THE MUSICIANS SHED PODCAST: DR. WILLIAM FARLEY (PART 2)

In this deeply emotional, full-circle second half of Episode 20, host Samar Newsome continues his conversation with his high school music teacher, mentor, and "music dad," Dr. William Y. Farley Jr. Transitioning from their early history, this session tackles the profound psychological, spiritual, and intellectual realities of running a music program.

Dr. Farley peels back the layers on his graduate research regarding "monotone" singers, details the stark cultural shift from the testing-focused environments of Irvington to the AP-heavy pressures of West Orange, and candidly confesses to the introverted self-doubt and imposter syndrome he battled despite changing thousands of student lives. Samar and Dr. Farley celebrate the 25th anniversary of the award-winning West Orange step teams Dr. Farley founded, honor deceased alumni choir legends, and analyze why mastery is the ultimate magnet for cultivating excellence in the modern urban classroom.

Key Discussion Highlights

1. Music as an Intellectual Accelerator

Samar and Dr. Farley dive into the systemic barriers where modern students are pulled from music classes to accommodate heavy standardized testing cycles or aggressive Advanced Placement (AP) tracks. Samar advocates fiercely for the cognitive rigor of instrumental music, noting that reading and playing forces the brain to run high-level processing simultaneously across both hemispheres. Dr. Farley details how he leveraged this reality to protect his students:

"When they're doing something they enjoy, it manifests in their other classes. They become better students. I had to talk the talk with guidance counselors and tell them: if they are in this music room, they are going to succeed everywhere else."

2. Dr. Farley's Academic Research: Hymnals & Monotone Singers

For the first time on the podcast, Dr. Farley reveals the focus of his advanced academic degrees:

• The Master’s Thesis (Monotone Singers): A research study mapping out why "tone-deafness" is rarely a vocal disability, but rather a disconnect between the ear, the brain's audio processing centers, and vocal execution. Dr. Farley reinforces his belief that everyone possesses a voice and the inherent desire to sing, provided the neural dots can be trained to connect.
• The Doctoral Dissertation (The Disuse of the Hymnal): An investigation into modern church culture moving away from traditional hymnals, arguing for their intentional retention to preserve critical music literacy and theological history.

3. The Introverted Master: Battling Self-Doubt

In one of the most transparent moments of the series, Dr. Farley admits that despite his staggering success, his introverted nature caused him to internally doubt his value.

• The Missing Confidence: Dr. Farley reflects that he spent years struggling to see himself the way his students saw him. He notes that if he had possessed more baseline faith in his early gifts, it would have fundamentally changed how he approached his classrooms.
• Providing a Blueprint: Samar counters by pouring flowers on his mentor, emphasizing that Dr. Farley served as a steady, visible, consistent icon of strong manhood and structural humility for thousands of urban youth who lacked present fathers or were inundated with degrading media stereotypes.

4. Co-Teaching, Step Teams, and the West Orange Highlights

Dr. Farley details his transition to West Orange, highlighting his artistic triumph in tackling elite choral works like Brahms’ Requiem and Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata alongside standard-setting band colleagues.

• The Reality of Co-Teaching: Dr. Farley notes that while co-teaching can provide excellent student support, a choir program ultimately needs one clear visionary director to prevent conflicting operational methodologies.
• A 25-Year Legacy: The duo celebrates the 25th anniversary of the West Orange High School Step Teams—originally founded as an extracurricular under Dr. Farley’s supervision—which recently won national recognition on the Sherri Shepard Show.

5. Honoring Lost Voices & The Retirement Chapter

The episode takes a solemn, bittersweet turn as Samar and Dr. Farley remember iconic, generational vocal powerhouses who passed through Dr. Farley's programs but have since passed away, including Carlin, Katrina (remembered as one of the finest contralto voices in New Jersey history), and Malik Jones and Gemini.

Host's Final Takeaway:"You were a historic blueprint for character, patience, humility, and consistency. In our community, simply showing up every single day and remaining a reliable anchor speaks volumes. You gave us the joy of music, and your impact is miles long." — Samar Newsome

#TheMusiciansShed #MusicEducation #MusicPedagogy #MusicBusiness #MusicianLife #MusicTeacher #EarTraining #ChoirDirector #ChoralMusic #GospelMusicians #ClassicallyTrained

