The events of 2009 has forced me to take a hard look at my life, my business and my future. 2008 was the year I started teaching, something I’d always talked about doing, but was frankly too scared to put into practice. Somehow I overcame my fear and now, after a full year of giving classes and workshops, I’ve realized that teaching is something that I really enjoy doing. The challenge of explaining my concepts of making music to students of all skill levels gives me a satisfaction that I wasn’t really prepared for. I’m glad I took up the challenge.

2009 was also the year I met two of my musical heroes, jazz keyboard player Jeff Lorber and Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick of the legendary UK jazz / soul band Incognito. To watch these two masters at work really helped me put my own musical aspirations back into focus. I also met some extremely talented musicians during not only my regular teaching gig at the Popakademie, but also as a guest instructor at the Academy of Music in Dinkelsbühl, where I had the pleasure of performing with my good friend Alex Auer for the first time in 4 years. I’ve worked with some fantastic musicians, writers and producers in 2009, both on stage and studio.

Less fantastic in 2009 was the saga of my rock band iO; though we started out the year with a kick-ass live concerts in Rabenau and Brno in the Czech Republic, the future of the band was placed in doubt as my bandmates informed me that they were reforming their old band Guano Apes to play a series of european festivals in the summer. When their tour was over, they informed me that they were going to work on a new CD as Guano Apes, which will all but kill the prospects of a future iO CD. That’s really a shame, since iO has such potential. However, we’re hopeful that we can come together some time this year to make music together…

So, what have I learned from 2009?

…which brings me to my list of things that I learned from 2009. I’ve always been a believer in the notion that one can always learn something out of any situation, no matter if it’s positive or negative. So, given all that I’ve experienced in ’09, heres my list of wisdom:

1. The show must indeed go on.

2. NEVER take things for granted.

3. Seeing life through only one lens is never a good thing.

4. If you think you’ve had too much, you probably have.

5. Sometimes, doing stuff you’ve always dreamed of doing is fantastic. Sometimes, it’s not.

6. Get your mind right, and the rest will take care of itself.

7. If it takes more than three days to write a song, something’s wrong with the song. Not always, though.

8. Not everything that tastes good is good.

9. The best thing about new things is that they sometimes help you to appreciate the old things.

10. Kids grow fast.

11. Making a plan and sticking to it are two TOTALLY different things.

12. The phrase “don’t hate the player; hate the game” is just as relevant now as it was in the early ‘90s.

13. Though you may be better than most people at what you do, there is ALWAYS someone who is better than you.

14. When two grown people of completely different viewpoints can’t have a civil conversation about anything, NOTHING will get done.

15. We don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone.

16. Going to bed angry sucks.

17. Fighting (in a relationship) can be good.

18. Sometimes, it’s better to just shut the f*ck up.

19. We all need balance in our lives.

20. It’s never too late to be the “you” you’ve always wanted to be.

Feeling quite numb, I spread the word to the people around me that the King of Pop has died. The most common reaction was, “are you kidding me?” People couldn’t believe it. My colleagues Tiffany and Worthy, two singers who like me are known for their interpretations of Michael Jackson hits, were just as shocked as I was at the news of his death. At the time, the reports were still unconfirmed, and as the word spread through the club, many people were pulling out their cell phones, trying to get any info that they could. Even as we took to the stage to perform our second set, I constantly checked my phone while on stage to get confirmation. When the news was confirmed, a feeling of sadness and shock came over all of us on the stage: Michael Jackson, the superstar whose music and stage performance influenced an entire generation of musicians, was gone.

Most Europeans love affair with Michael Jackson began with “Thriller” and the albums that came after that; the American fascination with Jackson began much, much earlier, in the late ‘60s, as he was a child. I grew up on the music of the Jackson 5 (later called just “the Jacksons”), but I was always amazed by Michael; his voice, his moves, his charisma were all things that would influence me in my own pursuit of a musical career. As I was discovering my own voice, I did so singing Michael Jackson songs; one of my goals as a 12 year old was to hit the low notes in the line of the song “Billy Jean” that goes:

“…so take my strong advice / just remember to always think twice.”

As a teenager, where I realized that I wanted to be a musician, my inspirations were Prince and Michael Jackson; Prince because of his skills as a musician, and Michael for his talent as a singer, dancer and performer. I had the red leather “Beat It” jacket, the white studded glove, and the Jheri curl, just like every other kid in my neighborhood did. I was hooked to MTV whenever they showed MJ’s videos, and I drew portraits of him for my friends. “Billy Jean” is, without a doubt, one of my top 5 favorite songs ever. Even into my 30s, his music would influence my approach to performing and songwriting, even as I recently became a “rocker”, his presence can be felt. Michael Jackson is a text-book example of how to win over an audience and connect to fans unmatched in today’s show business atmosphere.

Given the troubles he’s had in recent years, it’s very easy for people to forget just how influential MJ was in the world of entertainment. He was the first child star to win a Grammy, for his first solo single “Ben”. He was the first black artist to be played on MTV. Though he didn’t actually invent the moonwalk, he made it famous. He has given millions to charity. He is to this day the biggest selling artist of all time, with over 700 million records sold over the course of his career. There will never be another like him, and he will be missed by not only millions of adoring fans, but musicians of all genres mourn his passing. A new generation is also discovering his genius, through artists like Usher, Justin Timberlake, Neyo, etc., who openly admit to owing their success to Michael Jackson’s influence. Michael Jackson was bigger than Elvis, the Beatles, and Madonna, and his influence and legacy will be felt for generations to come.

As the night went on, and the loss of such a great entertainer and musical ambassador started to sink in, I broke the news to the audience in the club. Many were shocked and visibly shaken. I then asked the audience to join me in a celebration of his life and his music, at which point we played “Thriller” in his honor. The crowd loved it; they danced and sang along, just as Michael probably would have wanted it to be.

The King is dead; long live the King!