I started writing songs at age twelve…
…the same year I started spending weekends performing in churches around the southeast. My first album was called Just Trust at age 13. From that moment on, being a singer/songwriter was all I wanted to do. The LK Archives are still under construction as I write this, but if you’ve read through chapter three, you can see that even having to do it independently, there is no other option for me. It is in my DNA.
I do believe my ability to develop a character and bring a role to life on the stage is related to my ability to tell a three minute musical movie in a song. But these are two different worlds. There are the singer/songwriter dudes and there are musical theater dudes.
After 2010, the type of performances requested of me nationwide immediately shifted from original material to cover songs, Overnight, I was a cabaret singing cover artist, infusing soul, jazz, gospel and country into Broadway classics and arranging them in a way that makes you feel like you’re hearing them for the first time. I know I’m very good at that. And I enjoy it immensily. And it’s not like I stopped releasing albums of original music. But human nature is to label the things we look at – and discount the things that do not fit neatly into that label. This is why it’s so hard to try to be two things at the same time. You’re never communicating the whole of who you are if you’re dividing yourself up for others. Did you hear that, my fellow artists? You cannot activate and illuminate the wholeness of your gift to this world if you are splitting yourself into parts.
Last year was a huge revelation for me.
I feel stupid that it took me so long to figure this out. And what a joy this already is for me! Merge the two worlds! I decided that from now until I’m 80 years old, I am pouring my heart and soul exclusively into the world of musical theatre! Not just as an actor, but as a librettist, composer and lyricist. And as of the date of writing this, I just finished writing my first musical. I also had a lovely day yesterday brainstorming ideas for what the next musical is going to be about. I’m absolutely in love with this.
Sunshine Cathedral was a special gig. They asked me to do my original material and tell my story as a gay man coming of age. So much of my music is autobiographical and lends itself well to inspiring stories that speak to the LGBTQ+ community. And in that set, I premiered two songs from my new musical!
Okay, so. I actually first sang the songs Proud and Deliver Me from my new musical just prior to this gig, during my residency at The Palm in Puerto Vallarta. And the response was so overwhelming that I had to keep them in my Broadway set list. To me, the experience was evidence that showcasing my singer/songwriter skills in the context of a theatre piece just makes all the pieces click into place. For everyone. Including myself. I do believe it is the most integrated and holistic use of all my abilities combined.
Honestly, my friends, I feel like I’ve found myself like never before. Isn’t that odd?
So, Sunshine Cathedral is special to me. Not only because they were aware of my story as shared through chapter one, chapter two and chapter three of my LK Archives, happy to showcase the journey of a singer/songwriter in the OUTMusic movement, but the stars aligned for me to settle in to this new chapter of self realization by confidently committing to presenting myself to the world as a musical theatre writer. For the very first time.
Side note. How freakin’ FUN was it to have Jesse and Amy on this gig! This was the first time I got to have them on my material and in my own show. I won’t elaborate on this until this year’s holiday tour where I hope to have them do some dates with me. They are stunning, talented, wonderful humans who I can’t wait to share more about.
Here was the set list for the night!
- No Apologies
- Everytime
- Just This Good
- We’re Okay
- The Reckoning
- Stained Glass Window
- Love In Another Light
- Soul Contract (written and performed by Jesse Hughes)
- Corner Of The Sky
- Not While I’m Around
- Deliver Me
- Proud
- Come What May (with Jason Antone)
- World’s Apart (with Jason Antone)
- Gonna Be Alright
- Not Afraid