November 9, 2018, I experienced a series of wonderful surprises.  I had the extraordinary opportunity to sit down and interview Ian Moore for my podcast in the Green Room of the Kessler Theater before his show.  Let me say that again, I interviewed Ian Moore, in the Green Room of the Kessler Theater, before his show.  How cool is that?  I just like saying it.  Let me back up.  Recently I starting sending emails to some entertainers, authors, and other persons of interest that I would like to interview for my podcast.  I would check Prekindle and other event sites, and reach out to the people that look interesting.   People that I  think are extrausual and that I would love to sit down and question.  Being new to the podcasting medium, I had no expectation on what the response might be to my emails.   I mentioned in my emails that the interviewee would have to travel to Waxahachie for the interview.  Ian Moore emailed back and said that he would do the podcast if I traveled to the Kessler.  Wow!  Surprise number one.  This caused me a huge dilemma.  I could not pass up this opportunity but I have never tried to interview a person outside of my office.  I went to Office Depot and bought a rolling computer/briefcase, and said yes.  I stuck with my commitment to saying yes.  I came home and crammed all of my stuff into the one new briefcase/rolling bag and started researching Ian Moore.  Wow! Surprise number two.I was just floored by Ian’s career and life story.  Ian grew up in Austin where he was a child prodigy on the violin.  Because of an incident in his teens, which is described in the podcast, he cut the tendons in his left hand.  After the incident, he couldn’t play the violin anymore and started playing guitar.  Ian played the Honky Tonks and Bars of Austin in the late 80’s and 90’s.  In 1993, he released his first record, self-titled – Ian Moore.  As Wikipedia describes the record and his career,“The success of this album spawned multiple radio hits, TV appearances, and tours with artists such as Bob Dylan, ZZ Top, Paul Weller, and the Rolling Stones. His second record, Modernday Folklore, was voted one of the greatest art moments in Art of America, and led to more high level touring through the US and Europe, as well as his top charting song, Muddy Jesus, which made it into the top 5 AOR rock radio charts……Though mostly busy with his solo releases and touring, he has scored film and TV, as well as stints as a sidemen with artists as diverse as Jason Mraz and Roky Erickson. He has been on late night shows (Letterman), morning shows (Today show). He has collaborated with Ice Cube, Prince B, Spiral Stairs, and more. His ambition and drive keep him operating at a breakneck pace, releasing records and touring throughout the US and Europe. 2016 has found him touring the US 5 times, releasing a new soul covers EP, The Noble Art, starting a charity, SMASH, which assists Seattle musicians with health care, and becoming a Grammy Governor. 2017 will see the release of his next album, Strange Days and quite a bit more touring, recording, and collaborating.”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Moore_(musician)Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Jason Moranz, and Ice Cube, these people are not normally associated with me.  I was immediately intimidated.  I do not have a musical bone in my body.  So, I recruited my little brother, Jarrett to do the podcast with me.  He is the Hinds’ Family Musician.  I definitely needed back up.  The more I read about Ian, the more intrigued I became.  This is not just a musician, but a man that gives back to the art.  SMASH is mentioned in the Wikipedia article, Seattle Musicians Access to Sustainable Healthcare.  After leaving Austin, Ian moved to an island off the coast of Washington near Seattle.  To help the local musicians, Ian started this charity to get healthcare for musicians in the Seattle area.  The charity’s idea is based on a similar type of entity in Austin.  Ian replicated the charity in Seattle for the benefit of the local musicians.  SMASH’s website state’s the following:“SMASH is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping our music community healthy and thriving by providing health education, advocacy, and access to preventative healthcare to Seattle area working musicians.” http://smashseattle.org/Ian is the Founder and President of this organization.  What a great cause!  Not only does Ian support his musical brethren with healthcare, he also conducts songwriting workshops.  Ian gives back to his craft by teaching others.  You can check out his workshops on his website at: http://www.ianmoore.com/songwriting-workshop/This is a man with altruistic and philanthropic values.  Surprise number three.  