It has been quite a turbulent past month and I thought it was time to fill you in on all of the craziness that is now our life. Our lives have taken quite a twist. To say our future will look different is an understatement. This is truly not where I saw my life going this year – or ever for that matter!
I don’t know how much you know about how I started on this music journey. I have had the passion to create music since my late teens when I started writing songs. Early on I recorded demo tapes, made trips to Nashville, even landed a publishing contract. At the same time, my desire for a family burned equally as strong. I knew a career in music wasn’t conducive to being the kind of dad I wanted to be, so I let that passion fade and devoted myself to being a family man.
At the time, I was working in the family business. We manufactured helicopter windows of all things. Teri joined me there after our kids started to school and life rocked along on this path that seemed to be firmly set in stone. That is until 2005 when this passion to make music burst forth again. We decided I should record my first album project, more just for fun and to give me a creative outlet than with any idea that I would switch careers and pursue music full time.
In 2006, however, the stresses of the family business finally took a toll on me. Manufacturing is a very stressful business in and of itself, but then when you factor in family dynamics, the pressures became a detriment to my health. I walked away from a twenty-five year career to preserve my sanity and my family. I actually write about this at length in my book if you want more of this story.
The first album, Slow Down, was finished at about that time and we devoted all of our energies to a career in music. It has been quite a journey – six albums to date with one more in the works, several music video projects, a live concert DVD, a book. Over the past fourteen years, we have had a blast expressing our creative selves, meeting new life-long fans and friends along the way. And I have really found myself on this journey, evolving into the man I think I was supposed to be.
Fast forward to 2020. When my father passed in 2015, my mother assumed the title of president. Earlier this year, at 85, we started seeing signs that my mother was slowing down. Totally to be expected for someone at her age. And as of last week, she decided it was time to retire. I have been named the new president of the family business, Tech-Tool Plastics.
So what does this mean for Teri and I? While we have no plans to relocate to Texas, we will be traveling back and forth between there and Virginia a lot over the coming year. As with every management change, there is a lot of work to be done to move the company into the future I see for it. It will take a considerable amount of energies from both Teri and I, as well as my sister and her husband who have joined the management team to accomplish all that lies ahead.
Am I excited about this change in my life? To be totally truthful, I don’t really know how I feel. There is a lot of emotional turmoil with returning to the company in this role. I never thought I would ever be a part of the company again, nor did I think I ever wanted to. However, we have some very amazing employees, many of whom I worked with all of those years ago. I am connected to them, like they are family to me. They have devoted their lives to making our company successful and I feel an obligation to stand beside them as we carry the company into the future.
What about the music? Well, I’m not really sure about that either. We have been working on new songs that I hope to share before the end of the year. But truthfully, we are so overwhelmed by the amount of work before us, we honestly have no energy left to devote to actively creating or promoting the music, as evidenced by my lack of being present on social media over the past few weeks.
We will have to take this new journey one day at a time. We don’t want to lose touch with all of the fans and friends we’ve made through the years. So please reach out to us periodically and let us know how you are doing, either via email or my social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
In the meantime, please stay safe, be healthy and get out to vote!!
Hey John!
It really sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now! Take care of Family Business First! This Fan will still be around to listen to your Music in the future! Sorry about all the Chaos right now! It’s just another obstacle you’ll have to overcome. Even maybe a New song to write.. Take care!
John Dove
Thank you, my friend! You never know what kind of a song may come from this new adventure!!
I wish you the best to you and Teri!
Thank you, my friend! Some day we will make it to Seattle and have that cup of coffee together! Keep in touch!
You guys have done an amazing job of managing all the twists and turns!
Thank you, my friend! It’s by the grace of God we have weathered the storm so far! 😀
Prayers for your new endeavor! God thankfully is in control yet does bring us thru some valleys every now and then! I believe your material will produce songs that are even more heartfelt than before. You are where he wants you and have the most beautiful girl right beside you.
Thank you for your kind words, Michele! I am grateful to have Teri by my side and the support of so many friends and fans along the way. God has been so good to me and He will see us through!
Wow I know this must have rocked your world as you thought it would be but God always has plans for us that he knows only we can handle he made you he knows what your made of & he knows you are the perfect person for this journey God Bless you & your family for thinking of all those employees (family) that have been w/ your family for many years instead of shutting everything down & letting all those families to fend for themselves. You are a wonderful person John even more thankful now to be a fan of your great music the show must go on I know you still have a lot of music left in you to share with & uplift all us fans can’t wait to hear the new album.
Thank you for your encouragement, Sandra! I am grateful to have friends and fans like you on this journey with me! Stay tuned as this adventure continues!
Change is scary. You seem to have weighed your options and chose wisely. Can’t condem that.
I’m not to worried about your music side either. You stand alone there. Your music moves me like no other.
