JD says "It is what it is"

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

I must have heard that statement and said that statement 150 times this week end from JD and others. Bottom line is everything that was or will be, is what it is.

You screw up, oh well, "iiwii". Your amp sounds bad today, oh well, "iiwii". Not much you can do about it, so just live with it and move on. I love this stuff. I feel better already, dump the mental junk and move on. Life will be so much easier when we can just get to the point that "it is what it is" and then just move on.

Thanks JD

Larry Behm

Mark Eaton · Posted 23 May 2006 1:40 pm

Who is JD?

Jay Dee Maness?

Jerry Douglas?

J.D. Crowe, the bluegrass banjo player?

We're happy to read everyone's topics, and hopefully contribute something - but if you put yourself in the reader's shoes how can we know what you're talking about?

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Mark

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

It would be hard to argue with somebody who says that "It is what it is." Would you agree with somebody who says "It is what it ain't"??, assuming that he is not a moron and not President.

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

I'm guessing that was something Jimmy Day said.

Lee, from South Texas

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

I am pretty sure Popeye came up with that line first. "I yam what I yam and thats all what i yam". It could have been David Wright tho cause he kinda resembles popeye a little bit, but with Blutos temperment...hehe. Just kiddin there David, dont hurt me please! It was good to know (and see) that even legends play the occasional clam.

[This message was edited by Ben Jones on 23 May 2006 at 04:06 PM.]

David Wright · From: Pilot Point ,Tx USA.

wouldn't dream of it Ben.....

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

My son just made that statement to me the other day about his girlfriend. There ain't no point in worrying about something you have no control over. It is what it is and it was what it was and what it's gonna be. Just keep on jammin.

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Practice and rehearsal will overcome "what it is" every day of the week.

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

maybe Kevin, but it will still be what it is. As Earnest said, its hard to argue with that. Que sera sera ...I yam what I yam...whatever will be will be...it is what it is. The couple times I heard JayDee say it, was in a truly humble reference to his own playing. "this lick isnt hard, it is what it is". What I took from that was that this is music, not some magical unobtainable mystic power...we can all do this if we put in the effort and time...we cant and we shouldnt all sound like JayDee, because we are who we are. But we can all play this stuff and put ourselves into it and express ourselves and our individuality thru IT. It is what it is, it aint what it aint...now Im gonna go sit under a fig tree for a while.

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

Ben nice post, nice to somewhat meet you, as we did not have a real chance for interaction. Call me sometime. 503-722-7562

Larry Behm

Charles Curtis · Posted 24 May 2006 2:20 pm

IMO, Jay Dee and a few others have that certain "magic"; or maybe it's a determined focus or a "gift". The first time I saw Jay Dee play, many years ago, I was mesmerized. I only hope that before I leave this life I'll get to see him play again in person.

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

Charles dont get me wrong, JayDee does have that magic and he is special. He has a unique voice and tone and a lifetime of playing experience which allows him to express himself freely and in a way that is thrilling and beautiful to the listener, that is what makes him a great artist...his unique and beautiful "voice". When you hear him play, you instantly know who it is, and hearing him live is like a jolt to the spine, that tone just snaps right into you.
As I said we cant sound like JayDee and we shouldnt sound like JayDee...we should sound like ourselves whoever that may be. JayDee said he took alot of stuff from Lloyd Green, but that he made it his own, then he generously gave us a bunch of his licks and told us to play them but make them our own just as he had done with what he got from Lloyd. The fact is not everyone who picks up a paint brush is going to be a Michaelangelo, and not everyone who plays guitar is gonna be a JayDee or lloyd Green...those people ARE special, they are literally one in a million. but we can still express ourselves and create happiness and beauty thru our art or music and possibly even acheive greatness. The best thing we can do as artists or musicians or in any creative endeavor is just to be true to ourselves, be ourselves, dont try to be anyone else, express ourselves to the very limits of our technical abilities, and put our hearts and souls into it honestly. Thats how great art is made...period. When i was struggling thru art school and eating ramen noodles three meals a day, I had the bright idea that i would make some more conventional tamer art so that i could possibly sell a peice or two t a restaurant or hotel and eat. I tried , but no matter what I started out intending to do, i would always make it totally unsaleable by putting too much of my own personality into the thing. Finally an older wiser artist said to me "You are gonna do what you are gonna do, you are gonna make what you are gonna make, tryin to make anything else aint gonna work". and thats how I try to approach music, i dont worry about sounding like someone else, or writing a "hit" song, or being as good as JayDee or Buddy, I worry (well I dont actually worry) about writing a good song that I like that expresses my views or feelings or whatever, and just being myself...thats enough of a chore (and a blessing/curse) right there in and of itself. and I think it relates in a very tangible way to "it is what it is"

Larry, ditto, nice kind of breifly meeting you as well. It was great hearing you play, I loved the c6th rock stuff! Wonderful tone too, I am gonna start pricing Webb's. I'll be in Portland the weekend of July 1, i was hoping i might get lucky and your band would be playin then?

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

Fill-oso-fee, Fill-oso-fee!

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“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
Current Equipment

Mark Edwards · From: Weatherford,Texas, USA

Something else that has helped me mentally (of course I'm really not mentally stable) is:

"The Only Thing That I Know, I Know, Is I Don't Know" you know what I mean.

In other words, I know today, that I don't know, therefore it gives me room to improve.

Tommy White · From: Nashville

If it wasn't this , it would be something else.

[This message was edited by Tommy White on 25 May 2006 at 08:35 AM.]

David Doggett · Posted 25 May 2006 8:52 am

I once worked with a guy from China who was trying to learn American slang and figures of speech. The hardest things for me to explain to him were phrases like, "as it were," and, "so to speak."

Brint Hannay · From: Maryland, USA

Larry, you didn't answer Mark's question ("Who is JD?") Everyone seems to assume (probably correctly) that it's JayDee Maness. Is that right?

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Ben, I like your post.

David Wright · From: Pilot Point ,Tx USA.

yes it is Mr. Maness

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