Words cannot explain the level of euphoria I felt the other night, when I heard the first live note of my favorite artist ever, Doyle Bramhall II. For the past 20 years, I have been waiting and cheering for Doyle to reemerge, refocus, and deliver a supersonic solo album that would launch a power packed tour of just him. And boy oh boy did he deliver!

Music is my salvation, and I have been lucky enough to work with one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time, Patti Austin. Together, we founded a musical mentoring foundation called the Over My Shoulder Foundation. This experience has taken me on many tours, back stage at great concerts, and into the studios of incredibly talented artists. The other night it took me to a sleepy little town in New Hampshire, inside the Tupelo Music Hall. Here is where I listened to Doyle’s entire show. This same week, three of my songs appeared on my very first album with Jon Butcher, but nothing compared to seeing Doyle play live, celebrating “Rich Man.” His new album was more exciting to me than celebrating my own!

What caught my ‘Musical-Mentoring’ ear? It was an article by Andy Langer in the Austin Chronicle. “Along with D’Angelo, I think you’re the best contemporary artist I’ve heard in a decade,” Eric Clapton told Doyle. “I was wondering if you’d like to get together and maybe play a little guitar with me?”