Welcome Home

Who I am, sort of

Many people have followed me in the past few days since I posted a note about my mom. Those who get these posts as an email may wonder what you missed. The Substack app has ‘notes,’ like tweets or threads. You wouldn’t see those if you were only on my email list. If you wish the conversation on social media was a little more elevated, you’d like Substack. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of garbage here, too, but even people who post garbage generally know how to use the Oxford comma.

If you’re new, thank you for following and subscribing. Though I hardly write controversial material, some people create controversy where there is none, and I block them. I’m the King of Jonathan Byrd, and although I will suffer a fool, I will not allow meanness. I also very rarely put anything behind a paywall. I’d love your support, but having a diverse community of readers is also important to me.

So, who am I? I’m a Gulf War veteran, a Southern Baptist preacher’s kid, an award-winning songwriter, and a college student. In my public life, I have toured for 25 years, performing my songs all over the US, Canada, and Europe. Usually, when people discover I’m a songwriter, they ask if I’ve written something they’ve heard. It’s not likely, to be honest. I am precisely famous enough to make money but unknown enough to walk down the street without being harassed.

Photo by Bob Denton, Cary Theater, Cary, NC

I’m also a dad to a teenager and a caretaker for my elderly mother. We bought a house together, and all three generations see each other almost daily.

Most of us had some sort of pandemic review. In my assessment, my career rarely served my family and community at home, though I became part of a beautiful community spread across many countries. While I was pandemically laid off, I tried many different ways to make money with limited success. Touring had been essential to my financial success. If I wanted to continue to support my family financially when the venues opened again, I would have to sacrifice my time with them.

Though high school was a nightmare for a kid in the 80s with ADHD, I had a knack for math, and I was fascinated with physics. Last year, at the tender age of 52, my girlfriend suggested I explore that interest and take a class at the community college. I took the placement tests and did well enough to start an Associate in Science. I signed up for a single class, precalculus algebra, and I was terrified. The first day, I forgot to take my meds.

But I loved it. I made an A in the class. I went to a meeting for an NC State transfer program, and two days later, they asked me what I wanted to study. I said, “Physics.” They told me to take a full course load every semester and keep a B average.

So that’s what I’m doing right now. I have a 4.0 so far.

I still play music, write, and teach people how to play my songs at https://www.patreon.com/c/jonathanbyrdmusic

I’m also playing next Saturday in Carrboro, North Carolina.

Carrboro ArtsCenter
400 Roberson Street
Carrboro NC
https://app.amilia.com/store/en/theartscenter/shop/products/19502515

To the recent Substack immigrants and the citizens of my email list — some of whom have been with me for twenty years — welcome home. Your fan,

Jonathan Byrd