now is as good a time as any

 How Come It's So Hard to Be Happy? 

I get notes from the Universe via TUT.com. Here's the one I got today: 

It takes a really special person, Garrison, someone quite extraordinary, to find true happiness in the lap of luxury surrounded by wealth and abundance, friends and laughter, and choices, choices, choices.  And funnily enough, it's usually the exact same kind of person who can be happy without all that, spending time alone, maybe with a book, or some tools, or a dog for the odd distraction. 

I love this one. It got me thinking about why it's so hard to be happy when good things happen. As an artist, I know it's a real challenge for me to accept more money or a better slot or just to see goals I've set for myself come to fruition. Maybe I feel guilty because somebody else I love and think is talented feels bummed out because they didn't get it. Maybe I just feel like I don't deserve it altogether because I grew up in a community of people who were really judgmental and unforgiving in their beliefs and attitudes toward others. Whatever it is, it's a real struggle for me to accept myself for who I am and to accept that I deserve happiness and wealth in my life. 

The other part of this message that struck me is the idea that we can be happy wherever we are. I started out young in the music business, and I confused my identity with the opinions of others about me and my music. I thought that if I had status and money, that meant I was talented and worthy of people's love. Because of this belief, when I didn't have money or I wasn't being revered in the press or on tour, I felt like a piece of shit. 

I'm grateful today that I understand that money is a product of wealth, (not the other way around because wealth is a bigger picture deal) and my self-confidence and self-worth come from the work I'm doing on the inside. I'm learning to no longer seek approval on the outside. I'm in no way saying that I don't struggle with wanting to be liked or accepted- I'm just saying that when it doesn't happen the way I want it to, I'm learning that I can let it go and keep on seeking the approval of my higher self, which is what really matters to me. 

I'm so grateful for all the wonderful people I've been blessed to have in my life today, and I share this hoping it resonates for somebody out there. I'm learning so much from everybody else.  

love,

Hey friends and supporters!   I hope this email finds you all very well and happy. I just sat down in my favorite chair after a full day in the studio with the great and talented Margaret Cho. She's given me the honor of producing her next studio record which has some really fantastic songs on it. I couldn't be more excited about working with her as well as the other amazing dudes I have playing in her band. I'm so lucky, y'all- I have the greatest friends in the world. I'm so fortunate to get to learn from some great talent this week. I will keep you posted on the record and its release.              

The reason I'm writing is because I have a new project I'm working on called This, The Silent War. You've probably seen some of the pics we've put up over the last couple weeks on instagram courtesy of AG and her many talents. AG and I have collaborated a bunch for the project, and we've been recording with the amazing Bill Lefler who is producing what will be the forthcoming album.   I'll still be playing shows as Garrison Starr and writing for myself, etc…, but I'll be putting energy into this new thing as well. I'm excited to see what it becomes.   AG also directed a video for the first single, "Setting Sun", which will be released on October 1. The song will be available to purchase on iTunes that day as well. To hold you over, we've created this cool lyric video so you can check out the song. Please share all this with your friends as we roll things out. You've all been so wonderful to me over the years, and it would be special to me to have you be a part of the process from the ground floor.

Saturday, Sept. 28th, 2013

Faye Blais - http://www.fayeblais.com/ Aiden James - http://aidenjamesmusic.com/ Jill Knight - http://www.jillknight.com/Jill_Knight.html Tylan – tylanmusic.com Garrison Starr - http://garrisonstarr.com/ AG http://www.byaginc.com/

Gates: 2:30pm, music all day until 10:00 pm

tickets only $50 each ~ no tickets at the gate, pre-purchase only.

WE WILL ALSO HAVE AN GOURMET FOOD BOOTH !!

For tickets:

We accept PAYPAL PLEASE click send money [email protected]

OR send for tickets to:

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100% of tickets sales goes towards musicians and sound crew

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Hello people out in the world. Just as I'm settling back into life after a tour, I'm leaving again for another tour on Friday! I suppose that keeps me on my toes. 

Over the next week or so, I'll be posting some photos of my last tour in Holland and Germany. So keep an eye out and hope you like them. 

One thing I enjoy about going overseas, especially to Holland, is that there seems to be a different energy around everyday life than we have here. Money is a constant conversation in our country. We either don't have as much as we want or we have more than we could ever ask for. I really don't know many people who are just super content and in the middle. Speaking personally, I feel I've become a slave to money in some ways. Granted, my profession and its inconsistency in terms of finances doesn't help to find balance, but there has to be a way to be happy where Ia am, money aside. 

