JEFF PLANKENHORN: STILL WORKIN’ ON IT
February 8, 2022
Sitting in with Chris Gage at Donn’s Depot
Why this title for my newly re-vamped newsletter?
Because that is the cold, hard truth; of my life, of the business of music, and relationships both business and personal—I am never done. It’s the only constant. Still workin’ on it.
What I do know is that you are still with me. Many of you have followed this newsletter for over 10 years! Even though I will continue to share information about gigs (see below) as well as links to my website and Patreon, for now, this newsletter is going to become primarily a blog space. I will also post these essays on my brand new Substack!
When I first started Planken-news back in 2012, I was much better about putting stories from the road and who I was playing with. They were popular! I want to share that with you again. I also was enjoying the freedom and massive amount of time that my newly found sobriety was yielding me (imagine the amount of time I used to spend doing drugs and drinking—then all of a sudden going, “what do I do with all this free time?”).
I read so many books and often reviewed them in Planken-news. I remember someone commenting, “does he really read all those books?” From Haruki Murakami novels to the famous Israeli historian Yuval Noah-Harari, I was letting you know what was influencing me. I also reviewed movies and albums, and the occasional live show. Whatever I was into at the time.
By 2016, when I put out SoulSlide, I had become 100% dependent on my own music for my career—no more backing up the greats. It was tough to say, “sorry I have a gig of my own that night” to cats like Joe Ely, but he and my other mentors were about 95% supportive. (The 5% being those acts that wanted me to stay a side person, so I don’t blame them.)
Even in the throws of my addictions I somehow managed to show up on time, try to make the show better, and almost never play over the words or “show off.” That meant I got A LOT of calls. For years great acts would call to try to get me on the road with them. But all that had come to an end. I was free in a lot of ways.
Not just newly sober, I was also newly betrothed. Donyne and I got married and, as things do, my priorities changed—drastically. I wasn’t just thinking about myself anymore. That meant I needed to take my "solo career” (what a strange thing to call it!) much more seriously and start doing all the things you have to start doing when you are the one everyone is looking at, counting on, listening to, and expecting to be entertaining. But we’ll get to that in another essay…
Tuning up at Luckenbach Blues Festival
When I started having to do more activities that had nothing to do with music—booking, social media, managing, getting bands, paying bands, arranging travel, etc.—that was when I lost touch with the blogging.
So now we are back to the change, the re-vamp, the re-tool, and “Still Working On It.” I have so many young writer friends who say, “I just want to get to the point where I am doing what you are doing—out there, making a living, playing your own music.” But like I say in “Something Wicked” - “be careful what you wish for, it might come true.” Half of this business is the appearance of success. Smoke and mirrors people. All day.
On this last tour, a long-time fan (and supporter of my music of the highest caliber) said, “it looks like things are going great for you with gigs up in Canada.” They are, and I’m having a blast playing with new musicians and for new audiences. Here’s the real skinny: the last 4 shows I have played on Vancouver Island have put me in the red. I haven’t made a dime; I lost money.
Click the image to hear my new single “Lover (Taylor Swift)” on Spotify!
Sure it looks great when there is a full club in a video on FB and Instagram and I’m rocking out with a new Canadian band. But I’m robbing Peter to pay Paul. Taking money from Patreon to help create a single. Pushing a single to help promote a Texas tour. Using the Texas tour to pay for my office/small studio in Campbell River, B.C. Recording jingles and stock music for websites and businesses to pay for my bands and gigs on Vancouver Island and for my next ticket to Texas to do it all over again.
Still workin’ on it.
But to my young Padawan learners, I will tell you this: if you love this, there is nothing better, and it is totally worth it. I may never graduate to playing Stateside at The Paramount, much less Austin City Limits (the show, not the festival). If I am able to eek out a living, playing the music I love, with people I respect and love creating with, then it’s all worth it. Without a doubt. I don’t have any answers on how to get from A to B, or that you would even like my B. Still working on that too.
It’s tough on my wife Donyne for sure. My career is pretty all encompassing. The major strides I have made taking time for family and friends and non-music/non-business related activities pale in comparison to the never ending barrage of things on my “to do list.”
Take a look at an average week of threads in my Slack app meant to keep my work to a minimum.That’s just my manager Sasha and I trying to keep stuff straight. Donyne invariably gets pulled into this stuff. It’s not fair. She’s pretty amazing about it all. Still workin’ on it.
And when do I get to practice? When do I get to write? When do I get to live a little and have meaningful moments so that I have things to write about besides being on the road and playing music???
Still workin’ on it…
As long as you are along for the ride with me, and as long as I can’t do anything else, I’ll keep at it. I’m a lifer.
I love making music. I love performing and recording it. No matter what changes in the business and what I have to do to get it to you, I’m not going anywhere. Still workin’ on it.
In actual music performing news, I’m hitting the road with my dear friend, the incredible Michael O’Connor in March!
3/3 - Southside Preservation Hall| Fort Worth
3/4 - Redbird Listening Room | New Braunfels
3/5 - Bugle Boy | La Grange
3/10 - Peggy’s Porchy Party | Austin
3/11 - Inspirations Gallery | Rockport
3/12 - Burlinghall House Concert | Houston
For more information, visit my website
The plan is to send out the newsletter twice a month. Can’t wait to share more stories, reviews, and lessons learned from a life of work.
Still Workin’ On It, indeed.
Yours truly,
Plank