On that.. you will be back. Music is in your DNA.
Got a fan here for life. Lol
And I wouldn’t want it any other way! SO happy to have you as a fan and friend and I appreciate all of your support and encouragement through the years. Yes…I will be back…said in my best Arnold Schwazenegger accent! 😂
The music will always be there waiting and when the time is right you will be back. And to quote ABBA ‘Thank you for the Music’. Good luck and best wishes in this next stage of your lives, John & Teri.
Thank you so much, Kim! We’ve loved getting to know you on this journey! Keep in touch!!
Great to hear things are going so well for you John!
Fort Worth is a good place to have your business though since the Dallas/Ft. Worth/Arlington area is the only true Megalopolis in Texas. I have an old friend that is a Doctor in Arlington. So I have been up there but don’t leave San Antonio much anymore. Don’t ever let your love for music diminish as we would really miss it.
Thank you, Bob! I will keep you posted on the music front for sure. Keep in touch, my friend!
Good Luck! I hope and pray 🙏🏻 it all works out for you. Maybe this time around things will be totally different for you with the family business.
Thank you, Kim! I appreciate the encouragement and feel like this is where I need to be. God will work out the finer details. Keep in touch!
“I feel like this is where I need to be.” That’s the key right there, feeling that this is the right place to be at this time. 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻
Thank you, Kim!! 😀
Congratulations im sorry to see you lea ing your music but i wish you thbebebst in your future endeavours.however yyou cantvtake thd music out of the man.Stay strong stay safe good luck and drop a line so we know how its going.Thankx for the memories.
Thank you so much, Susan! I will definitely keep you posted on how life is going and look forward to sharing more music down the road! Happy to have you as a fan!
Hi John, Ann here from Michigan! I remember the first time I discovered your music and a great day it was! Family businesses are always a challenge and you need to focus on what is right in your heart. Best wishes to you and I will continue to listen to your music and promote your talent to others. Ann
Now that brings a smile to my face! Thank you, Ann! Please keep in touch!
Hey john
I think you made the right decision.
It sets you apart that you stand by the employees in the company and tackle the future with them.
Certainly a big challenge. But with commitment and with Teri, your sister and her husband, it will be possible to get the company back on track. I am firmly convinced of that. We will always stay in contact and if you need help and we can do something for you, please let us know.
You guys are awesome and I really treasure your support and encouragement! Can’t wait until we can meet in person and share good times again!
John, Buddy, man, wooo! For one I’m sorry for the loss of your father. As I’m equally sorry for the decline in your Mothers health. As a fan I’m looking forward to the new album. As a friend I want to give you some advice. First let me ask you a question. The family bussiness, are you really passionate about it? I pose this question to you to reflect. This was your parents dream. Your parents where passionate about it. Your passion was, still is, and always should be Music! My advice would be to sell it! Perhaps your siblings want it. Or one of the employees. This would relieve yours and Terri’s budget, mental state, and time. You mentioned above it stressed you out and you left. You also mentioned your not willing to move back to Texas. So why not have your siblings buy you out? Unless you’re willing to fully commit to the bussiness. I support your decision either way man. Do what your heart tells you. Always a fan and a friend Milton.
Thank you my friend! I wish it were that simple. I feel there is a bigger obligation here that isn’t really about me. I have to see that through. The music will live on inside until it is time to break forth again! Grateful to have met you on this journey. Keep in touch!
Congrats for your journey, all the steps were guided by God and of course sometimes is stressing but is part of this, I am in Brasil and forgive me for some word wrote wrong.
I hope you go well in a company and you can deal with music as well, your music is amazing and I think you will have inspiration in everywhere you be, in home, in a company or some other place.
I wish you success in your life, stay well.
Thank you so much, Regina for this encouragement! God bless you!
I certainly hope that you have success doing whatever needs to be done at Tech-Tool Plastics, Mr. President. I also trust that you will find the strength to be at peace with doing the work required. I wish you well in this endeavor and know that with God all things are possible, plus, I believe that you are a Godly man, so the odds for success are in your favor.
As far as music goes, although treating it like a business as you have been doing over the past 14 years may not be feasible in the near future, you’re a Music Man and that’s simply a part of who you are. Nothing can separate you from that as your life experience has demonstrated, you may put it off or squeeze it down to achieve another goal, but it always comes back to the surface some way or another.
Renea and I look forward to staying in touch with you and Teri, maybe even growing closer since you will be “in town” more often over the next year or so. I know we had a blast last time you visited and perhaps, if possible, you folks will be able to return again soon.
Thank you, Brother, for your encouragement! I treasure this friendship we have formed and am grateful that our paths crossed on this journey. Teri and I would love to hang out with you two again and once the dust settles a bit, we will make solid plans. Until then, you all be well and please know how much we appreciate all of the support you’ve shown us through the years!