Artist Spotlights- Phil Callaway

http://www.PhilCallaway.com

PB -   How did you get into the Music Business?  What was your big break?

PC -  My big break came when a lady working at a publishing house in the States took the president of the company out for lunch and read him an article I'd written for a magazine. She says he laughed so hard he couldn't finish his meal. He said, "Let's see if he'd write a book for us." They phoned. I said, "Uh...I think I can do that." My first book was called Honey, I Dunked the KIds.

PB -   Is this something you've always wanted to do, or did it take you by surprise?

PC -  As long as I can remember, I've wanted to write. I had no idea you could make a living at it, nor that you could have this much fun.

PB -   Are you a goal oriented person? Are you a control freak?

PC -   I'm a Next Thing person. I just do the next thing. I'd love to have long-term goals, but I have ADD, so I can't think past 2 p.m.. As for being a control freak? Who me? How dare you ask? Change the question!

PB -   What music/artists do you like to listen to?

PC -   Eric Clapton, Paul Brandt, Chris Rice, James Taylor

PB - What's your favorite website?

PC -  thesaurus.com

PB - Talk about your current album/projects...  OR if there's not a current project... What are your album/career plans?

PC -   I'm writing my 17th book. It's called, Help! I'm Stuck Between My Kids and My Parents. We have three teenagers and have been caring for my aging parents who lived with us for five years before my dad succumbed to Alzheimer's. There's no shortage of material, some funny, some tragic. I'm hoping it will encourage people stuck like I am in "the middle ages."

PB -  Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

PC -   I'd love to continue speaking and writing, as long as people will listen and read. I'd also be immensely pleased if my children still want to hang out with me and my wife still finds me at least mildly attractive.

PB -  Where do you see yourself tomorrow?

PC -   On a golf course somewhere, beating one of my sons badly.

PB -  Are you a pet person?  Do you have any pets?  Any pet stories?

PC -   We have a Maltese/Szhitzu dog named Mojo. It cost us $300, which by my figuring is $100 per brain cell. It's a great little dog though. Smarter than you can believe. I let her dish run out of food and she brings it to me. Drops it at my feet and looks up at me as if to say, "You idiot! Fill it or I'll call the SPCA. You should be ashamed of yourself. And you call yourself a Christian!"

PB - Do you care to share your religious beliefs?  What's your life philosophy?

PC - I've traveled the world, I've searched the literature. Nothing has answered my questions like the life and words of Jesus. I'm not into religion, I'm into a relationship with him. Several years ago I was in a Seattle airport washroom during an earthquake (what a place to die!). I'd been on a trip to check out a job offering three times my current salary. I'd been dreaming about a step up the ladder, about all the stuff I could buy, all the prestige I could have. But the earthquake shook me hard. (As the place shook, the guy in the stall next to me yelled, "Did I do that?") Back on the plane, I wrote down my definition of success on an airline napkin: "I will consider myself a success when I'm walking close to Jesus every day, when I'm building a strong marriage and performing meaningful work. I'll consider myself a success when I'm making others homesick for heaven." That's my life mission and I can't believe how much fun I'm having following it.

PB -  What's your favorite food?

PC -   Anything with ice cream on it. Lasagna. Lobster. Linguini. You can put ice cream on all three of these. One of my favorite eating spots is The Shorebird Broiler on Waikiki beach, watching the sunset with my family.

PB -  Please add any other interesting comment, tidbit, sound-bite or mantra here.

PC - Thanks Paul!