Welcome to The Truth in His Heart. Thank you for tuning in to my conversations at the intersection of arts, culture, and community. I am your host, Rob Lee. Today, I am super excited to be joined by my next guest, a renowned and award winning jazz vocalist, pianist, educator, and activist. My guest serves as executive director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities where he oversees the commission's efforts to support and promote the arts in the District of Columbia.
Rob Lee:Please welcome Aaron Myers the second. Welcome to the podcast.
Aaron Myers:Thank you for having me.
Rob Lee:Thank you for coming on, and, I'm I'm a little jealous right now. Like, I feel like you're more blazed up than me. You got, like we got this video thing. You got yours tightened up. I I got a line of mine.
Rob Lee:I didn't go to the barbershop today, so I'm a little, you know, I'm a little annoyed by that.
Aaron Myers:Well, I tried, like, I do it really myself, but it's like a daily thing. So I remember seeing my grandfather, you know, shave almost daily, and I try to do the same thing. I can't help it. You know?
Rob Lee:I dig it. I dig it. It it's it's like that that bit from that that movie 40 year old virgin. He's just like, you think this is unintentional? He's like, no.
Rob Lee:No. No. No. Right.
Aaron Myers:Right. Right. Right. I'm just graying more than I would have, liked, I would say. I'm starting to graying more.
Rob Lee:I as this grows out, I see a few on the sides of, like, look.
Aaron Myers:Yeah. It's gonna happen.
Rob Lee:So, again, thank you for for making the time to to come on. And, generally, you know, when I do these intros, it's an artist statement. It's sort of one of these online pieces that kinda cut and paste thing, and I find that often something is missing. I'll interview folks, and I'm like, yeah, you're on as a musician, you're on as a director of this, and they're like, you know how to box too. Right?
Rob Lee:You know how to do all of these other things. So I wanna give you the space before we get into the larger questions to to introduce yourself and your your own words, what have you. So if you will, give us a little, you know, dose of who Aaron Myers is.
Aaron Myers:Well, I was like you know, when I truncate it, I like to say, you know, I am an artist, with a government job now. You know? From my artistry, I'm a jazz artist by trade, but I've also I've written both for the stage and for screen, and I've written 2 books. I am a recording artist a recording artist, it is. And the work that I do has been centered around advocacy, a great number of years.
Aaron Myers:And I say that selfishly because the advocacy I've done are things that personally touched me and would be improved if the world was more aware around mental health, LGBTQ rights, and artist rights, of of course. And then as far as, you know, the 9 to 5, there are 2 primary jobs. I've been on April 6th, I will have celebrated 14 years as the minister of music at Covenant Baptist, UCC. It's a, predominantly African American, civil rights led, open and affirming, fully inclusive church here in the nation's capital. And I am the executive director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, which is a state on agency of, the District of Columbia.
Aaron Myers:You know? And from a volunteer standpoint, you know, of course, I'm on the board of directors for some nonprofits that, of course, centered around the things that I care about, such as Crittenton Services of Greater Washington, 135 year old organization that is centered around, teen girls and the work and the the the support that they need, and celebrating the lesson they can teach us as well as, on executive committee with the NAACP here in Washington, and I'm on the board of governors for the DC chapter of the Recording Academy.
Rob Lee:So so you're doing it all is what you're saying?
Aaron Myers:Yeah. I I'm happy. I gotta tell a Uber driver the other day that, you know, you know, asking about what do you do for fun? And I'm like, I'm living what I do for fun. I love doing my artistry.
Aaron Myers:I love doing my advocacy. I love being influential in my policy work, and I love being able to give back in a meaningful way. And so I happen to be able to do all of these things.
Rob Lee:It's wonderful. And and thank you. That's, you know, when we have a a full plate and we're in these all of these different, like, areas, whether it be sort of our own creative fulfillment or professional fulfillment. Professional fulfillment, what what is what is, feeding us and and putting a roof over our heads and what is, satisfying our our souls. It's it's long days, you know, being able to balance all of those things.
Rob Lee:I, you know, definitely relate to it in, you know, going back and forth to DC, going to Philly, going to these different places and riding that wave of ambition. And it's all driven by sort of the creative thing and, you know, trying to do right by the things that matter to me. You know, helping folks get their word out because often, it's underrepresented or unrepresented folks that I'm speaking to and and folks that I think can move the needle as far as, like, artistry and whose stories matter.
Aaron Myers:Right. Right. Right.
Rob Lee:So going back a little bit, this is sort of the the part b to that initial question. Could you share a bit about your upbringing? I see Texas and, you know, in ways that perhaps that upbringing has informed how you go about your work professional professionally, artistically, and from an activism standpoint?
Aaron Myers:Well, I was raised predominantly in a sharecropping community, called Goodloe, Texas, and that's 60 miles south of Dallas, about 40 miles east. And it was, a city that was predominantly predominantly made up of the descendants of either grandchildren and children of former slaves and, sharecroppers as well, of course, the laboring community. And from there, I was able to, be supported in a great way by, the people there, the the church. And I got to see how community minded my family was. And so, like, perfect example, my grandparents had about a half a acre behind their house in a lot.
Aaron Myers:And on that lot, they would plant a garden every year. And with that garden, they made it free. They never charged to get it planted. And the rule was you just come and get what you need. Don't take too much.
Aaron Myers:Just get what you need and leave some for other people who may wanna go out there and get them some greens or some what have you to head out there. You know? And so that was something that I, you know, grew up just seeing that you you're supposed to care for your community. My grandmother, we, you know, we would see who's on the 2nd shut in list at church. And then during the week, my grandmother would walk that community and go through and see people.
