During the mid-1990’s I spent lots of time flying down the freeways of Atlanta. I learned that this was the home of tour veterans Drivin’ N Cryin’. Each trip into this metropolis found me packing my car with all of the Kevn Kinney inspired D n C material I owned. The music can really hook you if you are open to the attitude of these southern boys.
A Ted Nugent interview on WRIF-Detroit first led me to D n C. Kevn Kinney called into Ted’s show and they talked about life on the road, guitars, and the opening riff to the legendary song, Stranglehold. As Kevn signed off of the interview he advised Ted to “Turn it up or turn it off, Ted!” I remember thinking that this guy had some attitude to tell the Motor City Madman to turn it up. Ted is the king of the high volume assault. He claims to have once made “cows udders bulge” from 18 miles away during a late 70’s outdoor concert in Kansas City. From that moment on, I loved Kevn Kinney.
On one of my many trips through Atlanta, I really connected with the song “Scarred But Smarter”. I played it over and over and over. The lyrics and their infinite meaning jumped out at me like no other song ever had. As I reviewed adversities in my life over the past few years, I applied each experience to the song. Word for word, Kevn Kinney wrapped a blanket of comfort around me with his carefully chosen words of truth.
“I’m out of work, I’m out of hope. Of what should be of thee I spoke, Good times for the undeserved and bad times for the ones who work, Poor man, rich man, blind man, dead man, Hoped for more than they had all planned, Just then they suffered a serious blow as the real world cut the line they hold, Nobody said it would be fair, they warned you before you went out there, There’s always a chance to get restarted to a new world, new life, scarred but smarter.” Many times I’ve begged for a new start to life. Screaming out at all of the unfairness in our world, work settings, or relationships. The pain that cuts the deepest is when God takes one of our precious loved ones from us. At these times I have “hoped for more than they had all planned.” Praying and begging for the miracle of life to return was mirrored in, “just then they suffered a serious blow as the real world cut the line they hold.” Excruciating pain rips through my body as the unthinkable is a numbing reality. Totally in shock I vaguely hear my parents assuring me that, “nobody said it would be fair.” So true that statement is! When I think back to my parent’s advise many times during my childhood I realize, “they warned you before you went out there.” On my knees I prayed passionately to God without a response. As time heals life crushing blows the final line of the song brings strength and hope, “There’s always a chance to get restarted to a new world, new life, scarred but smarter.”
Everyone deserves a new start in life, especially if we learn perspective and gratitude through our pain. With much support and love I have thrived in the midst of adversity and truly become “scarred but smarter.”