my music.

It was like being a fly on the wall, listening to a couple bash your first born.

Specifically, they were quite openly thrashing my first singer-songwriter album, Strut!, from 2012.

My first singer-songwriter album 2012

“It’s trash!” the woman said.

“It’s really garbage!” the man said.

I was shocked.

Baffled.

Hurt.

I recognized the woman’s voice.

I thought she was a friend.

Their entire conversation lasted several minutes.

Since the woman had “butt dialed” me by accident, she didn’t have a clue that their exchange had been recorded.

But it was.

I’m not sure how you would feel if you overheard people you know trashing something you created out of love and passion, but I was confused.

I reached out to my music support team, my friends who helped create that first album, and told them what happened.

They were angry.

They wanted to call the woman and give her a piece of their mind.

I didn’t want to do that.

I wanted to process the Twilight Zone-ish experience and see what I could learn.

As I meditated on the bizarre event, I realized a few things –

• not everyone likes my books (!)
• not everyone likes me (?)
• much of music today doesn’t appeal to me

Of course, I wouldn’t call someone and tell them my opinion of their books or music or them, but realizing that not everyone loves me or my work, while baffling, was somehow comforting.

And then I thought about all the good things regarding my first singer-songwriter album.

Musician makes cover

For example –

• Strut! has original songs that were nominated for awards,
• one song was turned into a music video with over 300,000 views,
• the album was mentioned in Rolling Stone magazine,
• the songs were recorded with the help of Grammy nominated people
• and one Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician,
• and I was voted #1 singer-songwriter by Reverbnation for it.

Voted #1 singer-songwriter 3 years

So, obviously, my music must not be “trash.”

It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but what is?

And I admit that my later albums – such as One More Day (a bestseller that sold out almost instantly after it was released and includes Grammy nominated singer Ruthie Foster on one hypnotic track) – reveal a more polished singer-songwriter, but I doubt that the first album was that bad.

Latest Bestselling CD sold out

Not everyone loves Elvis, the Beatles, Lady Gaga, or Neil Diamond – and those people are legends – but not everyone likes any of the hundreds of thousands of new, alternative, jazz or any of a staggering amount of music coming out today, either.

So, what are you or I going to do?

Stop?

Give up?

Let the critics win?

Mark Twain wrote in his autobiography –

“I believe that the trade of critic, in literature, music, and the drama, is the most degraded of all trades, and that it has no real value–certainly no large value…However, let it go. It is the will of God that we must have critics, and missionaries, and congressmen, and humorists, and we must bear the burden.” – Mark Twain

I’m with Twain, but I didn’t get to the same conclusion overnight.

All of this was a day-long process.

It took me more than a few minutes to get clarity.

After I realized that what I was given was an opportunity to clear up some limiting beliefs I had about approval, I was free to turn the event into a teaching lesson for you and me both, hence this post.

As I wrote in my book, The Attractor Factor, I pulled a TIISG: Turn It Into Something Good.

As you pursue your dreams and goals, you will probably encounter a person or two that doesn’t approve.

You have to continue forward anyway.

There will always be critics.

Their job is easy: put you or your project down.

Your job is harder but more rewarding:

Allow them their opinion, and continue towards your vision.

After all, everyone with a butt has an opinion.

And if you’re really worried about being butt dialed a bad review, just turn off your phone.

Ao Akua,

joe

"Dare Something Worthy!"

PS – If you want to see for yourself how bad my music is, go review all 15 albums I’ve created over the last 4 years at All Healing Music.

Member BBB 2003 - 2016

This exclusive article was first published in the April 2015 issue of The Science Behind Law of Attraction national magazine and in the April 2015 Austin All Natural Central Texas magazine. It’s mostly about the Law of Attraction songs on my latest singer-songwriter album, One More Day: Life Lessons in Hypnotic Song, which is sold out as a collectible CD/Book but now available for download on iTunes or from http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/onemoreday

April 2015 Feature

Law of Attraction Songs

From The Secret movie to World’s First Self-Help Singer-Songwriter, Bestselling Author Joe Vitale Releases Fifth Album of LOA Songs

“They are like complete self-help books in 3 minute song.”

