Growing up in suburban Detroit, I occasionally heard my dad say that he was going to a beer garden. He wasn’t a big drinker, but I assumed that he liked a beer now and then. As I got older I learned that many beer gardens are outdoor areas where beer and local food are served. Entertainment includes music and song, enjoyed in a party atmosphere. People came for entertainment, even if they did not want to partake in the drinking. Most of the gardens that my dad frequented were located in, or near, bowling alleys.
Ricky Nelson, the younger son of Ozzie and Harriet, broke out of television to become a rock star. For a time he was number two to Elvis’s number one. His career peaked in the 60’s, took a dive, and when he decided to up his game, he appeared at Madison Square Garden as one of the featured guests.
On October 15, 1971, he played a “Rock & Roll Spectacular” show with fellow ’50s stars Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and Bobby Rydell at Madison Square Garden in New York City. He was expected to play his hits, and at first he obliged, opening with “Be-Bop Baby” – not one of his more meaningful songs but a consistent crowd-pleaser. After delivering a few more hits and getting rousing ovations, he started playing newer material, including his country-rock cover of “Honky Tonk Women” from his yet-to-be-released album Rudy the Fifth. For that one, he moved to the piano, and when he finished the song and walked back to his guitar, he heard an unusual sound: booing.
Nelson had been playing his newer songs at college shows, and they were well-received. This audience was different though, comprised of some oldies purists who thought the experience was about the hits and nothing but the hits. The booing unnerved Nelson, who played one more song before cutting his set short and leaving the building.
Ricky followed that night by writing a new song, “Garden Party”, which proved to be his biggest hit of all time. .
During the summers of 2018 and 2019, I went to several beer gardens and garden parties. The last time that I frequented as many of these establishments as I did in the past eighteen months, I was in college.
Today, most “beer gardens” are known as breweries or beer pubs. My hippy son-in-law,
and tambourine playing daughter have played several. They were joined many times by a new singing wonder, my daughter-in-law, Lindsay. She’s a belter. There’s no holding back when she gets near a mic. She puts her whole heart and soul into each song. She’s showing off a side of herself that brings her, and those lucky enough to listen, great joy. She’s good. Sometimes she’s better than her mentor brother-in-law, Sutton.
She took a risk and stepped out of her comfort zone to take a shot at “livin the dream”. Her persona prior to each performance is that of a “nervous Nellie”. Once the first note sounds out, she’s her own woman in another world. She’s had the opportunity to reinvent herself. She loves it and you can see her joy during each performance.
A couple of weeks ago, we invited some friends to dinner. We hadn’t seen Bob and Andi for a while. During dinner we learned that Bob has been playing some garden parties of his own. He sings and plays guitar.
Bob (The guy in the hat.) started playing while still working as an engineer. He and three co-workers played 
during their lunch time. They enjoyed their time together. Once Bob and one of his fellow musicians retired, lunch time concerts were no longer an option. They still got together once a week to play in the evening and, ultimately, decided to take their show on the road. They’ve played in some of the same brew pubs and honky-tonks that featured Sutton and Lindsay.
Bob is an entirely different man than the engineer I knew. He seems to love his new life and brings joy to those who have the opportunity to listen. Rumor has it that he has done some singing for over-night guests that may request a private concert. Who knew that this new man existed.
Lindsay is a rising star in the business world and Bob has stepped away from his engineering days. While both Lindsay and Bob are at different points in their lives, both have taken a step out of the corporate world to reinvent themselves. They’ve decided to live a part of their life in public and share that part with others. In the process they’ve brought new joy and purpose to their lives.
No matter if you are a league bowler enjoying a beer like my dad, reinventing your singing career like Ricky Nelson, singing for your supper like Sutton and Elizabeth, or exploring a new side of life like Lindsay and Bob, do it with joy and purpose. Be true to yourself and you’ll have more fun in the process.