October 15th, 2002 I made the move to Nashville (12 years ago), with the help of some friends. My friend, Roger Hughes flew from Charleston, WV to Charlotte, NC to help me finish packing and drive the 19′ U-Haul that I and my friends, Jade, Vernon and Brandon Jones had help packed – also needed a 12′ trailer on the back of that truck.

I remember that drive as if it was yesterday, calling my friends and family as I followed Roger – what a friend, drove that truck all the way to Nashville from Charlotte, I wrote some notes on a pad I found a couple years ago and have packed away with some things in plastic container a couple years ago with the times of the trip, phone calls, feelings as I followed the truck up I-77 and then hang a left on I-40 at Statesville, NC.

I-40 through the mountains of Carolina, cross into Tennessee and all the way to Exit 209 on the West side of Nashville on Charlotte Pike to Brook Hollow Road and to my next house at 701, owned by Steven McClintock, who would become a very good friend that just this past weekend, flew into Nashville and stayed in my house I’ve been in the past two years.

Gary Talley, a member of the band, The Box Tops (The Letter, Cry Like A Baby, Soul Deep) was the one who called a couple months earlier and told me he needed a roommate and since we’d become friends over the past couple years, thought we’d work out as roommates (we did for about 2 years until he moved).

We pulled into 701 Brook Hollow probably about 11:00 PM,  fell asleep and the next morning, unloaded the truck and Roger was on a plane back home to Charleston, WV. I was excited and trying where to put all the stuff and get used to surroundings. Thursday the 16th was spent around the house, on Friday an event with the Songwriters Guild of America on Music Row and to 3rd & Lindsley for a songwriters event “Songs that will never be on the radio” and Lisa Carver flirted with me, seeing the new kid in town – all harmless flirtation, yet memorable of what would become something we laugh about to this day!

The first days of figuring out where the store was, learning what to do and not to do, till now in 2014 and still in Nashville, thanks to so many good and great people in this town that have become aquaintences, friend and really good friends.

Experiences of making friends, writing songs, attending concerts, TV tapings, working on award shows, having many “Nashville Moments”, #1 parties that inspire me ( I just visualize getting those #1’s and having my family and friends to share the award – hasn’t happened yet and still on that journey) challenges, starting Nashville Muse, 112 of 3rd Sunday at 3:00 events, 7 Guitar BQ’s, writing songs with some of the greatest songwriters in the world,  writing songs with my friends in my peer group that became friends and vice versa,

There are days I’ve woken up, wondered what in the heck am I doing with my life, why am I in Nashville instead of along the coast as I thought I’d be at this age in life 25 years ago, until that summer of 1989 when I started writing lyrics and got me on the path of a songwriter, writing probably 600 lyrics and a big book I call the “hook book” to Nashville that now has 25 years of hooks/ideas for songs, another hook book and a cell phone full of songwriting ideas.

I am still in Nashville twelve years later, crazy as it seems, believing in songs I’ve written with other co-writers, most have not given up. About 20 independent songs cut, many songs that are on www.doakmusic.comwith the belief and hope that some of those songs will be on major artists albums, TV, Movies, Radio and make a difference to listeners of the songs that I write, many to encourage people on their life journey. I’m not afraid to dream big! They are by my desk in my home office.

I’m thankful for each day, each challenge I’ve made it through, each meal shared, each encouragement from those who have taken the time to say words to help keep me on the journey, each sponsor and event, those whose love and support keep me going with hopes of making them proud of me and for loving me.

Sometimes it is the stories of the songs and songwriters that keep me going, the songwriters and industry people that share their challenges of their journey was not easy and somehow, their big dreams came true.

Reading books of people’s journey as I just finished reading tonight, Jimmy Wayne’s book, “Walk To Beautiful” about his challenges in life, yet he kept going somehow through the toughest childhood I’ve ever read about, to having some people in life come along and keep him going on his journey which led him to Nashville and his dreams coming true and now making a difference in the world to many homeless kids.

THANK YOU – for being somehow on my journey for the past 12 years and those that were there at the beginning in 1989 when I started writing lyrics and having a dream of being a songwriter. I want to make you proud with success and dreams coming true. THANK YOU LORD for those people and affirmations (that I should stay on the journey) along the way that keep me on the journey of a SONGWRITER.