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Transcript

0:09

How did you navigate that challenge of kids? I know you would probably pull some kids after school, stuff like that. So, but what were some of your ways to get around that? You know, uh well, first of all, before I want to say you had a fan club back then because when you would come to those rehearsals, um I was like, who's this? Who's that guy? Like, Father, let him stay, let him stay. You know, that's that's Sabar, let him stay. Oh, that was my people, yeah. But um one thing I I understood about uh the choirs, um, if they're doing something they enjoy, like I hate that they take away programs or whatever. When when they're doing something they enjoy, it manifests in the other classes. Absolutely. You know, so I I try to uh impress that upon guidance counselors, you know, look, look, they're doing well, you know, and I can keep an eye. If you want me, I keep an eye, make sure, you know. There was a lot of times I would, you know, uh, if if somebody wasn't doing well, I go talk to the teacher. Like we did we did all those field trips. Yeah, let me go talk to the teacher. If I can get her, you know, you can do the homework. Remember, you gotta do the homework now, you know, but um it manifests in in the other classes and they they become a better student if they're doing something that they enjoy, you know. Um, and I noticed this at Irvington and West Orange, you know, but um as far as uh you know uh getting those students in those classes, I have to, you know, talk, talk to talk, like yo, if they're if they're in here, they're gonna, you know, succeed. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. This is what they love doing. So if they're they're doing something they love that might help them in, you know, other classrooms, other, you know, academics. I agree. And I mean, they were, I'm sure they study. Now, I think was your dissertation on something like that about the effect of music and in academics or something like that? The the dissertation no was on um uh the hymn though. Okay. Um, and the the the uh not the use of it, but the disuse of it really. Oh wow, but that it should be something that is retained in the in the church because there's a lot of uh history in it. Wow. But um the uh masters was on uh uh monotone singers. So what did your research find on that? I'm sorry, yeah, because there was there was a couple students I was working with and yeah. Um there's no hope. Uh you know. So do you believe that everybody can sing I have a I believe they they have uh uh uh the need though, the the the want, the desire, yeah, desire. And they have a voice. It's not that you don't have a voice, right? But you might not have the ear and that's the that connects the dots to the that voice. Because it all the brain is all connected in that too, you know. But yeah, that was uh yeah, that was my master's yeah, yeah. So so uh what were you saying about uh so I was just saying um the connection between like because I I also think like that. I believe that kids who I mean really embrace music. I mean, like my piano students, for instance, yeah, because they're they're they have to think in both uh hemispheres of the brain, yeah, and they have to coordinate and think and read and all of the things that they're doing at the same time. I know, and I tell them that, I say, you know, this is gonna translate into your intellect everywhere else because you're you're using high-level, high-functioning skills when you're in here reading a piece. And I and I I like to let them like I I teach them early how to read for themselves so that now when I put a piece in front of them, I don't have to show you how to figure it out. Like I I give you some steps on how you break it down and so that you can actually now learn it and play it. But um, but I but I strongly believe that. Like I strongly believe that um their aptitude is even increased because of what they do in music. Um how have there ever been anybody, whether at the the uh urban school or the I call it the suburban school, um, that challenged you like like in terms because that's one one issue that I find. I don't I get support for the program, but I don't, but the where where the disconnect is is that there's limited access. So, you know, at this point right now, I have like I get this grade, that's it. These other grades, they're occupied with like AP classes. So that's the thing, they get blitzed with AP. It's like there was a time when they were saying everybody should get an AP class, whether they like really were qualified for it or not, just because they there's a research that they believe that said access to AP classes or even sitting in one is more preparatory for college for a kid. Now, because of the uh rigor. But I believe that the rigor of actually learning music is is just as rigorous and just as uh mind stimulating. You know what I mean? Like literally, I'm talking about reading uh piano, playing an instrument. I'm I'm a big advocate for learning music instruments because you have to learn the instrument and how to read it and process both of those two lines. And lot entail and and at Irvington, there was a time when, well, most of the time, um, with the music, they stress for us to uh incorporate. And you know, music is is not just reading, but it's counting. Yeah. It's history behind it. Yep. There's a science behind it, you know, language behind it, history, everything. Yeah, and so they they impressed upon us to, you know, kind of incorporate that in the teaching, you know, and um and and it's crazy because where Irvington was concerned about testing, you know, and and doing state tests, yeah, state testing, um West Orange was more a a uh what'd you call it, the uh classes that you just mentioned? Oh AP, APC, yeah. That was you know, big difference, you know. So we we were able to get the students that we needed, yeah. And West Orange and Um Herbiton, you know, they were more concerned about the testing, yeah. You know, and that's that's that's one of those challenges in those different uh districts. Um what's what's a musical myth that like you you've like you grew up people