An Exclusive by Dr. Joe Vitale

If you ever felt “I can’t get what I want,” you might thank the Rolling Stones. Their music, and much popular music, innocently but effectively programs listeners for lack and limitation. Their song, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” started installing that limiting belief in listeners in 1969. Few think of music as an agent for programming, though. And few would look at that song as a type of brainwashing.

Yet music can slow down our progress with the Law of Attraction, and even prevent attracting what we want. It all happens unconsciously, of course. But that’s how the Law of Attraction works: you attract a match to your unconscious beliefs, not necessarily to your conscious ones.

While I like the Rolling Stones, too, I wanted to do something about music that limits. So I studied song writing, gathered experienced musicians, and recorded music that does the opposite: it joyfully rewires you to attract magic and miracles.

Latest album a bestseller!

For example, the song “Feel It Real,” on my brand new album, One More Day: Life Lessons in Hypnotic Song, advises you to attract what you want by feeling it real. To add impact, I had Grammy nominated singer Ruthie Foster add her soaring vocals to my lyrics. Now you have a song that sounds great, feels great, and also programs you for a better life.

The song “The Hook” is a song I wrote to remind you not to take any “hooks” from other people, meaning don’t let them push your emotional buttons or engage you in a negative way. The song’s rocking mantra of “Don’t Take the Hook” becomes an awareness technique so other people don’t bring your vibration down. As long as you stay aware of “hooks” in life, you can stay peaceful, and focus on attracting what you desire.

And the title track song is a barnstorming rocker, made with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Joe Vitale (yes, he has the same name as me). It motivates you to “seize the day!”  It says you have “one more day” so you better take action and go for your dreams right now. Today!

Then there’s a jazzy track called “Shock Yourself,” which is about getting out of your comfort zone. Too many of us get the same results every day because we do the same things and think the same things every day. The formula needs shaken up. The song urges you to “Jump and skip, chase away the blues…You are here to laugh and sing…You are here to live, not rust.” Again, the blend of words and music, with bass guitar by Glenn Fukunaga, flute by the other Joe Vitale, guitar by producer Daniel Barrett, come together to make a song that is hypnotic.

Music works on our body and mind in mysterious and wonderful ways. The melody can put you in a trance. I know from my work in hypnosis that when you are in even a light trance, you can accept beliefs. The words in a song can get installed in your mind. They are affirmations to music. You can become a new person in minutes with the right song. You could also become an unhappy person in minutes with the wrong song.

Every song on my new album is like a condensed self-help book. Instead of taking an entire volume to deliver the message, these songs do it in about three minutes.

For example, the song “Deep Within” points to the power center within you, beyond your mind and emotions. It guides you “deep within” to the soul or Witness behind it all. From there, you can attract whatever you imagine.

And the fun song, “Some Thoughts,” reveals that some of our thoughts are helpful and some are not. It advises you to pretend you have a “jukebox in your mind” so you can change your thoughts by reaching for the ones that make you feel good. It’s like changing a tune on the radio or on your audio player. It’s basic Law of Attraction in song.

I also have two instrumental tracks on the new album, created with me playing baritone saxophone on one and baritone guitar on the other, that are mind adventures. You can just listen as the music raises your vibration. These are also great tracks to relax to as you visualize what you want to have, do, or be.

It’s probably important to realize that I became a musician by attracting it. I wasn’t always a musician. I decided to be one when I was about 57 years old. It was on my “bucket list.” I had all the doubts and fears that anyone else might have attempting something new, but I also knew that “some thoughts” would help me become a musician and some would not. I went with the thoughts that were positive and supportive. And I made sure to “feel it real.”

Now, at the age of 61, I have eleven albums out, with One More Day being my fifth singer-songwriter offering. Many of the instrumental albums I recorded with Guitar Monk Mathew Dixon are bestsellers. I’ve also been voted #1 singer-songwriter by Reverbnation. And several of my songs have been nominated for the Posi Award, considered the Grammy’s of positive music. I’m sharing this not to brag, but to let you know that you, too, can attract your dreams. Anything is possible.