Aaron Myers:And some people may need some cleaning or some sewing or some cooking or whatever. You take this down and so and so. They may need this, and that's just what you do. Or when someone's getting ready to go to to college or they were going to college, we take up a whole collection at church, and we would, you know, it was just part of what you do, and I have not changed. I don't know what in society and what in the world changed, but, you know, when you see people who are in need, who need support, and you have the wherewithal to offer some support, you know, you you do it if you can.
Aaron Myers:If you see someone who is doing good things and is striving to be better. I remember when I first went to Hollywood, my grandmother would send me, care packages. And sometimes, she didn't realize it. It was the that was what I was gonna eat the next week, because, you know, you're unemployed actor or artist in in LA. You know?
Aaron Myers:That that that's what happens. I remember when, we would, you know, either make it on the honor roll or when I got elected class president. You know? There was announcement made in church, and people clapped and supported in us. And I think some of the earliest public performances I did were to honor members of the community or for the NAACP.
Aaron Myers:And so I watched my mother operate in activism. My uncle was an alderman. My, cousin was the president of the chapter of the NAACP for our county. And I watched them do it as a part of this this is what this is what we do, and this is what you're supposed to do and do it. And so this is it's all I've known my life to be.
Aaron Myers:So my life starting out was, as I look back, seeing, you know, how though the adults then, who are my age now, did everything they could to make it as pleasant for the young people coming up despite the racial, the racism and the economic constraints that they were under because of their race and the region and the state they lived in. Yeah.
Rob Lee:It's almost like you'd you'd you'd know, but it wouldn't, I would imagine it it it wouldn't really prevent you know, I you know, I I remember, you know, we broke into projects right here in Baltimore, and I just remember my brother and I, we were kind of reminisce on us. Like, man, we really broke. It's like, nah, parents never let us know that. It was just like, hey, get up, go to school, do your stuff. And at that time, I wanted to be an illustrator.
Rob Lee:So it's just like, hey, you got all of the books, You got all of the materials. Here's all the after school programs. Whatever we want you to whatever you wanna get in and wanna pursue from a, creative standpoint, from a scholastic standpoint, we're gonna do our our our best to make sure you get in there. So looking at it now, approaching 40, I'm like, oh, wow. They were making sacrifices.
Rob Lee:A challenge. And, you know, seeing it with that that context, it's, it's eye opening. It's eye opening.
Aaron Myers:Yes. And grateful for it too. I I distinctly remember when my mother, turned 40. I remember when my mother when my mother turned 40 and what she was managing. And I'm now 40 in my forties.
Aaron Myers:You know? And I'm like, how on earth was that woman doing all of this? This is this is wild. You know? But she did.
Aaron Myers:You know? But it was a different time, and we, cannot stress that. 40 today is not 40 then. Right. Resources then are not resources today.
Aaron Myers:100%. You you were not competing with certain levels of attention, regardless of what that attention is that then as you are competing for today. So the the goalpost goalposts are different. I must say that. But, yeah.
Aaron Myers:It's but I'm still in awe of what my mother and those adults did.
Rob Lee:That's great. So I I I wanna I wanna shift gears a a touch towards, you know, the your your multifaceted creative interest. Like, you know, you had the writing. You said you said acting in there as well, and, obviously, you know, being a musician. So could you speak on, you know, what, like, aspect of any of the creative process, like, you know, you kind of pick dealer's choice here, but which aspects of those creative process, whether it be like, all right, I got this idea or, you know what, I want to do this album.
Rob Lee:This is the direction I want to go. And these are, you know, sort of like the compositions I want to work in, like, the writing I want to do. What brings you the most satisfaction creatively? What brings you, like, sort of the most, like, like, you know, gets those grays kinda popping a little bit more? What's the most challenging, if you will?
Aaron Myers:Well, I I I've told people I said that, you know, artists I'm an artist first. So as an artist, I've I've I'm not bound by discipline, which is a fun thing I'd like to think. But what's wild is that, you know, we artists are the only people who can close their eyes and see visions of things that have never happened before, can, you know, be in a silent room and hear tons of music that's never been composed before. You know? Or in a quiet space or in a loud space have an entire play musical, what have you, drumming in their heads.
Aaron Myers:You know? That could be either seen on the pages of a book or on the stages or on the screen. We are crazy. The the the the what separates us from being completely, you know, out there is that we dare to make it real Mhmm. In some way.
Aaron Myers:We dare to take that idea from a music's perspective for, this inference and sit at a piano or whatever instrument, for me, it's the piano, and try to put in real terms what I'm hearing internally. And then taking a chance on if the music that I put out would possibly resonate with someone else.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Aaron Myers:That's a daring thing to do, and it's a very vulnerable thing to do. Yeah. You know? The one thing I don't do is that I'm surrounded by now a great deal is visual art. And I think how amazing it is for someone to, you know it's one thing to capture a picture, but to paint 1.
Aaron Myers:You know? Who would have known, that when, the Mona Lisa had been created, that we would see versions of that 100 of years later still referenced in a sense, or what Andy Warhol would do with his where Basquiat. I mean, who would have known that they would be house still household names today? Right.
Rob Lee:No one
Aaron Myers:would be. They they would have not known, but they dare to do they dare to make real what they had seen in their minds. I think it's absolutely amazing in my opinion.
Rob Lee:Yeah. Yeah. The the daring piece of it is is is something like I'll I'll share this. This is the closest thing. I have minimal musical talent.
Aaron Myers:Okay. I I
Rob Lee:always sit there like, okay. I can this tune. You know? It's like it's like, Pharrell and Chad Hugo ideated. So, yeah, we're gonna do this.
Rob Lee:Let me just knock this beat around. Right. I I remember it was a podcast listening party, and Mhmm. I'm sitting there and, you know, apparently, I have a distinct voice. I I I only have the voice that I have.