Ian is a rock icon, one of the best guitar players ever, obviously intelligent and driven, and willing to sit down and let me interview him (more altruism).  Wow!I showed up at the Green Room.  Initially, my little brother patiently waited while I did my last minute research on Ian in the truck.  I did not want to look like a complete idiot.  Jarrett and I set up the equipment.  Jarrett fixed my settings on the mixing board for me.  I was very nervous.  Ian comes in, sets his guitar down, and says he only has a few minutes.  He and the band have to get something to eat before their show.  And we start.Huge surprise number four.  I found an extremely intelligent, thoughtful, humble person with deep thoughts on all sorts of subjects.  I can not describe how impressed I was with this man.  I believe Ian can hold his own on any topic with any person.  This guy is sharp.  I was just blown away.  We talked about his childhood, his family, his career, the music industry, raising kids, philosophy, religion, spirituality, and all kinds of stuff.  I think I could talk to this guy for hours.  I know we talked for over an hour and a half.  Although Ian initially said he only had a few minutes, I was the one that stopped the interview because I lost track of time and talked through my dinner reservation at Bolsa.  I was meeting my wife and daughter there and let time get away from me.   We parted ways quickly.  Jarrett said Ian’s band was sitting in their van to eat the whole time we were doing the interview.  If I ever get the chance, I have to apologize to the band.  I got to Bolsa late, had a great dinner and got back for the show.  Now comes the biggest and best surprise of the day, the performance.I still didn’t know what to expect.  I read about Ian and listened to some of his songs on Spotify, but what I experienced at the Kessler that night was amazing.  I am far from an expert in music.  My musical tastes usually run about twenty-five years behind the times.  But I will try and relate my experience at the Kessler by comparing it to some of my best experiences with live music.  Most of my live music memories occurred before kids, bear with me.  The best showman I have seen (before Ian) was Rusty Weir.  I saw him at the Texas Theater in Waxahachie.  It was an intimate setting and Rusty walked in with a bottle of tequila and controlled the room.  If there were hecklers, he heckled back.  It was greatness.  I have never seen anyone control the room like Rusty did, until Ian.  For overall vibe of performance, without a doubt, my best experience was B.B. King at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas.  I saw B.B. King at least three times that I can remember.  He was awesome every time.  But that night at the Longhorn Ballroom, it was something special.  We were part of the extremely minority number of Caucasian attendees.  It was bring your own liquor and we came prepared.  The electricity in the room was contagious and B.B. put on an amazing show.  This show was without a doubt the best show I have attended, until Ian.  Ian’s fifth surprise was the grandest.  His performance brought back to me the memories of B.B. King at the Longhorn, of Rusty Weir at the Texas Theater, of Eric Johnson, and many other musical experiences in my life.  These experiences were lost deep behind the memories of raising kids, paying bills, work, and everything else in life.  Ian reminded me why I saw the Grateful Dead three times, why I saw Robert Earl Keen four or five times, memories of Cooder Graw and Houston Marchman.  Ian reintroduced me to live music in an intimate setting.  I want to thank him for that.  Ian was the best showman I have ever seen.  He controlled the crowd, rocked the theater, and made the guitar sing.  The songs I listened to on Spotify before the show did not prepare me for the performance I experienced.  Some musicians must be seen live.  I think Ian is one of these special musicians.  During the podcast, Ian talked about introducing his nineteen-year-old son to Bob Dylan.  He gleamed when he talked about the opportunity to relive the discovering of Bob Dylan’s music for the first time.    I can’t describe how impressed I was with Ian and how much I enjoyed our conversation. This is why I got into podcasting.Ian is playing December 14th at Poor David’s Pub in Dallas.  Do yourself a favor and go see this great musician and great man.  Someone described him as a renaissance man.  I believe this is just about the best comment you can bestow upon a person.  I concur in their opinion.  Ian Moore is a real renaissance man.  Ian Moore Christmas Acoustic Shoe, December 14th at Poor David’s Pub, Ian Moore’s Website: http://www.ianmoore.com/Ian Moore Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IanMooreOfficial/Ian Moore Instagram:  @gogoianIan Moore Tweeter:  @gogoian