I still love the Rolling Stones, but I’m aware that unless you stay alert, their catchy tunes (and many others by other bands, not just the Stones) can help you create a reality you don’t want.

If you want to use music to help you use the Law of Attraction in more joyful ways, listen to music that is upbeat, positive, and makes you feel like the super being you really are.

LOA Music

Dr. Joe Vitale is the globally famous author of numerous bestselling books, such as The Attractor Factor and Zero Limits, a star in the hit movie The Secret, founder of Miracles Coaching and The Secret Mirror, inventor of Hypnotic Writing, and a man “on fire” to live his passions and help the world. His main site is www.JoeVitale.com His new album, One More Day, is at www.OneMoreDayCD.com All of his LOA albums are at http://www.allhealingmusic.com

Member BBB 2003 - 2015

Well, I did it again.

I wrote about attracting Grammy nominated saxophone sensation Mindi Abair last November.

I attracted her again the other night.

Mindi Abair likes my sax album

While Mindi performs with the legends – from Aerosmith to Bruce Springsteen – and is a legend herself, she rarely if ever performs private acoustic house concerts.

She’s done it twice now for me and my friends.

And we all love her.

Mindi and my friends

I can’t say enough good things about Mindi.

Not only is she beautiful and mega talented, but a warm, loving, fun, generous person, as well.

Her seventh solo CD, Wild Heart, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Jazz chart and was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category. Featuring special guests such as Gregg Allman, Joe Perry, Max Weinberg, Booker T. Jones and Waddy Wachtel, Wild Heart is my favorite of all her albums (so far).

She played tracks from the recent album: raw, acoustic, and steaming with emotion. And she and her keyboard player, Dave Yaden, a Grammy winning songwriter, hung with us for almost six hours.

They didn’t have to.

They wanted to.

And everyone was amazed, happy and grateful.

Mindi with keyboardist Dave Yaden

A highlight for me was having Mindi teach me how to control my breathing for better saxophone playing.

The basic idea is to make a slip of paper stay stuck to a wall by focusing your breath a few inches away and keeping the air flow out steady, so the paper doesn’t fall.  (You can watch that lesson at http://youtu.be/LQDUS9tFbAk)

Like most women, Mindi swoons to my sax album

Another highlight was Mindi sitting on my lap, swooning to the thought of my own saxophone album, Afflatus.

And both Mindi and Dave answered our questions, which was remarkable and educational, as they openly discussed music, improvisation, and breathing, to where to get hot pants and sexy boots. We also learned about hack-sawing a mouthpiece to get it in tune, the musician’s crush, and more.

As in the last private concert, Mindi introduced each song with a story behind it, which brought the songs to life in a more intimate way.

A poignant story was about Mindi’s sax, which was stolen last January.

She had a custom made alto saxophone which was her baby, her pride and joy, and her workhorse. She took it everywhere, used it daily, and relied on it for her income.

It was stolen out of her car.

Mindi approves of the new album "Higher Octaves" by Guitar Monk Mathew Dixon and myself

While she was devastated, it turned into something great, as she attracted a new Yamaha Custom Z alto sax and her own signature Theo Wanne mouthpiece.

While the theft was not perceived as good at the time, she later saw it as the Universe kicking her into her next growth spurt.

As she put it, she was an instant Buddhist – learning non-attachment on the spot.

I love this woman.

To nourish us all, Nerissa made pizza and brownies from the grain-free, gluten-free, all natural recipes in her bestselling cookbook, Bread-Free Bread.

All in all, another unforgettable evening with the astonishing Mindi Abair.

Please go get her albums and enjoy this terrific woman’s gifts.

Her site is right here.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – You can see the first private house concert with Mindi Abair (and guitarist Randy Jacobs) online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEZahXwrTeQ

NOTE: Just a friendly reminder: you can still pre-order my fifth singer-songwriter album — the one where the songs are like 3-minute self-help books — and with Grammy nominated singer Ruthie Foster on one steamy track — at a dramatic discount at One More Day: Life Lessons in Hypnotic Song. This will be a limited edition collectible booklet and CD package. You’ll want it. I’m no Mindi Abair, but I also play sax on the album. 

Member BBB 2003 - 2015