Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Michael McElrath: A Lifetime in the Making

Featured Artist:  School's Open
Venue:               School II
Date:                 December 15, 2010
Time:                 7:00pm

In the summer of 1957, a young boy received a brand new transistor radio.  Through it came the sounds of Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, and their contemporaries.  The boy was entranced.  The following summer, he attended family day at his brother's Scout camp where he witnessed a live performance of Buddy Holly's "That'll be the Day" by Chip, the camp counselor.  The boy knew instantly his would be a life of music.  A gifted guitar from his cousin with instruction on George Jones and Johnny Cash songs opened for Michael McElrath the doors to live performance, songwriting, and a lifelong love affair with music.

A "love affair"  because similar to any relationship, McElrath's relationship with music saw good times and bad, struggles and triumphs.  But even when he thought he'd had enough, a song or a friend or the song of a friend would draw him back in.  McElrath spent years working toward a "successful music career."  Disgruntled by the juxtaposition of his realized level of success and that which he sought, he tried to ignore the desire to express himself musically.  The attempts never lasted.  Eventually, McElrath abandoned the conventional idea of success and found his way back to music for the sake of enjoyment.

A few of McElrath's recent breaks from music were due, instead, to the great cancer battle.  Three years ago, he was diagnosed with colon cancer, underwent surgery, and was cleared fairly quickly.  However, there was concern it would resurface in his liver, which it did this past year.  McElrath has recently completed four months of chemo, a surgery removing sixty percent of his liver, followed by an additional two months of chemo.  He was so impressed with the nurses who daily lift the spirits of patients undergoing chemo, he wrote a song, "Chemo Angel," to honor their priceless contribution.

Happy to be regaining his energy, McElrath will soon be releasing his first ever CD, Keep On Drivin'.  It includes some originals from his repertoire, a few collaborations, a 20-year-and-running favorite original, and a few songs of an old friend that, with his friend's blessing, McElrath has "personalized."  After many musical years, McElrath feels as though he is just getting started.  He is writing more than ever, re-entering the live-performance circuit with guitar and harmonica, grateful for all the positive energy from family and friends, and feeling lucky the liver is capable of regeneration. 

Find out more about Michael McElrath

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