These moments.

Over the years, there have been countless moments — often small, unexpected acts of kindness — that gave me the confidence to keep going. In my career, I think about moments like Maceo Parker giving me a wink and a smile as I walked out to open for him. Dr. John wishing me luck on my way to the stage. Jim Kerr of Simple Minds making a special trip to my dressing room just to encourage me before my set. Shelby Lynne taking the time to sit with one of my recordings and thoughtfully share her impressions in person.

Collaborating with masters of their craft — Chris Julian, Duane Lundy, Abraham Becker, and more recently Simon Mulligan and Gene Perla — has meant more to me than I can properly express. So have the smaller moments: Joe Jackson lending me his Telecaster during a session at The Dog House Studio, or sitting with Barriemore Barlow listening to stories from his years in the business. Even gestures as simple as Lincoln Center Jazz reposting one of my reels, or Ron Carter liking it.

These moments may seem small from the outside, but they are the “good stuff.” The things that keep you moving forward in a profession that can so easily breed self-doubt, anxiety, and uncertainty. What I’ve learned is that some of the most powerful reasons to keep going are rarely dramatic. They arrive quietly, hidden inside ordinary moments most people would overlook: a stranger holding the door when your hands are full, sunlight breaking through after days of rain, a text from someone saying, “I thought of you today.” These small experiences remind us that life is constantly offering proof of connection, even when things feel uncertain.

I try my best to pay that feeling forward — through kindness, encouragement, compliments, smiles, and a genuine interest in other people’s dreams. I believe deeply that this kind of love can change not just someone’s day, but sometimes the direction of their life. It reminds people they matter. That they are seen. That someone cares. So when you have the chance, pass it along. It comes back in ways you could never predict.