saying this, you gotta do it this way, or it's like this, and you and you're like, uh it wasn't like that. That's not necessarily true. Or can you even think of why? I would have to think about that. Um let me give me a minute. Let me Okay, we come back to that one. Or you keep thinking about it while we talk. Um, what's something that you learned later that you're like, yo, I wish I knew that earlier? Because that would have changed something, the trajectory of something. You know, um I was this is a little off subject, but almost answering what you're saying. Um I am introvert, you know, sort of introvert. So and I just I just started realizing I don't look at myself like other people look at me. I'm trying to make this make sense. But um and you know, especially earlier, I didn't have a lot of faith in myself. You know, but as I watched how God, I'm gonna say how God was working, you know, with the students, and you know, you know, even then I was like, eh, am I, you know, you know, I I was kind of doubting myself. I just wished I had had a little bit more faith in myself and was able to see what people see. I think I would have been a better teacher. Okay, I think you're a fine teacher, but I understand what you're saying. I think I hear you saying confidence in yourself, yeah. And in in knowing what you are and and just trusting that. Yeah. Because I think that you were you were I don't I don't know how you if you if you know how much influence you are, because you you were a a a strong man in the lives of a lot of kids who didn't have men in their life, who didn't have fathers in their lives. And I don't think you even know, you ain't signed up for that. You know what I mean? You didn't know that, but that was that was that was a fact. I mean, that's a fact in most urban places, you know, but that was a fact, you know what I'm saying? And I know, you know, looking back, there was a lot of kids who benefited from just seeing strong men in front of them. I mean, we we always talk about it just in education period, like you need more strong men in front of kids because they they just especially in urban areas because they don't they don't see as much, or even when they do see it, what do they see on TV? What do they see in the music they listen to? Those are people who are perpetuating one side of the coin. And so there's other things that it it doesn't have to be oversexualized, which they see like in RB urban music or or even hip hop or or you know, degrading to women, right? But you could see a strong, successful person, a strong person, and and that's what you you provided. Yeah, yeah, right. That's what I didn't, and you didn't even know. That's that's the thing, it's crazy because uh again, you you were that though. So whether you you were confident about it, you were. So, and definitely I could imagine just thinking about like how how that would have changed how you approached it, because that's really what it's affecting how you approach it, you know. Yeah, right, that's true. So now that's I gotta I gotta give, you know, before I forget to um props to Vanessa Farley because during that time I was hardly, you know, we were new newly married. Yeah, so we were hardly home, but she understood um the dynamic with the students because she also was a teacher, you know, uh before we got married. She did some sub uh subbing too. But she got it. And I think the the you know, a lot of the students who met her, you know, kind of attached themselves to her as well. But if it hadn't been for her support, yeah, you know, there would have been, you know, because most teachers don't, like you said, they don't spend all that time absolutely you know, yeah, you know, in nine hours out, like I'm out, yeah. You know, so um no, that's true. And it shout out to supportive spouses, you know, right they matter, honestly. I mean, especially just I think if you're creative too, but I think your journey, again, you like I said, you embraced all of these kids like they were all your kids, basically. Um, uh enriching their lives through the experiences. So uh shout out to you for that for sure. Um what is what was what was one of your highlights at uh West Orange? Good question. Um highlights their highlight was uh remember I said earlier that I wanted to uh uh challenge myself and get to a higher level of choral literature, and I think that's what I did, especially particularly in those last few years. I mean, I wouldn't have been able to do uh um Brahms Requiem at uh I mean maybe I don't know. You could have got there, but maybe in your year. But it was it probably would have needed a lot more support to get there, and that's the thing. And and not just that, but you know, it's it's more than just learning the notes, yeah. Like you're connecting with that, yeah, understanding, you know that that that kind of writing or or whatever. And I think um uh uh students, it was taking a lot more of it, but the students at Westorch kind of they kind of learned that as they were learning pieces, you know. Uh the Christmas cantata by Pinkham. Like I couldn't have done that at and I did it with the band, you know. And they were they're phenomenal bands. That's dope, yeah. Yeah, so because you had colleagues who were also at that level, right? Exactly. Yeah, you know, and they push you like when your colleagues are on that level, like so I I've had some colleagues which were on that level, and I've had some that just weren't, you know, being honest. But um, and then now, and I'm talking about from music side, because you know, you usually have a counterpart. And so where I am now, I'm the only music teacher. So, you know, I'll I've that's been also a push for me is to, you know, because I think that there's there's iron sharpens iron. You know, you get a strong uh uh uh instrumental teacher, then you guys get to challenge each other, you know, on things that you could bring to the table. So that would be one thing that I would push for, you know, even as even when I leave, I would say you need two music teachers. Yeah, and it's funny you bring that up because uh as much as I enjoy working with Patricia Corbin, um I can't really say about