Sean Fitzgerald – Showing the Way

There are a few key people along the way who have heavily inspired my career and given it direction. Sean Fitzgerald is likely the most important person for getting my solo career on track and providing me with a blueprint for how to get moving forward.

i met Sean on a whim. Bored one night in Windsor i picked up The Real Detroit and saw a listing for an Open Mic in Ferndale, Michigan at a venue called Xhedos Cafe. So i threw my guitar in the trunk, crossed the border and made my way north on I-75 to 9 mile. Sean Fitzgerald was the host and immediately made me feel comfortable and invited into his circle of artist friends.

Sean became my model of how to break into the music biz full-time – through hosting weekly Open Mic nights.

He realized the importance and responsibility of the role of the Open Mic host and took it seriously, showing genuine enthusiasm towards anyone who got up, always paying attention, no matter the skill level, and encouraging folks to keep creating and become part of a community.

If there is one word i’d use to define Sean Fitzgerald it would be ‘community.’

Sean was the bus driver of an entire community of like-minded artists. The connector for so many. He took pride in that role and was always promoting how great other people were, not himself. These are all things i tried to emulate myself and grew an appreciation for.

Long before the ‘support local’ movements gained today’s steam Sean Fitzgerald was spreading the word of the many fine artists who lived in the Detroit community. This inspired me to look inward as well and get focused on the positive aspects of the Windsor community and leave the bitching and complaining to others.

In many ways i think my love for Windsor was heavily inspired by Sean Fitzgerald and his love for Detroit. Sean LOVED DETROIT! and made me see Windsor through new eyes, as a great city full of creativity and passion.

This all led to me hosting Open Mics in Windsor every week for close to a decade at venues like Rock Bottom, Phog, Sky Lounge and The Grad House. The job as Open Mic host introduced me to so many amazing folks locally, kept the rent paid most months and gave me something to get excited about every week.

Sean showed me my ticket towards becoming a full-time professional musician and for that i will always be thankful.

Sadly Dec 10, 2008 Sean was in a car accident that ultimately took his life. This loss will be felt greatly in the Detroit urban folk community for years to come and amongst the many lives that he touched. I have a poster of Sean Fitzgerald hanging on my bedroom wall to always remind me of him and what he represented: Love, Charity, Community and Passion.

Here’s an interview i did with Sean Fitzgerald (in 2004?) on my old campus radio show called Open Mic: On Air! on CJAM 91.5 FM (features live in-studio performances of The Train Song, South of 8 Mile Blues & Jen):

* next post, coming soon – Behind the Song Sitting On A Bench (from Dependent Arising)