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A Life In Song: 4 Decades of Original Music

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November 17, 2016 · Concerts & Events, Live Performances, Mark's Thoughts

Final Call for The Last Concert

43793849_mlWe are counting down to the Wire for my Last Concert with my Dream Band, The Rogue Mystics and even though I Dislike This Immensely…

I’m gonna do it anyway…

yep. I’m gonna do it ANYWAY. :o)
(hang with me here because today I share a MASSIVE Mind Mastery Message that goes way beyond what you may think this email/post is about)

I’m gonna Promote the heck out of it…

Self promotion.

Yuck.
Double yuck.

TRIPLE YUCK.
Blecch.

I DEFINITELY got the message growing up that “honking your own horn” was a “no, no.”

Not from my parents. From EVERYBODY.

“Don’t be THAT guy who is always selling and promoting his latest thing…” was the message I internalized from many of the people around me, friends, relatives and even my own gut reaction to “salesy” people who didn’t seem to care about Me.

I believed self promoters were sleazy scumbags who just wanted to dump some of their crap on me to get my money (and with that internal unconscious belief operating, no wonder I found it hard to tell people about my talents and services).

And so, since last March, these last three 90 day challenges have been about breaking through my own limiting beliefs about selling myself, selling my music, selling my ideas, selling my programs, selling, selling, selling… (reframe: selling is SERVING. Serving, serving, serving.)

Getting the butts into the seats.

My big idea last Spring, Transformation Tuesday, was initially a bitter disappointment. Each Tuesday we averaged 3-5 people. I thought for sure at least 30-40 folks would show up for the awesome programs I was offering… “Build it! They Will Come!” uh huh…

The way I truly want to perform my music I need a full enough house of people so that when they sing along it ROCKS.

So it was a bit Disheartening but a NECESSARY part of the challenge to grow myself out of discouragement. The upside was that I started to get more and more confident using my songs every week to support my message and then during the summer challenge, trusting my message more, and using my songs to introduce and then close my teaching… which directly led to me stepping up my Bully Proof Teen programs to the national level… (But that’s a whole other story for another day)…

You see I thought that if I was just good enough, people would show up. I thought it would be easy.

“Build it. They will come.” Right.

Unfortunately that’s pure hollywood BS. And leads to a lot of broken dreams.

Sure, go ahead, follow your heart and your passion and your dreams. Build that thing. Build it.

Freaking GO FOR IT! Don’t let the dream thieves stop you from getting started.

AND then you have to LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT EXISTS! You have to sell it. Nothing happens until someone starts selling. But think of “selling” as “serving”. Think of selling as communicating your value.

and you can’t allow your old fears and insecurities to stop you.

You have to communicate to people that it IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST TO TAKE ACTION NOW!. and then remind them about a hundred gazillion, million times and MAYBE, if they don’t have something better to do, they will come,

IF… If they….

  1.  Can clearly see it is totally in THEIR best interest to show up.
  2.  Can perceive that the value they RECEIVE is far greater than the time or money or whatever that they INVEST.
  3.  Can imagine how good they will feel experiencing this thing, or event, or benefit.
  4.  Can imagine how bad they will feel if they MISS out.
  5.  Realize that this is their one chance, their one shot to get this rare jewel of an object, experience or connection.

As a budding singer/songwriter 40 years ago way back in High School when my songs first started getting people excited, I BELIEVED that someone who is good at promotion would find me, discover me and help me get the tunes out into the world into peoples EARS…

A manager, A record company scout, a concert promoter…

RIGHT. “Build it they will come”.

Just like the myth of “the One and only true love, prince and princess charming” that we’ve been spoon fed since kindergarten, that’s mostly the stuff of hollywood dream spinners.

The hard truth is more like, “if it is to BE it is up to ME.”

So… all that to led to THIS:

dsc01036-crop dsc01034-crop dsc01039-cropAs of this moment there are 11 of my paintings left… attached to the 11 remaining tickets for the 11 remaining seats at Saturday’s Last Concert of Mark Shepard and the Rogue Mystics.

And I want them GONE. I want 11 of YOU to step up and join us. Not because I want that (even tho I honestly DO want that). But because YOU know in your heart of hearts that it IS totally in YOUR best interest to show up.

Be SELFISH.
You KNOW you need this.
You KNOW you want this…
You know you’ll REMEMBER this for the rest of your life…
(for those of you who are non local please be patient, and stick with me here… There is a Mind Mastery Message here for all of us. PLUS I am paying to have this gig professionally videoed and edited so that at some point you will be able to experience it as well)

Click the link and buy a ticket or 2 or more because for $40 bucks you get a great live event with a group of WORLD CLASS musicians AND a fantastic group of people LIKE YOU who “get” that this is a rare event that will never, ever happen again.
Last Concert of Mark Shepard and the Rogue Mystics.