West Lawrence. Maybe I'd better keep that comment to myself. But I love working with Patricia because I learned a lot from her. Being it was my first few years, and she came on board and and showed me a lot of things that you know were possible. Uh, but uh I showed them how to go out, you know, to actually part of those places because they were scared to do that. Her and uh Barry McCann. They were afraid to go out, like ain't nothing to it. To take the to take the take the band out of the singers, yeah. And I mean it's not it's not I think I think there's some like even me sometimes I'll I'll probably like are they ready to do it, you know, stuff like that. But I mean at the end of the day, they're they're kids. Yeah, and and if they're proficient in just singing, that's really what kid people want. They want to see the experience, they want the kids, they want the the the energy and all that stuff. Um one thing, when Dr. Corbin came, I there was already a tone set, unfortunately, for for the concert choir um with uh uh Mr. Fox. Yes. Because we were a show choir. Yes, that's right. And so we were doing jazz and you know, all the movement and all that stuff, and it was it was incredible. Yeah, we were touring, yeah, we went all the way to Elmira, New York. Yeah, he was in it, yeah. And it was it was it was fun, but when she came, she just had a more formal approach, like you guys are black kids and y'all need to learn how to read music. Yeah, like she was just really like mom, like you know, I I need to give y'all your vitamins, y'all need to eat these vegetables. And at first I was just like, nah, I don't like this, you know what I mean? But again, even by senior year, she was still committed to her students because I don't even think I was I stayed in the choir um all four years, but she still was like, yo, you're a you're a great student, you're a great talent. I'm gonna prepare you for these auditions. Wow. So I again reflecting on it, like her commitment to her students was just unmatched in terms of Yeah, and it's important. Like I like how that was one way that she showed me things are possible, you know, because um uh I couldn't see probably, you know, teaching the sight sing, you know, teaching, you know, students at the time. I know there was some there may have been maybe you know, you know, students like you who were like musically inclined and would have probably you know grasped that and understood it. But if you don't, you know, have no dealings with you know music like that, you don't want to that's a hard introduction to make. Yeah, you know, because it it takes a certain level of discipline, not only from your part, and then for me, not necessarily coming from a sh a big background, I mean we did it. So it's not I I would never say, yeah, we didn't I didn't never learn theory. No, we did. We had the master theory books and all that stuff. Okay, so it was definitely introduced to us. However, knowing the the background of some some of our counterparts who also went to school who were learning from elementary school, they had a whole path. Right. So I remember when I did my um uh student teaching, I did an observation at a at a high school, and these guys were count singing, one and two and T and one, and same same thing that they were doing at All State. Okay, and we were like, what are they doing? But that was their practice, like they it was such ingrained into the culture that it was normal. So by the time we get to a Westminster, and you and I'm trying to follow the music, these people are they they had already learned the music. You know what I mean? Yeah, and that was the plight of a lot of us there, you know what I'm saying? Unfortunately, and not our fault, you know. I feel like we had rich background in other aspects of music and performance and in ear trainings that some of them couldn't you know catch up with, but um, but it's interesting, you know. What's um what's something that you wish you did that you didn't get to do? Either as an educator, as a musician? Well, um I think I've done everything I wanted to do, but what I was gonna say earlier was as much as I work working with Patricia Um and you know the co-teaching thing, I would have not at Irvington maybe, but at you know, the other school, I would have rather run the program myself. I would probably say if you're going to um, and I know it's great to have all these teachers, you know, you know, but ban is one thing. They got marching band, they got all that going on. I can see them having several teachers. But choir, one. Yeah. That's all you need. Yeah. Because uh, you know, say I'm from Westminster and you're from where? Uh yeah. I'm not playing. Anyway, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, but but yeah, we go on, I'm I I do it this way. Yeah, you know, uh, and um uh I don't want to say any names, but but I know you've had challenges with like differing opinions on how to do that. Right, right. Because you it's it's it's it's almost like a marriage and you just you gotta court with each other and get on the same page. And I don't want to do that. Or not everybody's open to it, right? Or to compromise on that, you know? And and I'm talking even, you know, um if you have a certain way, uh a certain method, you know, and it's coming up from the grade school, like even when we meet, it's not we're not all on the same level. I would have rather said, look, this is how it should start. Let's let's start here. And by the time they up uh get to the high school, yeah, we good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, we already have like it, and it was actually something I tried to introduce. Um our school system is a little bit different, um, a little unique because school to school, the school leaders kind of control what happens. Whereas like um so if they don't, if they don't have the personnel for it, then they don't do it. So like let's say if you wanted music in all those classes, yeah, if they don't have the personnel, like if they can't hire the right person or they don't have the retention, because that's an issue like with amongst a lot of young teachers, sometimes retention. You know, teachers