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Fans Are Always Worth The Time
By joseexist in Musings On Muses
December 29, 2011

Fans, without them artists would be virtually unknown. Fans have the unique ability to elevate artists above mediocrity. They ‘spread the word’ so to speak and the corners of the earth are the only limits, if there are any, to how helpful they can be.

Enthusiasm bolsters the camaraderie of the interested masses. Even a little amount of this trait can have enormous effect. Groups across the globe engage in trading their best discoveries within their ranks and the digital revolution is easily their favorite vehicle. Spillover happens a lot and fan bases grow in every imaginable direction.

Any artist who takes the time to both acknowledge and interact with their fans reaps the benefits of respect and absolution. The work they’ve taken to produce their product is vindicated in many ways. Ego wins big with the slightest of interactions. Confidence grows exponentially and the possibilities fan out into the promise of a great future.

Giving to the fans is a must. From blog posts to free stuff, connections made today become the reaping of tomorrow. Comments to and from fans in the digital domain bring everyone together. Even though electrons separate people in most cases, the unwritten attitude is a resplendence of togetherness that can never be denied.

Just like fans are not ‘just’ people, artists must be regarded in the same fashion. Many artists are fans of other artists and the ranks of both producers and consumers are populated by anyone and everyone. I am a fan of many artists I have discovered by word of mouth, e-mail, snail-mail, phone calls, and industry affiliations. Many of my fans are also artist, and those artists are not just from the music world.

I am humbled by anyone who calls themselves a fan of the artist that I am. Their connection with my music often occurs on levels I rarely even consider. The place the music came from may be deeply personal to me but it is no less than extremely gratifying to find someone making a connection far removed from my original concept of any song. From the physicist in India, the retired CEO in Houston, the envelope factory worker in Massachusetts, the military Mom in Arlington, and many others the world over, the connection they make also connects me to the greater world around me.

There was a time when I wished I was in L.A. There was a time when I wished I was in Seattle. You can add Austin, TX, Dallas, and a lot of other places to that list. In the past I longed to go where the music seemed to be coming from. The world shrunk while I was dreaming and all those places are now at my fingertips.

Fans! They are the waves the size of which matters not. On the ocean of life they are the waves all artists look for. I love, and am deeply thankful for, all my fans. When I interact with even a single one, it is instantly a great day.