Sometimes in art, we are challenged or forced to do things outside of our comfort zones. However, most of the time, it is preferred that the artist stay true to himself.

That’s my opinion of course. For the sake of growth, others would disagree. And I wouldn’t take major issue with it except to say that Marky Mark is not a big band crooner. Get my drift? At the end of the day, we are who we are.

And I posted a video to an original composition tonight that, I think, is kind of outside my wheelhouse. Kind of a slow jazz vocal, it borders on R and B (my ampersand key doesn’t work) — and while I like the composition, I don’t love it. Sitting back waiting for it to post to YouTube and eventually to here, I kept thinking, “That’s not the type of song I should be doing.”

The question is: Good to stretch creatively? Or a waste of time?

Looking for treadmill workouts online for optimal fat burning, but also want to make sure they won’t draw too many strange looks. This might be effective, but I don’t see it being kosher at the Cleveland County Y.

I tend to revere musicians who I feel are underrated. For example, Stevie Wonder is not underrated. He is greatness, and everybody knows it — and for whatever reason I don’t have that big an urge to see him in concert.

On the other hand, two of my favorite all-time musicians will be in Norman (Riverwind Casino) over the next month and a half, and I am quite tempted to go my own damned self if I can find nobody else with even the slightest interest.

On June 19, it’s Ronnie Milsap, who was the most soulful country music artist of a generation. Even though my styles as a pianist and songwriter all gravitate more toward Stevie, my musical upbringing was first exposed to pop music during the urban country years. This means Milsap’s hits like “Smoky Mountain Rain” touched my ears well before “I Wish” or “Sir Duke.”

Tunes like “There’s No Gettin’ Over Me,” “Any Day Now” and “It Was Almost Like A Song” transcended country. Listening to “There’s No Gettin’ Over Me,” I’m thinking to myself: How is this country? Not that Milsap wasn’t a bonafide country artist, but he was more soul a lot of the time.

For the record, I’m tempted to post a cover of the tune here soon.

My favorite Milsap tune was a song that my dad and his duo partner, Don Jo Wright, used to play periodically in church. A song written by Randy Sparks called “What A Difference You’ve Made In My Life.” This is oozing with soul.

Lyle’s concert here isn’t until July 9, and I dig him on another level. I’ll pick up the story soon and write a bit about what make that odd-lookin’ feller the talent he is.

This is your official, last-minute invitation: Come see me play Saturday night (Jan. 24) at Othello’s in Norman. I’ll start between 6:30 and 7 p.m. and play until 5 in the morning non-stop.

Kidding.

But I will be gigging at Othello’s on Campus Corner until about 10 or 10:30. For the first hour, hour and a half, I play instrumentals mostly — jazz standards, pop hits, a couple originals.

And, then I break out the piano bar act.

Admittedly, I shy away from most Piano Bar 101 material except for some Billy Joel and Elton John. Unlike a lot of “piano bar” acts, I try to work in 10-12 original songs, including my hit single, “Dirty Pierre.”

OK, so it’s not actually a hit.

I checked Look @ OKC and the Oklahoma Gazette to see if my gig was even listed, and it wasn’t. (Boo!) However, it’s not like I’m some household name in the OKC area. I’m not even a household name in my neighborhood.

In fact, besides leaving Othello’s full of great food and drink on Saturday night, you’re likely to leave not asking, “Why has this guy not been signed by a major label?” but instead asking yourself, “How is this guy not in a mental ward?”

Among the songs I plan to include on Saturday are:

• Lithium - Nirvana
• Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
• Private Dancer - Tina Turner
• Fame - Irene Cara

Not that those are bad songs, but I’m betting you won’t hear that combination anywhere on Earth Saturday night.

When I first recommitted to gigging, I found myself conflicted by two schools of thought: Either I could go the singer-songwriter route and take myself all seriously, or I could just have a good time.

I’ve opted for the latter.

Part of that means doing whatever is necessary to ensure folks have a good time when they come to see me play. No, that does not mean I’ll play shirtless. There is food involved, and nausea is not fun. Seeing my man-boobies bounce while I play would only serve to sicken the masses.

On the other hand, I do take requests, but I do have to warn you: I have no shame.

If I know it, and you ask for it: I’ll play it. I’ll sing it. My only rule is that if you ask me to play anything by the Commodores that you protect me from the fruit and vegetables that get thrown my way by Toad, who will be making an appearance. You’ll know who my buddy is when the red pears start flying.

He believes Lionel Richie is, in fact, the devil.

Now, gigging is nothing new for me, but I’d never even attempted solo performance until last year. When I played with bands in Dallas, I wouldn’t even sing backup; that’s how self-conscience I was.

The first couple of times I gigged solo, I’d dread “gig day” because I’d be a nervous wreck, hoping I wouldn’t forget a song in the middle of it.

Now, I’ll just start the heck over.

See, no shame. I have none.

If you don’t know where Othello’s in Norman is, it’s just north of Brothers on Buchanan Avenue on historic Campus Corner, just north of the beautiful University of Oklahoma campus.

And if you’re nowhere near here, get out and see somebody play this weekend, I guarantee you’ll make their day.

BTW, Norman isn’t nearly blameless, and I’d go so far as to say that 2008 was a major step backward for the city in terms of crime. Well, not so much a step backward but a step into territory this city has rarely seen.

Over the past four weeks, there have been at least two or three home-invasion robberies in Norman, the most recent of which was New Year’s Eve.

The home-invasion attack is probably the scariest and most violating attack of them all. But how do we stop any of it?

Longer prison terms for violent offenders and lesser terms for non-violent offenders. Cohesive family units for kids growing up. Allow and encourage people to defend themselves.