aren't staying in the profession all the time. Yeah. Um, and and in in charter, it was in public schools as well. You have a lot of people who transition into teaching out of other careers. So you have alternative route programs and opportunities definitely for people to bring their real life experience into teaching, right? But usually they have like a couple of years to to get the certification, right? Which is which again is a gateway to give them an opportunity to um enlighten and bring those experiences. But some people, they just not built for it in in certain districts, I think, you know, or even at all. You know, some people they think, oh, teaching's just this. And they get in there, and the challenge of it is like, oh, yep. Oh, they challenging me, right? My personality, my, you know, everything I've learned all my life. So um, you know, what what as a teacher, as a music teacher, I would say, um what's some advice you would have for like a young music teacher? Well, the the best advice, well, there's several things, but the number one thing is you have to love music enough, you know, to want to share it, you know, to want to pass it on, because there are there are what I learned just when I was teaching, there are people that I found, students that I just found, you know, they'd be humming in the hallway or something like that. Yo, you sick. You sing, you know, yeah. So you gotta love it enough to want to recruit and and no matter what the challenges are, what whatever your your goal is, to build a choir, or you know, um uh uh the the the the ultimate goal is to get that student to appreciate yeah music, you know, uh even when they seem at first they're not, you know, they're not going to. You know, and I know in a lot of schools, um, you know, even both schools I was at, you know, uh the guys were like singing, you know, like yeah, okay. But but the the tenor and bass section be the biggest sections in the in the groups. But um about you know, as far as um the advice, you know, you gotta love music enough to want to share it and and teach it, and um and uh you have to have stamina. Yeah. You know, if you don't have that, it's a rap, you know. Absolutely. Especially these days. So what in your last few days, in your last few, not days, but years as a teacher, um you got to see uh different generations. Yes. Matter of fact, I had uh maybe two or three generations. generations of students that I had their parents. Oh wow. You know, whatever. You know so what what was that like? I know and I know so as a as a teacher who's been in the field now 25 years I see I see first of all I see the change. It's a whole different landscape. I have students that are almost principals you know at other schools and which is crazy to me too. But um how have how did you have to pivot a little bit in your approach? Because kids are different. I I find kids to be different. Now some things are the same some things are just consistent but like you have to approach things some sometimes differently. I do. So did you have to deal with that and and what did you have to do? Well as things change as the you know the dynamic the atmosphere I I was pivoting out the joke. But okay this is my exit but yeah like the like the piano yeah I could see the I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was fortunate enough and this is both schools I didn't have to pivot too much because once um the younger kids came in and saw the models of the well the the higher grades were models for them yeah they tried to keep that model. Yeah yeah yeah you know and as they moved up they were you know showing like yeah this is this is a standard that was already set yeah we ain't gonna mess that up yeah you know that's good uh so and that happened every year yeah you know and and and so uh I would lose a bunch of students to graduation like oh man it's gonna be crazy but the the next uh group would come up and you know they would handle it yeah you know so I was lucky fortunate yeah yeah yeah with that that's great that's great not a lot of pivot was was except for that last year when I was pivoting I remember I came to visit you I think it was like the last year and I felt like I I think it was like a piano class or something you was like yeah I think it's almost done I'm not I'm not even gonna lie uh the um I I actually if if I was the solo teacher there I would probably still be teacher yeah yeah yeah that and um they also put uh in my hands a um uh uh artistic not autistic but a special needs class yeah yeah yeah and um that it didn't it didn't seem like that was my fourth day I couldn't I didn't know how to handle right that was new yeah and so I was like yeah I can't I can't I can't do this yeah and and so when COVID came and and I had to teach that class that particular class I was like I can't yeah yeah yeah I think that was the the final that was already like yeah yeah wow yeah that's the challenge feel like I was capable yeah but yeah I hear that um what's uh what's next what I mean you you how's the retirement life retirement life is is it's great um I don't have to you know get up I was stressing because I had to get up at 4 30 in the morning and uh and drive you know uh but during the time that I was doing it it was worth it because I enjoy working and teaching you know music while at West Orange and Irvington I enjoy both um uh until the paperwork got too excessive right uh and um uh I was also uh working the Jubilee choir which wasn't a class at West Orange it was uh extracurricular activity step teams were doing excellent and your step teams still they won awards and everything that you that you started yeah that's crazy I mean again you you 25 years actually this is their 25th anniversary and they were just on TV they won Sherry oh Sherry Shepherd Sherry Shepherd yes they were you know so so that made it how was that seeing that they had done so much like seeing that they had already done that they won trophy did that just add that to the add it to the rest bag you know it's all good you know it's funny because they uh Sherry Shepard show called me you know and um and and um you didn't tell him I'm retired yeah yeah