Once upon a time, it was a fun piece of trivia to reveal that the jazz singer Mel Tormé was also a songwriter. “Did you know that ‘The Christmas Song’ was written by Mel Tormé?”
These days, I can’t say that. The name Mel Tormé will elicit only blank stares from the vast majority of my students. Instead, I’ll have to say, “The composer of ‘The Christmas Song’ also happened to be one of the great jazz singers of the 20th Century! You should check him out!”
What you’re known for now might not be what you’re known for someday. Mel was a famous collaborator, song stylist, scat singer, and more. Songwriter was not near the top of the list of things you knew about him. Now, the only reason you might come in contact with his creative output is when you hear Nat “King” Cole and Natalie Cole on the radio in December.
You don’t know what creative legacy you’re leaving. You don’t know what of your creations will last a week, a year, or a hundred years. That gives me a lot of hope to keep creating, in the faith that only by creating can I possibly hope to have a creative impact.