Jon Roniger

Well, I've decided to rename my blog. I am now the blog formerly known as "New Song Every Week". I am now known as "Songs in the Raw". I am still working on my symbol for my new blog. I record all of my songs "in the raw". I write all my songs "in the raw". I perform "in the raw". Perhaps an image incorporating an acoustic guitar and a nude body. Then people can just point to the symbol and know that I am "in the raw".

That being said, I have a new song for the week; "Pay The Toll". I was stuck on this idea all week about "you can't take it with you when you go". I use this line in the song, but didn't find that it was the real underlying theme to the song. I've been driving around this country playing music quite a bit. If you've ever been to the East Coast, you know about tolls. If you ever try and get into San Francisco, you pay a toll. Cross some water....pay a toll. But I was thinking about the human existence and how it take it's toll. How we stop and pay the toll with every step of our lives.

It's not about money. It's about soul. It's about compromise. It's about choices and consequences. No matter what you do or what you want in this life, you will pay for it some how. Life is a series of toll booths. What are you willing to give up for that which you want?

I want to write and perform music. I've had to make sacrifices in my life to make that happen. I'm not a professional baseball player. I gave up my dream of being a fireman. I've had to give up drinking and doing drugs all night and day. I've worked crap jobs and completely abandoned the idea of a "career". Girlfriends have come and gone when they, one day, realised that my music came first. Thursday night wasn't date night. It was rehearsal night. Instead of buying a big screen TV, I bought a new guitar. The series of choices and consequences continues through today. Fortunately for me, I have a wonderful wife who knows and excepts who I am and what my goals are. I am truly a lucky man. In that area of my life, I pay no toll!

In this addition of my weekly self-indulgence, I have included a video of a show I recently did in Norwich, UK. I was with my good friend and musical compadre Rico Mastrodonato. I hope you enjoy it.

Here's the video;