that's what I did I was like you got the wrong guy uh but I will hook you up with you know the guy is there and so um uh he did he was afraid because of your other things that were going on they weren't letting them do transportation like dude they're gonna let you go yeah for Sherry Shepherd exactly yeah they they go so the the lady called me back I want to talk to you anyway so you know because I want you at the show yeah but anyway they changed the day because it was a snow day and and I wasn't able to make the other day that they they had but yeah but that's that's part of your legacy man yeah yeah you know that's what I say you know I I think about these things and I was like uh you know I don't see myself the way other people see me you know and uh I I I just I guess I have to understand that these things uh or this journey I was on made a difference in people's lives I have to have to understand that absolutely I mean you I I those are those are uh amazing times though like when you're when you're in history uh making you're not you you know I would I would imagine anybody who's in history making I mean uh uh Michael Jackson doing thriller right you know you know I'm pretty sure they weren't sitting there like oh we're about to make history now I know they were trying to make history yeah but they didn't know they were gonna make history you know what I mean like they were going for it they were shooting for their their biggest hot shot yeah and they definitely knew they had hot fire but they didn't know like you know what I'm saying so so your your awareness is just like I'm gonna just do this great job I'm gonna do the best job I can do. And listen you you have you have we could have students probably miles long in a line to talk about the things that you've uh accomplished and imparted into them. So you know I'm happy to be on that line too because you've done so much to uh just bring joy of music and again like you said if the goal is just for for a new teacher just to be so love music so much that they want to share it I think that that's a very it sounds simple concept but it's but it's the whole concept. You know what I mean? Because if you don't love it then what are you doing? Why why are you here? You know what I mean to be honest. What is um now we didn't talk about this so this would be the last day we could talk about it. You while you were teaching because this is something that I've also also did while you were teaching I've seen you doing camps at churches I've seen you doing church jobs you know what I'm saying and that's something that I've always done I've always had like multiple you know things or outlets musically I've seen you record I've seen you perform at jazz clubs you know all of these things. How important was it for you to maintain those personal experiences and developments of your own music even while teaching others I think um my philosophy is if students can't see that you're you know uh skilled in your own craft that they won't believe not not so much that they won't believe you know or they won't they won't have that sort of model to look up to if that makes sense. I know what you're saying I know exactly what you're saying. So a lot of time this is why I continue with my education because I you know I want to to in a sense say this is all possible. Yeah you know and um yeah I'm teaching and it's it's a lot but uh I I I have uh the skill enough to compose if I want to to uh record if I want to not that I'm the greatest but I'm just saying you know and um and I also have a church uh um obligation yeah and I want my kids at my own church to say yo yeah I'm teaching and I'm also doing you can all you can this is all possible for you to do you know what I mean? Yeah one one of the things we talk about is pivoting like where you know perhaps you know you were you not you but like someone was uh trying to be a touring musician or a singer or an artist and those things are are always few and far between to be honest with you um you know some people make it and it's amazing to see them do it and then others they do it but they have spotty times where it's actually sometimes they're working sometimes they're not depending on the artist they're with depending on the network they're in and sometimes you got to pivot to something else like you get a family you have to now provide for that family and not just look out for your accomplishing your dream. I work with young and old musicians all the time what that that was why I brought that up because even though you were teaching you didn't give up on those other dreams those other outlets and so that's why I was saying how important was that to you um like I said you you you brought me on to play at Trumpets Jazz Club on a gig with you and that was I mean that was fulfilling because it was an opportunity that without living in that world more I probably wouldn't have ever performed there. You know what I'm saying? So what what has those experiences been like and like you said it's it's showing your teacher uh there was there was a guy who we went to a PD once who was talking about you got to be a master and because if you're the master when you show kids something that's hard for them to do but you you've mastered it it's attractive. It's like oh man I want to learn that too you know I'm saying now some people might be afraid okay if I show you something that's too advanced you might be like I just can't do it. But but kids are attracted to things that are difficult especially in a world where things are so easy or accessible. Yeah um so I uh you use this um when um I was teaching my uh bass player Trummer uh a song and let's see how to use this and so um someone said to me you know if you want them to be a better player have them listen to what the guy is doing on the record because even if it's a challenge they will meet that challenge you know if if they have to if they're really interested yeah you know and so um that's that's how I feel you know I I want I don't want you just to be you know average yeah you know it's it's a certain uh level of achievement you can make you know if you listen and you learn you you learn you you