IT’S GOING TO BE A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF FUN PEOPLE!
FUN For YOU. (Remember “Fun?”)

[cliche pompous TV infomercial voice over announcer] “But Wait! There’s MORE!!!”
REMEMBER, you get a totally unique painting that is not a photocopy, not a duplicate, not even a part of a limited edition print run.

You will get in your hot little hands to take home with you a one of a kind original piece of Mark Shepard art that will give you pleasure to look at for years to come.

The truth! I’ve sold a number of these paintings for $100 bucks (which is actually ridiculously cheap for original art). So you are getting MASSIVE value for your measly two $20’s.

There are only 50 of them total. An overall value of $5,000 that I’m just RELEASING into YOUR lives.

I’m doing it because Cuz it feels good. Because I want to give you IMMENSE value beyond what you have ever gotten for a concert… And Because I can always paint more of them. Because it was joyful to create them and like all these songs, I selfishly want people to experience them.

Now I’m not saying that your painting will appreciate in value astronomically, but if I actually figure all this marketing and promo stuff out, it actually COULD be worth a LOT more someday. If Bob Dylan painted a bunch of paintings back in 1960 and gave them away to get SOMEONE to show up at his gig BEFORE he was famous, what would they be worth now? (and yeah, I just compared myself to Bob Dylan because I’m a waaay better singer and waaay better guitarist than he is and if HE heard my songs he would agree that I’m as good a songwriter as he is. How’s THAT for some damn congruent confidence LOL :o)

And in the meantime, JUST like the other people who have bought them report back that the energy of the painting as well as the vibrant colors will brighten up your home, office, and life.

And seriously, what’s the big deal about a couple of pieces of paper with $20 written on them when you get more than double your money’s worth?

Paper money is literally just a medium of exchange. And believe me, there are plenty more of them on their way into your life. EVEN if you are convinced that you can’t afford it. Every time I’ve PUSHED past my limited thinking about money there has always been more… Even when I was homeless and desperate back in 2008-9. (different story for a different day I know :o)

Not too long ago, I got a job as a barista at Starbucks expressly ( or expresso-ly ;o) to see money. To have money in my hands. To remind myself that there was still money circulating in the economy despite all the bad news and all the hardship I went through personally. At the height of the last big recession people were STILL buying $4.50 coffee and Frappacino’s every single day. For less than a week’s worth of Frappacino’s you get something that will be with you the rest of your life that DOESN’T make you fat!

And this event will be way more nourishing than a Frappacino (and way better for you).

So if you’re local to the Albany area, I lovingly challenge you to join us (actually there ARE a couple of people flying in for this). If you’re not local I hope you are “getting” the mind mastery message in all of this which transcends this little gig.

  1. It IS in YOUR best interest to show up. We will be making music together in ways that will be healing, and strengthening, and inspiring and energetically transforming. You WILL be transported to a place of joy, wonder, love, and lightness of being. There is nothing else going on anywhere on this Saturday before thanksgiving that will come close. Seriously. I’m 100% congruent about that.
  2. $40 bucks gets you a great, full body musical experience AND a one of a kind painting to remember the experience for the rest of your life. Invest in experiences that expand your life and give you great value for your investment.
  3. Imagine how fabulous you will feel once the music starts. Imagine how sweet the evening will be. Imagine how cool it will be looking back and telling friends in the future, “I was THERE at Mark Shepard’s Last concert in Albany NY with his dream band, “The Rogue Mystics”.
  4. Imagine how empty and sad and lonely you will feel if you miss out on all of that… :o(
  5. This is it. Right NOW. Your moment to get the painting and the coveted seat in an amazingly acoustically perfect performance space within an arms reach of 10 of the best musicians in the world surrounded by people who exude love and compassion and joy and music that fills you up like no food, or drink or drug or sex or movie or amusement park or video game, or tv show or book or renaissance festival or comedian or speech or class or whatever could possibly fill you up.

Don’t miss out because you waited too long, or assumed that there would be tickets at the door. There won’t be. Friday night at Midnight is the deadline. Ticket sales close whether we’ve sold out or not. I’ve got other things to deal with on Saturday. So if we don’t sell out, so what? I want to clear my mind of all this “getting people to actually do something that is totally in their own self interest stuff”. Blech. Done.

For those of you who have said, “I’ll try to be there”… Let’s be honest you probably won’t.”

Do or do not, Yoda said, There is no “try”.