Rob Lee:Right? Right. I'm I'm sitting there for this sort of listening party at this, like, really, like, hipstery, like, hotel setup. It was really nice, really cool, and I'm just sitting there, and the folks think that, oh, yeah, you're just here for the listening party, and I'm getting that sort of, like, real life feedback. I'm like, oh, that was cringe.
Rob Lee:Oh, I do remember saying that. I said, here and really just all of the the sort of, like, ick and the the creative thing, but then also feeling that sense of pride, like, I did this. I think this conversation went well, and, you know, I'm I chime in because they you know, the person proctoring it asks me, like, so, Rob, what do you think about the podcast you just listened to? And I was like, well, because I'm in it. They're like, you're you're the Rob guy.
Rob Lee:And I was like, yeah, I am. And, and then getting that sort of, like, real life feedback and something I said that was so so goofy and so corny about it was, a gym that the guest dropped, and I was like, man, I'm eating that up like caramel, and I just I think that it I was like, okay, this affects, and this this hit in these ways, and I don't know. It's just something really cool about it. It's like being there in front of an audience that doesn't quite know that this is work that you did and you put time and energy into.
Aaron Myers:All the time. The the it's the time and energy part of it. Yeah. That no one you you do hours and hours, days and days, weeks weeks of rehearsals for a show that might last 70 minutes or 3 hours at the most.
Rob Lee:Where what do you find to be the the most well, this this one is this question is is in that same vein, but slightly different. So with within the journey and then we we met in person. You know, we we chatted it up, and I was talking about how I mean, I was a statesman. You're like, well, I actually had a radio show. Okay.
Rob Lee:But, you know, there there are these different, like, milestones in it that, you know, in this whole, like, creative journey for me, I suppose. So I wanna get your take on it of what has been that period that was, like, maybe the most rewarding within the journey? Like, what what was that phase? What was the most informational? What was the most, like, challenging?
Rob Lee:Like, hey. Starting out was was hard. You know? Just kinda getting out there, being new to a scene, or maybe a move was, you know, getting getting you know, working in Russia as we, you know, talked about before. Was that a very rewarding opportunity?
Rob Lee:What was the most informational? So speak on those, like, sort of touch points in terms of, you know, informational, in terms of, you know, rewarding for you and and challenges in the phases of your career as an artist?
Aaron Myers:Well, I can say the, I felt the most informed starting out, that's when this is when I was doing Blog Talk Radio in a sense. I, did something that was not done. I got the Blog Talk Radio. It was called The Exchange online, and I and I got a website as well. And so every morning at 6 o'clock, 6 AM, I had about between a 500 word and 700 word, political op ed that would be posted there.
Rob Lee:Sure.
Aaron Myers:And then throughout the day, I would follow the news. And if there was a press conference, I would report live and have it published on the website. And then that that would be either, political news or something within pop culture in a sense. And then I did the daily, Monday through Friday at 11 AM for the 1st 2 years, and then it was at 1 PM, Eastern Standard Time, the 3rd year. I did a daily Monday through Friday radio show.
Aaron Myers:I was a a ballpark radio show. And I never felt more informed because I was plugged into the news in real time Yeah. Every day. And, I was at I was at the movie theater when I got a message, a cryptic message, that alluded that Michael Jackson had died. And I was with a girl.
Aaron Myers:We will watch, I think, Transformers or something that they and so I said, we've got I said, I've got to I've got to get home to my computer. Yeah. Because I think Michael Jackson has just died. And we were going back, and you could see the rumors starting. And I was trying to get my article up, and I thought about, I think the next day or so, when they were trying to figure out arrangements or whatever.
Aaron Myers:And I knew that when if you did not know Los Angeles, it'd be easy for you to say you simply call it the Staples Center. Right? Yeah. At the Staples Center. Right?
Rob Lee:Right.
Aaron Myers:And so I spelled it the Staples Center because that's what most people would be googling, and then the Google would offer the correction. But at that time, you had Google AdSense, and that's what got the highest thing. And and when you went straight to me, you know?
Rob Lee:Right.
Aaron Myers:Ironically, what it kept me up the reason I went to the movie because I stayed up the night before writing the obituary because it was said that, the Goldie Hawn was no. Farrah Fawcett. That's who it was. Farrah Fawcett was dying. She had, been colorectal cancer.
Aaron Myers:Yes. So she died, and I published her, obituary on the site that we you know, Charlie just lost. We just heaven just gained an angel or something of that nature, and that did gone. And then I'd gone, you know, rested, and then I went to the movies and then came right back home and Right. Get Michael Jackson.
Aaron Myers:So that's why I felt most informed. It was during that process of talking to, you know, people who were getting new shows that were coming up on television. I got to interview Jesse. It was Jesse Jane. Jesse was was the girl thing, but she's a vocalist.
Aaron Myers:That's how I got to, interview Twitch and Allison.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Aaron Myers:That's before he got on Ellen. Right. You know? I mean, all these people were right there. The only black person to costar with Bette Davis, independent, candidate for president.
Aaron Myers:I mean, all these people are on the show. You know? And, John Fugal thing. I mean I mean, this is just wow. The most challenging was probably, the, tour that I did in Russia.
Aaron Myers:Not the the first one. Just, you know, I did 24 shows in 20 cities in 19 flights in 6 weeks. That was difficult. But being in Russia when the invasion happened and having no assistance in getting back outside of the people who were thousands of miles away from me, no one in Russia was helping me get back home, and I had to sneak out and use my intuition to rise above that. Because if I did not, I would possibly be still there today.