know so I'm I'm trying to make this metaphor where because on the I did a couple CDs they weren't that great. No it was fine. They they they were all right but they could have been better. Okay okay you know but you have to have the means to to make it better. But um like uh the bass is on there for example if you want him to be a better bass player let him listen to you know more challenging yeah works yeah yeah you know and that will make that will make them drive them to be yeah a better bass because you're setting the bar for them right like those those whatever you listen to it if it's if it's mastery level right then it's something that they could aspire to and if they're literally into it like you said they will they will find their way closer to it you know I think that's that's that's important. So what what what musical challenges are you now you got a long a lot of life left in you because I mean people think okay retirement that's like that's it well you you know it took me a minute to to to to feel what retirement really is because you you know I I wake up and I'm supposed to be doing something like I I don't know but I do want to continue with music and uh for a minute I I didn't really have any drive because I I've just exhausted and drained and but um uh as I continue to listen because there was a time when I just stopped listening to music period yeah you know and I just lost all track of who's doing what who's you know what artist is hot right now you know I I just didn't have the drive for it but now you know I'm starting to listen again and it's getting it's getting back in my my my spirit as they say and I'm starting to feel like I want to compose again. Yeah you know uh my heart will be in it you know because yeah I do have a lot of life left absolutely I'm I'm you know sort of tired of the you know you're younger but I'm you know I've been playing for 50 years now on the piano every Sunday morning but I really want to pass it on to other people if I was able to do that I'd be good. Yeah but I want to write more yeah you know I do want to play more but not not as an obligation. Yeah yeah I just want to you know work on some classical and and learn how to play like you oh get out of here no no seriously because I'm I'm watching piano tutorials now like how do they do that anyway you know yeah but uh yeah that's that's you know uh what I what where I am now yeah you know you can do whatever you want now you got time for yeah yeah yeah if I don't get hooked on Netflix but you know uh but my thing is like I gotta keep saying myself you you know you can do this but you know you don't have to you can you can chill if you want to take a break that's my mind is yeah so uh but that's where I am right now but I do miss making the music and and teaching the music with students yeah yeah so maybe there's I mean I don't you probably ain't signing up for that again though and no obligations absolutely but there's but there's other ways you can do it I mean there's there's there's there's tons of ways I mean I think about when I retire as soon as possible but no no I'm just kidding but I think about like you know what what's on the horizon and like I think I would probably like to teach uh uh be a professor a college professor I'm thinking about that oh yeah also I I had that in mind and um if I pushed I probably could find something somewhere if it's not if it's not you know a distance uh but um you know the more you're inactive yeah you know you're like you're fine you're fine with it yeah yeah yeah yeah so you could you could do you can do it or not yeah take it or leave it so but listen man I appreciate you coming thank you so much thank you for what you've done and how you've been part of it in many many many many students and probably couldn't even count how many like how many you did 30 years of teaching years yeah so I mean that's at least I don't know what do you think probably about five ten thousand yeah easily I'm sure easily I'm sure easily that's wild but I mean again like that's that's that's the job that was the job and again when you were in it you weren't like oh this is what I'm gonna do this is I'm gonna look back on this one day you were just doing it yeah just doing the thing and so I mean I appreciate you love you and I know you know so many people I mean people who aren't even in music anymore they were impacted with you people who don't even know you they didn't even they didn't know you then but they know the impact you had whether in the community whether in uh uh music like I said we we were going up against um rival choirs in those McDonald's gospel fests when we knew that they were fixed yeah because we were at the church of the person who won but but but even then those people respected you because they saw what you were doing I mean and and it wasn't common you know what I mean so you know spending evenings at those McDonald's gospel fests having to wait to all the performances and the hosts sing all their songs and all the stuff but all of that again though those were experiences it's crazy my wife was at one of the uh McDonald's gospel fests that we won I don't even know her you know I'm saying but she just happened to be there because it was just an event that that everybody was going to at the time so it's just it's just crazy when you think about all of that New York because we had to do some stuff in New York in North whatever. So I mean like I said the journey was amazing. I I was uh fortunate to be a part of a lot of that in the beginning and so I'm grateful you know for our our relationship throughout this these years um and listen you you you're part of my story so no matter what I'm always gonna mention you because you're part of that story so thank you um I want to say real quick so so um the when I my last year at uh West Orange when they uh awarded me the teacher of the year and I said this then I'll say it again wasn't necessarily anything that I did that I you know think you know believe it was the students who really made me who I was or who put me on the map or who gave me the you know the props that you know were given to me. So uh you know I know I was