Michael Ruff Live On Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Michael Ruff Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson In his first ever interweb interview, perhaps interview period, 3rd Zoom of his lifetime, and that includes 2 with his family, multiple Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter, BMI Award and Cable Ace Award winner, Michael Ruff, tried to be a little ruff, deflecting and avoiding answering questions about his past but ultimately, answering my questions he did. Even the really tough ones. And the password was FUN! I’ve had a bit of a run with bad boy musicians who are a tad unpredictable and contrarian- I love a good challenge. Well, I’m actually getting too old for that shit, but Michael’s worth it. HIs story hasn’t been told. Research for the show came up with a bio he’d written himself on his website, or had written for him, a few brief liner notes on a couple of videos, and 3 really short blogs, I mean really short. The end. No Wiki, no articles, no interviews for background. I was tightrope walking without a net of any kind for the first time myself and after getting over the initial shock of his response to a question being, “No, I don’t wanna…” That’s not an exact quote, fyi, I’m too fatigued to try to find the moment, at the moment, it’s also the first time in 7 years I didn’t stay up no matter how late and write liner notes, on the same night as the show, ever. Consider this a cherry breaking for both of us. Too harsh? For a man who values honesty seemingly above almost all else, except maybe love, I think he can take it.* *See his story about how he, with the help of his higher power to hear him tell it, saved and changed Snuffy’s life for good. For someone who’s never done a Zoom podcast, Michael had arguably the best sound and set up of any guest I’ve had the privilege to sit down with––pointing up how much work I have to do on my own deal. Also pointing up his greatness, what makes him a one-of-a-kind brilliant artist, worth everything and anything. He displayed that brilliance tinkling throughout and featured on his new, as yet unreleased, Nobody But You, his classic, I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know, my favorite, Wishing Well, and a taste of the brand new, Beautiful Children. *sigh* We talked about being born in Utah, Connecticut, Boston, Upstate New York, The Bitter End, The Flying Jib, At My Place, Hawaii, a bounty of musicians who populated them, playing with Rickie Lee Jones, MDing Chaka Khan, bringing in the Snuff, being brought into Laura Brannigan by the him, Eric Burdon, Clive Davis’s pass, his Warner Brothers deal, Bonnie Raitt covering his Cry on My Shoulder on Nick of Time, self sabotage in work and in life, and the work to right that latter wrong. HIs massive love of his wife, his kids, his grandkid, his Island, its people, his music, faith, and his life. Michael’s jazz… an improvisation…his artistry, his impromptu, in the moment, in his skin, funny, irreverent, genius… fun, complicated, incomprehensible for its difficulty, made to look easy, is the stuff that makes him a treasure I hope he gifts us more of in the days and years ahead. A short west coast tour in June with John Cruz approaches. Dates here: JohnCruz.com We’ll be there with massive smiles on. My takeaway - underneath the self-assured confidence Michael is a man who cares very much about pleasing, with his art, his craft, his life––he gives his very best. Even when he tries to withhold, he shares without filter. I’m even more enamored now, even if I did have to work for it. Michael Ruff Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson Wed, May 10th, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET Streamed Live on The Facebook Replay here: https://bit.ly/3MgM0iL