Aaron Myers:And so, trying to navigate not being a tool and not being used for leverage for other things, was something that I I had to do, and I did. You know? I was able to get out. That was probably the most stressful. The most, I think, eye opening thing I had to realize as I got older was, understand and accept that success from a monetary standpoint and from an accolade standpoint, will happen if it happens in its own time and way, and it will not be controlled by me no matter how much I try to control it.
Aaron Myers:And I have to be okay with that if I wanna continue with this. The most painful thing was realizing the amount of time sacrificed, away from loved ones
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Aaron Myers:Toward this pursuit that will never be returned. And when they're gone, they're gone.
Rob Lee:Right.
Aaron Myers:So that's been about the roundabout way.
Rob Lee:Thank you. I, yeah. And I think, you know, definitely a lot of what we've we've we've talked about thus far is gonna resonate with so many different people. I mean, I'm I'm sitting back here thinking about it with your your, you know, like, you know, like, preacher voice. I'm thinking about it.
Rob Lee:It's resonating. And, you know, and and thinking about doing doing this and thinking about sort of the hours and the time that goes in, you know, like, you know, as my parents are getting older or what have you, thinking thinking about that, thinking about those considerations, and, you know, when these opportunities present themselves. And definitely the I think you said around, like, I guess, how we quantify success, whether it be monetarily, whether it be through accolades, you know, I had to try to and I I still struggle with it, but except that the universe is gonna sort it out. I all I'm really responsible for is just doing the thing that I can do with the information that I have, the resources, the time, all of that different stuff, and just just try to be good. Whatever however I define that, you know, and just sticking with it.
Rob Lee:And, you know, all of those other things, the, you know, what I may see value or I suppose what you may see value and of, like, am I doing good? Some people look at it as still making work. So that's Mhmm. Or when someone's like, I'm a working actor, but you never had a blockbuster. I'm a working actor.
Rob Lee:That's success for me. And that's the way that I'm kinda looking at this. Like, I'm 700 plus episodes in, and That's right. Peep people don't seem to dislike me yet, So that that's cool. That's that's a win for me.
Rob Lee:It's a long
Aaron Myers:time. I never I would never forget. I was in Hollywood, and I was, having brunch with a old, what they would call contract player years years ago. Her name was Carol Brewster. It was her name.
Aaron Myers:And she was the one who she even kept her, headshots with her at all time.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Aaron Myers:Just in case. You know? You never knew. And I I talked to her about, taking elocution lessons because of my voice. I wanted to have a more American, Midwestern, you know, you can't pinpoint voice.
Aaron Myers:You know? And I I had done a voice over audition for a video game, and the guy said I didn't sound black enough or I didn't sound like the type of black person they were looking for. And it just got in my head so bad. And so I went to have the I was gonna go to these classes. And she said, you know what?
Aaron Myers:You know, what does James Jo Jones and Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington all really have in common? I said, I don't know. She said, well, you know, Hollywood and the world had never heard those voices until they were here, and they were actual they were on film, and you could, you know, see them. And she said, Hollywood will take a lot of things from you, but don't let it take your voice. And that resonated with me in so many different ways, and I've I've maintained it.
Aaron Myers:It's kept the state with me. And I people would make sly remarks, southern, you know how where are you from? I know you're from the country. I'm from this, that, and the other. Especially being in Washington as if Washingtonians don't have accents or Baltimoreans, you know, don't have accents or whatever.
Aaron Myers:You you know? But, I maintained it because this city whatever city you're in, whatever metropolitan, whatever industry you you're in, it has the potential to take many things away from you. But you have the power to not allow those things, those arenas not to take away your voice. So that's what I'm I'm going to.
Rob Lee:That's that's great. And it's, it's it's funny you mentioned that I just had this situation under the the past, past week. You know, I've been kind of like slowly going back into the community doing sort of the social things, being out there, pressing the flesh as it were, And, there was a person DC person. She was like, where are you from? I was like, from Baltimore.
Rob Lee:And she was like, so when did you leave Baltimore? I was like, I've been here the whole time. I've never left All 39 years. And she was like, I don't hear the accent. I was just like, I I don't know what you're saying.
Rob Lee:And, and I said something. I was like, I got a 2 I got 2, and she was like, okay. I heard it right there. I was like, I told you I'm from here. The the 2 was there, the t the t w.
Rob Lee:But, generally, that's the thing that I always hear. You don't sound like us. I'm like, I'm from here, from the east side. Like, what are you I don't know. But, you know, and and when it's on it's on two sides of it where I've you know, when the sort of pop culture thing happens, when there's maybe a TV show or something, Do the accent.
Rob Lee:No, I'm not doing that. That's not what I sound like. Or can you suppress the accent when it does pop out? It's like this is just me being normal, me being authentic. And that's what I try to live in.
Rob Lee:And, yeah, you know, it's that that's a really, really good gem there. So I got sort of, like, 2 more real questions around music and I definitely want to talk about, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. But, so musically, you know, what what what are your greatest, like, sources of, like, inspiration or what have you? And, you know, and yeah, great source of inspiration as it relates to music. Like, who did who did you listen to?
Rob Lee:Like, who who did you like? What are the themes that you're pursuing?
Aaron Myers:I grew up in church. So I grew up listening to, you know, the the the original, I would say, the king of gospel, you know, would be James Cleveland, and then the father of gospel Thomas Dorsey. And then I grew up, of course, in the eighties and in the nineties and watched, you know, gospel transcend. We were already being nurtured and and and formed by Walter Hawkins and the, Andre Crouches of the worlds and this, that, and the other. And, in the small area that I come from, they there was a you think of a chitlin circuit, there was also a kind of a gospel chitlin circuit.
