by Ray Martinez
I could not help writing this article when I was deeply touched by a tragic story that had eventually turned to triumph.
The story is about Wes Leonard, a 16-year old All-American Basketball player, who after scoring the winning basket to cap a perfect season, was hoisted in the air after the thrilling victory, then collapsed dying on the court of an enlarged heart.
Wes Leonard played for Fennville High in Michigan, and after his tragic death the team went on to win their first playoff game in the Michigan Class C State Tournament.
The irony of this story is their gym only held 800 people so they moved their home game to Hope College, 50 miles away to a 3,500 seat arena, with the population of Fennville being 1,400. Hope College donated the staff, the arena, and even provided buses for both teams free of charge.
The only time competition was involved was during the game, outside of that there was compassion, a community, the state of Michigan, and actually a story that gripped the nation together in honor of the fallen star.
A bigger reminder should be 9-11, when tragedy struck our nation and we pulled together as a nation. But why does it take a tragedy to bring people together when we should actually be treating others on a daily basis with love and compassion?
Being Part of the DJ Community
Our industry is a small fraternity of men and women who have a certain gift to get up in front of an audience and entertain and take away the everyday problems people have for 5-6 hours. That is our job and we do it well. But does it always have to revolve around money and/or our egos? No it doesn’t. Where is our sense of community, helping others without the fear of sharing so-called trade secrets?
The Stuff True Leaders Are Made Of
True leaders in the industry, should never worry about just the bottom line, the almighty dollar. True leaders, perform at their best, (not just on stage) and their best is required every day. A true leader is one that knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. And a true leader should have the utmost concern for what is right rather than who is right.
Let’s Become A Team United
The time is right now for our industry to rally around and level the playing field to become a team without division of East vs. West, ADJA vs. NAME, Mobile Beat vs. DJ Times, Part-time vs. Full time. The bottom line is that we are all Mobile DJ Entertainers. Many of us have more talent and passion than others, but as leaders we have an obligation to share those gifts with our industry colleagues without worrying about competition.
Talent is God given, be humble; Fame is man given, be grateful; Conceit is self-given, be careful” - John Wooden
The Lesson To Be Learned
As a small community in Michigan mourns the death of their 16-year old star player, remember that tomorrow is never promised to us. We should not wait for tragedy to strike to start lifting up others who may not have the tools we have been gifted with. We should concentrate on making greatness attainable by all, without regard of race, color, or creed.
You see, talent is subjective, we may see someone perform and think they fall short and we go on criticizing their work, when we should make suggestions to them to make their performance better. With that said, remember that the quality of a leader is set by the standards they set for themselves.
Ray Martinez – Unbridled Inspiration
Ray Martinez of Ray Mar Productions in Goodyear, AZ is the most highly accredited individual in the mobile DJ industry. To purchase Ray Mar’s books, visit his website. To contact him, email [email protected]. A 30+ year veteran, Ray’s many accomplishments include: 2006 American Disc Jockey Hall of Fame Inductee, 2003 National Male Entertainer of the Year, American Disc Jockey Awards; 2001 & 2002, ADJA Southern California Entertainer of the Year, Author, “Performance Beyond Expectation,” “Music From My Heart”, Vice President-Board of Directors of N.A.M.E. (National Association of Mobile Entertainers), Executive Director, CrossMix-Christian DJ Association, Lifetime Member-American Disc Jockey Association, Former National Director of the ADJA, Former Vice President of the ADJA So. California Chapter, Ambassador and Endorsed Artist for QSC Audio.
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