Thread: The album cover

My partner asked me to design his album cover for him a few months back. At the time it seemed like a monumental task, because I have no experience in photo editing, other than the stuff I do for fun. But I took it on because, you only live once, and we are both getting older.

He has a rich, mellow voice - perfect for his bluesy, country, rock-a-billy music. He's been a live musician for 20 years now (sometimes, as a full time job, sometimes on weekends). Then, in October, he had to have all of his top teeth surgically removed, for medical reasons. Any body with common sense would have thought, he would never perform again. I remember worrying that he wouldn't be able to, and worrying about what that would do to him. Music has always been his therapy, his escape, his source of healing. Well, as it turns out, it really was his source of healing. He started practicing only two weeks after he could speak again (and not even clearly). Those first few times, I had to muffle a cry in the next room. So did he. He was so depressed at first.Then one day, we went to visit our friends on their ranch. They take in abused animals,and one in particular, helped Adam in a thousand ways... we had watched this animal the last few months, go from being a bone-thin,walking skeleton with no will to live, to become the well fed, loved, trusting animal that he is today. Adam and me leaned on the rail of the horse ring, watching the farrier (the husband of the woman who takes them in) as he rode the gelding for the first time. It was anxious, sweating, terrified at first - of people. You knew, it was afraid that it would be hurt again. But then some magical thing happened, and with the gentle nudges of the farrier, and everyone standing by silently urging the horse on, it settled down. Adam said "Animals are just like people. Its amazing what a little dignity can do." I looked at him and nodded, tearful and glowing. "Yeh." After that we went to the barn, and this same horse just leaned on him, and Adam leaned on it... it was such a beautiful moment. Adam got the message.



After that, he changed his whole attitude about his future, and the chances of him singing in public again. He no longer cared about people looking at him funny. He started practicing 1-2 hours every day. He relearned how to talk, sing, and play the harmonica again,in just 6 weeks! And he sounds better than he ever did. He's working on recording 43 songs at the moment, going up at Reverbnation as it gets finished. I'm so proud of him. He's living proof that with the right attitude, you can beat any odds....