Aaron Myers:And so you had people like, Dorothy Lovecoats and the Harmonets and those types of people who had gone through that region of Texas in the fifties sixties, and the music that they had sung on their concert tour in a sense was still being sung when I was growing up in a sense. It permeated. They took that as part of their liturgy. And so, naturally, I heard that. But then also, I was a fan of band music, you know, because, you know, band music was what I that that was the option I had to go to in school, and so I was in a band camp and all that good stuff.
Aaron Myers:But then on television, you know, I was surrounded by a great deal of jazz because all the commercials and all the television shows I like old television shows, and so all the television shows had great jazz and great orchestrations. And Sesame Street and, mister Rogers was filled with great jazz and music, and so it's around. And so those three things Yeah. Coming together kind of made an appreciation. You know, I had my mother had, you know, milk crates of records from when she had been in college.
Aaron Myers:So everything from the Funkadelic's to the Whispers and to whomever you can imagine, they were all there. And you, you know, you find yourself listening to, to that stuff on the on the record player on I had a a a a spoon, full, not spoon. What is it called? A spool of, 40 fives
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Aaron Myers:That I was listening to. So I gotta listen to the Peggy Lee and Donna Washingtons and all that good stuff and, smoking Robinson and the miracles and all all that. And, of course, I fell in love with Aretha Franklin and Pat LaBelle. Those 2 just freaking just amazed me. So those all of those things inform me musically.
Aaron Myers:Yeah. And so I had to understand who I was as a as an artist. And so, you know, gospel is my heart. This is where I feel the most safe. Jazz is my job.
Aaron Myers:This is what I love to do, and I'm a professional I love. And I love to listen and have have a an input on every other genre you can imagine. You know? Country, not so much. There's a good country, but when I think of country music, I'll I'll automatically think of, southern white gospel music.
Aaron Myers:I can't I I think of the Grand Ole Opera, and I think of, you know, Vestal Goodman and the Happy Goodwins and Dottie Rambo and all of those people, you know, from that side. But, you know, when it comes to my creativity, my creativity draws from all of those influences, period. You know? I mean, as I'm writing, you know, I might write something that you think could have been written 60 years, 70 years ago in as jazz band, or I could write something that my contemporaries can feel like it came out as an r and b type style today. I like jazz because jazz gives me that breadth and freedom, because it's influenced every genre of music, including gospel.
Aaron Myers:So the gospel that we now know, the father the form of the of the foxtrot or the blues in a sense, was informed by, professor Thomas a Dorsey. You know? And even many of the, quartets in the, you know, girl groups that were had were marrying, and they were being influenced, of course, by the quartets and the girl groups of their time as well. They just did over in gospel. So
Rob Lee:yeah. That's that's great. And, you know, it's but you get you get sort of that, and and and it definitely clicked when you'd mentioned sort of, like, getting those records that were around around the house or what have you. And I I look back at, like, you know, what's in the crib. Like, I'm very I'm very considerate about what I bring into my home.
Rob Lee:Right? I only have jazz records in my home, and I remember growing up, my dad would just put it on as, like, WEAA 80.9, you know, Morgan. I'm like, man, turn that off, man. Where's the hip hop? And he's like, you're gonna eventually appreciate this.
Rob Lee:And Alright. And then ironically, every record that I own, maybe exception of, like, 2, are are jazz records. And so that's what's there as far as, like, I'm putting this on with intention, whereas I'm just listening to something to, you know, just have it going is essentially my mom's taste in music, which is just eighties pop music just everywhere. And I would just see those sort of, like, family influences. And to bring it sort of full circle, like, last week to extend, I guess, this sort of wave of I'm doing things that I like.
Rob Lee:I was like, I wanna revisit this one musician. Like, I like freestyle music.
Aaron Myers:Mhmm.
Rob Lee:And I was like, I don't think anybody talks about Shannon anymore. You know, let the music play and all of that. So I put together, like, here's this sort of, you know, pilot radio show of me revisiting these tracks. I was like, I like it. I'm sure I'm gonna find people who are digging it as well And that, you know, looking at the sort of root of it all goes back to, this is almost a, you know, testament or an acknowledgment of my So yeah.
Aaron Myers:You know?
Rob Lee:So yeah. You know?
Aaron Myers:Yeah. You you know, you you find yourself, you don't you don't realize how that music is feeding you.
Rob Lee:K. Yeah.
Aaron Myers:You know, because it's feeding part of you that will I I I view it kinda like when you see little squirrels taking little nuts and putting them in their little secret place. And and that winter period, you know, you'll have something to eat off of. And I think that we get those little nuggets that inform us so that when we become grown ups in a sense, we have things that feed us because the same, you know, instinct from when I was growing up was not going to feed me some of the issues that I needed I'm going through today that was not going to nothing nothing against NSYNC. Right. Or Justin Bieber or the rest of the b two k ish that they were a little bit behind me.
Aaron Myers:I'm going to but, like, I'm not going to any of that. I'm going literally to that old gospel of some of the things that, I remember I was listening to, I just went through a breakup, and, Candice Stanton, was, like, was a young Harts run free. You know? Oh, young hearts run free. You know, that that that's the that song, I played that on repeat Yeah.
Aaron Myers:Mind you, in my car. I was like, what, Aaron? Crying to a song that was 40 years old more than likely. And I was like, what is this? Because she hit the nail, you know, you know, she hit the nail on the head with that with that particular music.
Aaron Myers:You know what I mean? Yeah. I just think of the it's you you're starting up those nuts, and they really do feed you when you get older in those little periods. You know?
Rob Lee:Yeah. Music is a music is a time capsule. I mean, you know, having having a breakup, and I just remember just on loop just the impressions the entire time. I'm like, oh, man. It's like, where's my pomade?
Rob Lee:I just need to
Aaron Myers:Yes.
