Sparks from the Fire

Let’s talk about failure for a moment.  In my experience, as well as for every other artist who tries to “make it”, perhaps the hardest part of dealing with one’s artistry is the problem of overcoming rejection.  Every artist faces rejection constantly and many eventually turn to something else because of their inability to handle it.  I face rejection constantly and have learned to know that it’s never my spiritual man that’s rejected, but rather just my mortal mistakes.

And ya’ know, those need to be rejected.  It’s my duty to uncover the errors and correct them so that they will have no future basis.

Rejection is not failure.  The only real career failure you can have in life  is to turn 80, look back and say, “I wish I had tried to do that — I wish I had attempted that journey.”  Now that’s failure.

I had a young man speak to me after a concert once who said that he wished he had taken the time in his life to learn to play the guitar and that he was sorry that he would never be able to play as well as I play.  Now he was on the verge of failure.

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The Jenny Burton Experience played to sold out houses and ran for seven years in one of New York City’s top clubs, opened for Stevie Wonder at Lincoln Center, played Carnegie Hall and was the first Gospel group to headline in Atlantic City (at Resorts International).

Jenny Burton

Critics unanimously agreed…

“No wonder the whole town’s buzzing.  No wonder there’s so much repeat business.  No wonder she’s been playing to packed houses…  No wonder she’s been extended again and again…” – John Hoglund, New York Native

“If you can’t put aside a Thursday night to catch “The Jenny Burton Experience” at midtown’s Don’t Tell Mama, you can always toss 10 sticks of dynamite into your tool shed and watch the roof take off for the stratosphere.” – Bill Ervolino, The Record

This song closed the show during that magical time.

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