there and I say right place right time at you know you were you were navigating it though yeah even even if again like you you you you mentioned like you didn't feel like you had the confidence at the time but you were you showed up yeah so even if that was as much as you needed you had you had I'm sure you had but you might have felt it but again you didn't show that you showed up and that and that in in that in our community that's more than what some people do is even just show up be consistent right your consistency your diligence that spoke volumes even if you didn't feel like you were up to the task you were doing it okay you know what I'm saying so we we thank you and and like I said recording artists all over the city inspired by you you know so I mean you know you you know all the people that we have so yeah yeah and not just recording artists just actors everything right yeah yeah I mean we have we have uh like I said you could probably do a whole thing and be like have a whole credits just for you but again we I I'm glad that you're still here and you know any anything you need from me you know you got so but uh thank you for coming and sharing you know um anything else you want to share like just in your journey I'm still trying to think of that musical myth but I can't really think of musical myth I can't think of what maybe I'll you know uh send a text or something but no but no I appreciate being here some more and um I again I'm always so proud of you the work that you've done and uh I know there are quite a few students who are doing so wonderful and succeeding and I'm so proud of all of them all of them you know and I still hear from a lot of them you you know they text me they call me and and every once in a while hey father you know I just wanted to say I never had a chance to say this you know but um it's it's it's all because of God you know right again right place right time and God has put me on this journey and I've appreciated the walk yeah I've appreciated you all so so you could say well let me ask let me ask you this question this final question how has your faith basically shaped your entire journey this was you know how you try to find what it is God has for you to do this was that the purpose this was that purpose yeah yeah this was that yeah you know and so um I know after you know consider I I know God is pleased you know and and uh and I think I pray that he's pleased you know because if this is the war he wanted me to take I hope I did okay. I don't know I I believe so and I think I think it's your turn to enjoy and and find whatever way you want to take that path because you I mean like I said you still can do anything you want at this point. Yeah so thank you glad to have you man so check out you could check out his recording he's talking about dating out good they were good they were great they are right I'm not gonna put Harry down like that he did it yeah he did a good job yeah what was crazy and before we go I remember the first time I heard you sing okay because you weren't singing a lot you would teach parts but I remember the first time you sang a solo okay on a on a on a run out on a gig and everybody was like folly can sing I don't remember that and and that that was like because you didn't do it often I did you didn't sing often but when you did it was like this guy can sing like like I mean amazing amazing so thanks again that's that younger days had to be like that anymore but that's that mastery that we talk about like just showing the mastery and you know like I said this guy did this thing this hand trick like and it was he was saying like because it's something difficult that kids can't just do they gravitate to it even more because you show mastery in it and so you know like I said you you you were you are a blueprint for so many things character um patience humility um music all of the things and just and consistency like I said the consistency factor alone you showed up you wasn't absent a bunch of days and all that stuff which people who are into their life it happens right but you were there like people were like farley's gonna be here you know what I mean and so you know and so many people I mean I know you probably had many more stories many of people and their and their stuff but yeah because they just needed somebody consistent and so you know I appreciate you for being there so thanks check out my man Farley he has music and I'm sure you're gonna continue making music yeah absolutely so you know so we'll we'll be working on some music together and and we're definitely uh I'm gonna show you show off his voice to you guys you're gonna hear how good he is I mean look we had we had we lost some people man Carlin amazing singer man yeah Katrina yeah oh Katrina was one of the best yeah uh contralto voices oh my gosh amazing I cry when I think about that uh Malik yeah Malik Jones yeah yeah gemini singers all of those people man but amazing singers that that in some way directly and in some indirectly they they they came through you man yeah so you know you you you've impacted so many and I I guarantee you uh we have our reunion this year so we're gonna be talking about yeah okay yeah maybe I'll pop through you should pop through we'll talk about that but this is the musician share podcast again I'm with my family now so you know we we we go a little longer when we when this family because we get to talk about old times and and relive some of our history but um but Dr. Farley put the doctor on his name um you you did the time so we gotta give you your props so thank you for having him and look him up you'll find his music and we're gonna put out some more stuff so you're gonna hear it i'm I might do a project just for you just in honor of you but to make sure that people hear you all right so but God bless you God bless man thank you thanks man hope I did okay thanks for listening to stay up to date between episodes follow us on Facebook TikTok and Instagram and make sure you're subscribed to our YouTube channel if you liked what you heard today or if there's something specific you want us to dive into next leave us a comment catch you in the next episode