Rob Lee:But, yeah, it's it's definitely that in your your notion around, like, it it feeding you. It's it's it's real. It's real. And it definitely has an impact on one's mood and your your mindset. And, you know, before I move into the sort of next chunk, you know, it's definitely, you know, you head to gym or what have you, you have a certain playlist.
Rob Lee:You, you know, you're in the mood for, like, just, you know, good energy, good calm energy. You're playing a certain thing. Or even me, I have trouble sleeping, so I put on, like, you know, sort of the binaural beats or what have you, and it's just sort of this ambiance.
Aaron Myers:Listen to music and go to sleep. That my mind will go. I can't I can't I don't see how anyone who can can sleep to music because, you know, even the most calming you know, the the zen music is so complex, and you and I'm blaming them. I'm like, oh, how did they oh, that's a bad let me get them right to this real quick. This could be a good song or whatever.
Aaron Myers:You know? I I have to sleep to rain sounds. Yeah. It has to be nature. Rain, that's the only I I have to I have to rest I have to rest to to that, you know, which is crazy.
Rob Lee:I I I like how you just you you activate it as a musician. I was like, no. No. No. I have to record this.
Rob Lee:Literally.
Aaron Myers:You've been laying there like, oh, that is bad. Like, sometimes when I go, I'll go to, and get a massage or something, they'll they'll play the zen music. And I'm like, how how am I to be calm to this? Because it's they are doing some fire things right now on this track. Who is this?
Aaron Myers:Like because it's world music. They listen to a lot of world music, you know, that is that people I'm like, oh my god. This is fantastic. Who's the artist I'm voting? You know?
Aaron Myers:They kinda This
Rob Lee:is great. So I got I got 2 more real questions, and definitely I wanna dive into, your role as ED of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. So, could you talk a bit about, like, sort of your role and what your, like, goals and, like, sort of your your real your focus is in in your role and sort of like, you know, for those who are undeped unfamiliar, like, what is the role that the commission largely has around, like, the arts culture in the district of Columbia?
Aaron Myers:Every state has what they call a state art agency. Sure. That's an agency that is informing the government upon, you know, the state of art, what's happening with art around the district, how art is used, can be used in, economic development, infrastructure, the whole nine. You know, peep people forget those who participate in the creative economy. They are taxpayers.
Aaron Myers:They're constituents, and they they must be accounted for in some type of way. And it's and the goal of every, state or municipality to nurture that industry as it would nurture an IT industry, as it would nurture a service industry, what have you, and to create certain policies and grants to that would spark and innovate, right, so that we can see a better ROI. And so, that's what the State Audit Agency Washington d DC does. I mean, I think per capita, we are we we may lead the nation in the amount of money that we give to individual artists. I think we come in 3rd in budget size to New York and Minnesota, perhaps, believe it or not.
Aaron Myers:And so, and of the 56 state art agencies that cover all the states and territories, I think there are 2 African American, executive directors, and I've and I'm one of them. Right? The other one is in Massachusetts, Michael Bob. And then and I know Puerto Rico has a lot of the next man and then, Guam and so so each, But I think 2 are are black, if I'm not mistaken. And so, the role that we play here in Washington, and theater you may see advertised, and even some of the music you may hear coming out of radio stations or out of cars, on the street could be a commission funded, project.
Aaron Myers:And the reason why I say it like that is that our grants range from projects, events, and festivals from that are put on by individuals or organizations to the public art, the statues, the, you know, murals that you might see in the public to individual fellowships where artists themselves get money to help live and survive and to navigate, you know, Washington DC, in a from an unrestricted side. Sure. So, that that's what the that's what the agency does. I mean, that we are we are statute our statute that we're mandated to give out, at least 80% of our budget out to the community through grants, which is an amazing thing. And so, we have partnerships and, throughout the city do our grants, and then also through, some of the partnerships we've done, with our fellow agencies to help support things like, you know, pride month and Asia Pacific Islander, month, and then, of course, women this is, you know, March was women's, history month, you know.
Aaron Myers:So, you you have, the mayor's office of women policy initiatives. We supported them as well. So I think there's a myriad of different things that we do that we do throughout the the city. And our goal is to ensure that we are being, the chief stewards of the infrastructure of the creative economy when it comes to supporting the arts and promoting the arts as mandated by the council. My job as probably the first performing artist in this position is to be nothing but an interpreter for myself to interpret to government what people on the ground have been experiencing and the impact of these programs that we come out, how effective are they.
Aaron Myers:And then for me to interpret also to my colleagues who are out in the field on the urgency of now, how to communicate their wants and needs to to take advantage of certain opportunities the city is trying to put out there.
Rob Lee:It's, big important work. And, you know, with what I'm doing, I'm glad that we were able to connect because, you know, in coming down there, like, you know, I see it, and then, you know, being from there is always this sort of Baltimore versus DC thing. And I'm like, let's explore. Let's see what's there. And, you know, being able to, you know, be brought in and be embraced by different pockets of sort of that creative economy, like sort of the DC radio thing.
Rob Lee:Stuff is on my my podcast is on there regularly, and they look at me like, yeah, you like you like the cousin. You don't have accent. You know? You like the mambo sauce or what have you, but, you know, it's it's all good. It's all good.
Rob Lee:I like sauce is fine. But definitely sort of one of those things in in in what I aspire and what I aim to do is I see it as simple as let's connect these communities. You know? There are people that look like me and you. Let's connect the people in those communities because it's down the street.
Rob Lee:You know? And then, you know, trying to extend that pipeline, the Baltimore, DC, Philadelphia sort of, like, pipeline or whatever. That's that's what I'm aiming for and and doing it very intentionally and and doing it, like, this is what I feel makes sense. This is what I feel is connected and extending that conversation as broad and as wide as it can be because there's good work everywhere. You just have to look for it as I did my tagline.
