One of the greatest challenges touring artists face is managing down time. The few hours of excitement visible to audiences at each show is tempered by many more hours riding, driving or flying to get there, and not everyone can find ways to effectively alternate productivity and relaxation on the road.
Camaraderie within groups is essential for people who essentially live together within the confines of a tour bus, and sidemen and band leaders alike are subject to boredom, loneliness – and sometimes bad choices – when away from home and family for regular stretches of time.
Of course it helps if you love what you do, something that keeps Dailey & Vincent fresh and fun over the course of their busy schedule.
In addition to his obvious talent, Jamie Dailey is a highly-organized and thoughtful person, and not the sort to let idle time slip away into frivolity. From his perfectly-mussed hair to the professionalism with which he and Darrin Vincent manage their business, no one would imagine him letting potentially fruitful hours go to waste.
Jamie has used some of his non-stage time of late to pen an autobiography, tentatively titled The Story of A Dreamer. He is working with an editor now, finishing up revisions, and hopes to have it available by the end of 2013.
In an interview over the weekend, Dailey gave us a brief overview of what to expect between the covers.
“It is a book about my life… growing up, the hard times, the good times, and all in between. I also talk about how I got started in music, my influences, and of course the challenges I’ve had along the way, as well as the successes. There’s plenty about my faith, family and friends, and tons of funny stories.”
A central component of the book will be Jamie’s time with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and the careful way that he and Darrin planned the launch of their new group. They had a band hired, an album recorded, and dates booked before word hit the street that he was leaving Doyle – and Darren leaving Ricky Skaggs – to start this new venture in 2007.
The meteoric rise of Dailey & Vincent has been widely-reported here and elsewhere, with the band all but sweeping the 2008 IBMA Awards after just a year in the business.
Dailey is an inspirational figure in many ways, and if you’ve heard him speak in a serious vein, you already know that in contrast to the clown he often plays on stage, he is a serious man with something to say beyond providing entertainment.
“I will be sharing my memories of my trip overseas with Ambassador Faith Whittlesey in 2007, representing the United States and trying and help strengthen our relations with foreign countries.”
It sounds like The Story of A Dreamer will serve as an interesting, first hand peek into the bluegrass music world for fans, while offering insights into how to achieve success in the biz for other artists.
I certainly look forward to reading it.