In amsterdam,Ii stumbled into a bar one day after eating some REAL space cake, and I got to talking to the bartender who happened to also be the owner. Somehow we got on the subject of working, and he said "It seems you Americans live to work. Here, we work to live, mostly". That really stuck with me, and I've been thinking about it ever since. 

One thing that I've started noticing as well about living here in the United States is the "every man for himself" mentality. I wish we could tweak that somewhat as a community. Well, I suppose in my own community we are all very conscious of helping each other and working together, but as a whole country, we suck at that. I'm also aware that the grass is always greener somewhere- we live in a pretty special place where we have the freedom to create whatever we can dream. That doesn't exist everywhere, and I know a lot of people come here to find their place and to create opportunity. I just like the idea of being a citizen of the world, and I think other countries make that more of a priority than we do. 

Europe has a cool energy in some places. I like it. I look forward to going back and learning more. 

I'm really grateful today, and my goal is to focus and work hard, Trusting that as I'm doing my part, the other parts are gonna fall into place. They always do. 

Have a great week, and I'll see you out there on the road

Hello Friends, 

I'm playing in your area soon and I want to see all of you there! If you don't see a ticket link, keep an eye out...they're coming. 

  See you there!

-Garrison

My girlfriend makes me watch "the secret." I get so irritated, but I humor her because what could it hurt? 

there is a woman in that movie who literally looks like sunshine. she has perfectly round hair that shoots out like sunbeams, and her smile takes up her whole face. she talks about telling the universe what you want and "letting it happen". i wanna reach through the TV and take her out at the knees she makes me so mad. with her giant smile and all the things she wants gifted from the universe. who are these people and what reality are they living in???? i did not grow up with this free flowing philosophy. it sounds like such a relief to me-don't get me wrong. i think that's why I'm skeptical. i grew up with the plan already laid out, see-predestination stuff. absolutes. and it certainly never mattered how i felt about any of it. manifestation would have been wasted energy in the religious equation of my youth.  

maybe what frustrates me about "the secret" is that they all seem so content and confident in their successes. they speak so easily and freely about it. "just do this and you can have what i have!!!". (i will admit that part of my problem is the story of the book of Job in the old testament. that book has scarred me for life.)

so this got me thinking about how i define success for myself. i have to be honest-what i came up with is totally depressing, so I'm gonna spare you the trip down that rabbit hole. instead what I'll say is i think I've been asking myself the wrong questions. following the call of your heart is hard. it can be terrifying, lonely and hopeless. it can also be the most exciting life ever. and maybe even achieving the life of your dreams, i.e. doing exactly what you want and love to do, is success. why does there have to be more? what is the "more" to be strived for? 

What continues to resonate with me is to keep working. I am an artist-that is who I am. I have been rejected as much as I have been praised and sought after since I've been making records. Actually, probably more rejected since I've become a true independent artist from an industry standpoint. I keep working toward the light that drives me. 

Speaking of successes and failures, I wanna mention the "Slow Crawl" video YouTube debacle that stripped us of almost 100,000 legitimate views. apparently, YouTube was using some of the marketing money they were being paid-legitimately-to promote videos, like mine, and in trying to cut some corners, they used a bot that raised a flag within their own system!!!! so a ton of artists got fucked, and they refuse to make it right or even have conversations with anybody about it. that's a corporation for you-behind the iron door. 

I bring it up not to put a bad vibe out there-i want y'all to know we did nothing wrong, and now we are determined to get all those views back for the video and more, without any help from YouTube. we are having a Jerry Maguire moment here, friends-"these fish have manners! These fish are coming with me. Who else is coming with me?". 

I am intensely proud of the record I made last year called "amateur." This is the best work I have done as an artist, and it's the first record out of 7 that I have released completely independent of a label or any other financial backer. Those of you who contributed financially to the pledge campaign know that it was and is completely fan funded. I'm still excited about the work we have done together, and I hope you will all continue to spread the word about this project you helped to create. When I say "you are my team," that's the God's honest truth. 

Here's to the process, and thanks for letting me share. 

In order to better prepare for my upcoming Stage It! show...... I'm watching Halloween. How that helps me get ready for my show, I have no clue. 

Day 14! OMG Y'all! We made it! Here's to Los Angeles. My Life, My inspiration. 

New Friends, Old Friends, and Amazing Experiences