Aaron Myers:You know, and right now, like, we're, we are involved with this, music census that we're doing. And we're over the next 2 years, the District of Columbia is engaging in a series of surveys and censuses so that we will no longer anecdotally have to speak about what these, disciplines and populations look like. We will have some facts to back some things up to help us understand how to offer support. Mostly for me, I want to do it as a model for other states and municipalities so they can adopt the same principles. You know?
Rob Lee:That was innovative. I love it. I love it. So so I got one more real question, and it goes a little something like this. I always try to, like, close out on some sort of, like, really intentional gem.
Rob Lee:And how are those, like, you know, serendipitous moments or those chance encounters played a role in in shaping your career? You'll you'll hear, like, yeah, I came across this person, and I was discovered, and he cast me in this movie. Or I, you know, back in the day, I passed this person my CD and turns out he was a record executive and now I'm blowing up. So speak a bit about those, you know, serendipitous moments and sort of what advice would you give to someone as an aspiring artist, regardless of discipline, obviously, to help them navigate and capitalize on what might look like something maybe not worthwhile?
Aaron Myers:You know, those serendipitous moments, or those by chance meetings, I view them a a little differently because when you grow up in a community of only 312 people, and a area, geographical location that some would see to be racially oppressive and economically, depressive. You know? Those sadgiveness moments for me are surreal, and they are, a moment to, remind myself, that I'm honoring the contract or the understanding between myself and my family.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Aaron Myers:That we are sacrificing this time together because they believe that the art that I carry within me should be shared can be shared. The talent can be improved upon and developed and cultivated. And, you know, it can reap, you know, us and support, you know, us. So, being able to be in a place where, I'm able to have, Pat LaBelle tell my mom happy birthday or something. Those those are amazing things to see people that you the the first, I was going to be I was gonna put out a gospel, project as the music supervisor of a Christian film.
Aaron Myers:It was a black gospel film. This is in 2005, I think. This is, like, years almost 20 years ago. And as we were listening to the rough coat cuts, in one week, I had Walter Hawkins, Andre Crouch, and Smokey Norfolk to hear the rough cuts of that. And I didn't get them to hear it by choice chance.
Aaron Myers:I had both Walter and, Smokey in in the car with me, and we listened to it in I believe Andre Crouch had a black, may have been a black Rolls Royce, listened to it in his car or what have you. I think that was the that was amazing to be able, last year, to go up to doctor Fauci and tell him thank you for all the work he did and to know it was heartfelt and heart meant. You know? Yeah. To sit down at the Grammys and open up the program and to have my mom there with me and to point to my name that's in the program as one of the governors, for the DC chapter.
Aaron Myers:You know? As we're celebrating the 50th year of hip hip of hip hop, and my mom's grooving next to me. I mean, that's
Rob Lee:amazing. Yes.
Aaron Myers:You know, the these are moments and touch points to to throw a a party, to do an event, in support of the Grammys, 4 Grammy members, you know, and to be in line later that night with people who were there but may not have recognized you and said DC did it best. Knowing that was your party. That was your event. You know? To be in the grocery store and have someone stop and say, I just saw your visual album on television and is completely inspiring.
Aaron Myers:You know? Or for a friend to fly from Oregon to see her family in Baltimore and, get to her hotel, turn on the television, and there I am. You know? Though those are those those are amazing, amazing amazing moments. Or for me to be able to call people who I've lived listened to for years and loved or contemporaries who are Grammy award winners, who I can text and who know me and who think of me in certain moments, and I think of them.
Aaron Myers:Those moments mean the world. And I I say all that to say, I I've learned over my short time here on Earth that the most impactful thing you can do is create a relationship with people. I don't wanna collect people. Yeah. There are people of great influence, both locally and nationally and some globally, that I have zero relationship with.
Aaron Myers:You know, desire to have it. We don't share value sets.
Rob Lee:Yeah.
Aaron Myers:But there are some people who have great influence locally, nationally, globally who I can call on the phone and say, hey, girl. What's going on? You know? And it doesn't require a post on Instagram or Facebook. It doesn't require it to be documented when someone calls you and says, I'm sad.
Aaron Myers:I'm down. Can cannot talk to you for a moment. I don't know what to do at this particular moment. You know, friends, people who even develop you you can't make old new friends new old friends. You can only invest in relationships with people.
Aaron Myers:And due serendipity, I've been able to, you know, be on break during a jazz show, see a couple a older white couple walk by, invite them into the show. And as years progress, I serve on the board of directors of that organization that she, at that time, led. Years progress. I was the interim ex, president of that organization Yeah. That she led.
Aaron Myers:And we've been able to, you know, not only vacation together, but, you know, share some amazing and wonderful moments with one another that have been special and have friendships. You know? And she their name is Pam Jones, and I say this because she and I, chat about this quite often. When we're out, one would say networking and at parties, and this and the other and all that. And that's a DC thing to do.
Aaron Myers:I think that we're poor with it because when we go out, we don't we ask how are you, not what do you do.
Rob Lee:I love it.
Aaron Myers:Are you enjoying yourself, not why are you here? Yeah. We we collect the cards of the people who are doing some of the serving and security and that kind of stuff. Because I've learned that, if everything is transactional
Rob Lee:Mhmm.
Aaron Myers:Everything is transactional, mind you. There's not an endless source. And at some point, somebody is not gonna need you
Rob Lee:Mhmm.
Aaron Myers:Or you may need not need someone else. Well, in relationships, there's not a demand for need. The the the relationship means that we're here. You know? And I may not talk to you for 3 or 4 months, but when we pick up the phone, it's like we just talked yesterday.