This link leads to YOUR happiness, well being and Joy. (plus Joy Adler and 9 other brilliant voices)…

the next move is YOURS.

Last Concert of Mark Shepard and the Rogue Mystics.

BTW Did you “get” the Mind Mastery Message in all of that above? Your assignment today (should you choose to accept it, is to take note of where in your life you let your own discomfort with sharing your value with the world stop you. And then stop stopping yourself.

If you’re young start working earnestly to develop the skills and attitudes that bring value to other people, to the world to possible employers or clients. If you’re older, develop the skills and attitudes that bring value to other people, to the world to possible employers or clients. And then show up. Again. And again. And Again. Until you break through the “noise” of this crazy world enough for your “song” to be heard, for your “art” to be seen, for your heart to fly free.

That’s it. That’s all I got.

– Mark

p.s. Here’s your Transformation Tune to support all of this value I’m slinging today:
(I can’t wait to play this with the band. In particular Brian Melick  and Pete Furlong on percussion)

Filed Under: Concerts & Events, Live Performances, Mark's Thoughts

Previous Post: « November 19 Set List
Next Post: 312 Freedom Live w/ The Rogue Mystics »

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Some reviews & testimonials

Enjoying your songs so much…

Hello Mark. I am enjoying your songs so much! I’d love to see you play live somewhere.

Marianne

For me these songs are transformational lessons in self-love…

Dear Mark, THANK YOU for sending *Spark & Flame*!!!! This CD certainly is a compilation of Conscious Love Songs! As I listen I am transported to memory after memory past, present and future, fulfilled and unfulfilled. I was flooded with many different emotions. I cried, laughed, held my breath and also breathed deep heart-centered breaths of connection to the Divine. I feel joy, grief, sadness, compassion, love, awe, freedom, kindness, gratitude and appreciation. For me these songs are transformational lessons in self-love, releasing, acceptance for what was, what is and who I am. Knowing that I am enough and that I am Divinely Loved.

J

You write some great songs!

Hi Mark, You write some great songs! I really enjoyed listening to all of them on Spark and Flame. Thank you for all that you do. Keep up the good work! All the best.

Susan

I loved the song and listened to it 3 times….

Hi Mark, I just had to tell you this. I emailed my 3 granddaughters the song you wrote who are sisters with the youngest being 11 years old, has cerebral palsy and is very smart, is able to talk, very funny, uses a computer, is able to write, now is learning to play drums, emails me ‘Thanks. I do.’ I loved the song and listened to it 3 times.

Gail Russ

Never fails to move me…

Your incredible music never fails to move me. Thank you, Mark.

Paula

I Love listening to all your songs…

Mark, you really are an amazing songwriter! I Love listening to all your songs and sitting in the creative aura they create!

Cheri

You have put a grown man in tears…

Mark, this song and message really hit home for me today. You have put a grown man in tears. Thank You for what you do. Sometimes I think you sound kind of cheesy, and then others, I think you are a genius, and I’m beginning to realize that you actually care about helping people. So hard to “get out of your own way” sometimes…thanks for the reminder.

Jeremy

Your song was just perfect to start my day…

Mark, your song ‘Freedom (It’s Been  Long Road)’ was just perfect to start my day. I LOVE IT!  Thank you, Thank you.  Blessings to you and much gratitude for your musical gift.

Judy

Love your lyrics!

Love your music! Love your lyrics!

Robin Bridgeford

They love (your song) and ask to listen to it, ALWAYS.

My name is Cecile. I teach kindergarten at OMSD. I had the pleasure of using your song Together We Can Change The World to help my students make a difference in this wonderful world! They love it and ask to listen to it, ALWAYS.

Cecile Arvizo

Total awesomeness!!!

‘Let’s Run’ is MY FAVORITE so far.. I LOVE THIS ONE.. great job.. total awesomeness!!! I thank Jana Stanfield for introducing me to your gifts. I am grateful.

Merril

Just awesome…

Your music is taking over my life and it’s awesome!

Eric

Love the “Key To Your Cage” album…

Love the “Key To Your Cage” album. I hear so many different influences and styles woven throughout the songs, really keeps it interesting from start to finish!

Dan Z

Brilliant!

Brilliant! I LOVE seeing the words to all these beloved songs, thanks!

Mary F.

Been singing the chorus since the first day I heard it…

I sh*t you not when I say I’ve been singing the chorus to Honest Rock since the first day I heard it. I sing this every single day. Many times a day. Seriously. It’s like a mantra to me. It soothes me:-)

Gene Moore

Your lyrics embody everything we hold sacred…

Your lyrics embody everything we hold sacred and dear as a faith community.

Gina Sullivan, Sisters of the Congregation of St. Joseph

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