Rob Lee:Right.
Aaron Myers:When I walk in the room, I smile. You know? Because you've made your presence have made has made me smile regardless of what you have done for me.
Rob Lee:Right. Yeah.
Aaron Myers:You know? That's where I that's where I live. You know? So that's where it's serendipity. I've met some I have met some people who've become dear friends due complete serendipity.
Aaron Myers:Some of them some can con consider famous, and some of them are famous to me. Yeah. None of it. I'm famous to people and some other people think I'm famous, you know, but nobody thinks I am famous but my mama.
Rob Lee:Thank you. And, yeah, we're on the same page, because, you know, I've I've talked about it actually a few times over the last few weeks. I was like, man, I want down asset to meet with Jeremiahs, and I was just talking. And I was just like, we don't even do that anymore. And I started thinking of it, just the notion of setting a meeting, meeting a person, having a conversation with them.
Rob Lee:It's like, hey. I do this thing. And not going in there with sort of the intent that I'm gonna need something because I've had those things before. Being almost and, you know, I I I get inspired, and I read these these different books around sort of navigating creativity, the creative economy, art, all of that different stuff. And one of the quotes, I think, that's out of, maybe still like an artist.
Rob Lee:I think it's still an artist. So I'm just looking looking for friends. That's that's literally what it is. And some of those are relationships that extend and are really cool, and others are aren't quite that. And I'll I'll say this.
Rob Lee:You know, I had a I have a friend who moved out of the you know, out of, you know, this region and moved to, like, Puerto Rico and comes in, you know, occasionally, maybe quarterly to do a show. They have work that's being shown, and I make it a point to go visit. Regardless of what I have is, like, you were really cool with me. You've been on this pod. You've done these other things.
Rob Lee:And one of the times where I had to go out there and do this little public speaking thing, I usually have the glass in front of me. The computer screen is protective. Going out there in this sort of nervous but very transformative, transformative period for me of sharing my story in in, like, front of one of the largest audiences I ever had. And she was there and very just supportive of me. I was like, I gotta support whatever you do.
Rob Lee:I was just like, I'm gonna be there for it. I'm gonna show up for for it. And not everyone gets that, and it's, you know, 700 plus interview. Every every interviews. Everyone's not a friend, but the ones that connect and you have that sort of kinship, those are the things.
Rob Lee:Mhmm. I never knew we were gonna be be cool and have the same movie taste and things of that nature, and that's that's just what it is. So definitely, I'm I'm on that page. It's like value those things, value those connections, and, yeah, everything's not a transaction. Yeah.
Rob Lee:So I I wanna I wanna move into, like, the rapid fire questions in these last moments here before we close out. I got 4 of them for you. And, you know, as I tell everybody, don't overthink them. Don't overthink them, you know. So I'm a start I'm a start off with the these things.
Rob Lee:What was the last movie you watched?
Aaron Myers:It was a documentary about, Marian Anderson. It's a PBS American experience. Just I think it must have just recently come out, But movie wise, that's that's considered a documentary movie. That's the last thing I I watched.
Rob Lee:If you were to summarize this one thing, what do you enjoy most about being an artist? The freedom. Creatively and professionally, what are two truths for you?
Aaron Myers:I was like me, and not everybody should like me.
Rob Lee:That's a real well thought out answer right there. Yeah. I like that one.
Aaron Myers:Yeah.
Rob Lee:Alright. This is the one, definitely I'm almost expecting some of the the southern roots to come out in this next question. Favorite comfort food?
Aaron Myers:Child. Oh, fate you said favor. That's that's what makes it difficult is, because I can't well, I will say a pecan pie. Cut pecan, chess pecan chess pie. A chess pie.
Rob Lee:You know?
Aaron Myers:Yeah. That's the that is and and my roommates will tell you will Anybody who's lived with me over the years, my, partners, girlfriends, family, wanna shut me up, gonna if I'm crying, if I'm unconsolable or whatever, cut me a piece of pecan pie, put a little ice cream on it, and then butter pecan ice cream with that. And if you have some favorite, I will shut up real quick and get myself together and be fat and happy.
Rob Lee:Now I'm gonna have to get one. And I you know, I've never had one. I've never had a sauce.
Aaron Myers:Oh, you chestpies. So you have chestpies, and you have a pecan chestpie. You order you a pecan chest pie, and you will understand what life is about.
Rob Lee:I love it.
Aaron Myers:Better than sex.
Rob Lee:I love it. That's a great way to close out. Yeah. So there's 2 things I wanna do in the the these final moments. 1, I wanna thank you so much for coming on, being a part of this podcast, And, 2, I wanna invite and encourage you to share sort of social media website, pretty much where folks can get informed about your work and about, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Rob Lee:The floor is yours.
Aaron Myers:Well, I mean, from a personal standpoint, you can find me my website is aaron, a a r o n, the number 2, dot me. So aaron2.me. My Twitter is Aaron Myers, aar0nmyers. That shows you how long I've been on there. And my, Instagram is Aaron l Myers.
Aaron Myers:I guess, the other Aaron Myers got me by a day or so because I was pretty quick to get there too. And, you know, all of the organizations I belong to, you know, one can find range from Crittenton Services, Covenant Full Potential Development Center, the Recording Academy, of course, of those who are looking to be Grammy members should consider joining, of course, and and talking to others. And then as far as the commission, you go to dcarts.dc.gov to learn about grants and things that they offer as well.
Rob Lee:And there you have it, folks. I wanna again thank Ernie Myers the second from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for coming on to the podcast and sharing a bit of his journey. And I'm Rob Lee saying that there's art, culture, and community in and around your neck of the woods. You've just got to look for it.
