(lively rock music) - [Narrator] Ocean State Sessions features performances by local musicians and brings you the stories behind the songs.

Coming up tonight ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ Won't be too soon ♪ ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ I'll tell you a story 'bout a man-- ♪ (guitar strums) ♪ Caught in a whirlwind ♪ ♪ I know he ain't never coming round this town again ♪ ♪ You might know better but I know something too ♪ ♪ Now how about you, I can tell that your pride ♪ ♪ Has very little to do with how long you survive ♪ ♪ I don't mind ♪ ♪ If things don't change ♪ ♪ Though you're not mine, no, my heart won't-- ♪ - My name's Mark Cutler.

And I live in Cranston, Rhode Island and I'm a singer/songwriter/musician and also the director of The Same Thing Project.

I had throat cancer and open heart surgery within a year.

And I was kind of like a little isolated and it was pre COVID, but I felt kind of isolated.

So I felt like the man on the moon, you know and that's kind of where that came from.

And I just, you know, I was real kind of like a fairy tale about long time ago, there was a man on the moon.

And I remember like when I was a kid, I saw it in Mother Goose fairy tales.

The man on the moon came down too soon.

And I said, oh you know, that might be a good idea for a song (Upbeat jazz music) ♪ A long time ago ♪ ♪ There was a man on the moon ♪ ♪ Looking' at his telescope ♪ ♪ Had a tiny little bed and a tiny little room ♪ ♪ He liked to call home sweet home ♪ ♪ He'd come down to the Earth every once in a while ♪ ♪ to see how things are playing' out ♪ ♪ He'd never stay too long ♪ ♪ He felt he didn't belong ♪ ♪ Misunderstood what all the fuss was about ♪ ♪ Haven't seen you in a while ♪ ♪ Had to travel all those miles ♪ ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ Won't be too soon ♪ ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ I'll tell you a story 'bout a man on the moon ♪ ♪ He sits by the window.

♪ ♪ He stares at the stars ♪ ♪ The Earth rises silently ♪ ♪ Here comes Saturn and here comes Mars ♪ ♪ Over the sea of tranquility ♪ ♪ He went over to the dark side a couple of times ♪ ♪ To see if all the talk was true ♪ ♪ He liked it much better where the golden sun shined ♪ ♪ And he could get a better view ♪ ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ Won't be too soon ♪ ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ I'll tell you a story 'bout a man on the moon ♪ (lively music) ♪ Haven't seen you in a while ♪ ♪ Had to travel all those miles ♪ ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ Won't be too soon ♪ ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ I'll tell you a story 'bout a man on the moon ♪ ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ Won't be too soon ♪ ♪ Come on down ♪ ♪ I'll tell you a story 'bout a man on the moon ♪ ♪ I'll tell you a story 'bout a man on the moon ♪ (lively music) I write ideas down and then I find out what they mean later, sometimes.

You know, sometimes I have a full story, but like that song, you know, I started off with an idea, and I know it was about, kind of, isolation and feeling you know, like, you know, just alone kind of, and mortal and all that stuff.

So that's where that came from.

But you know, you start writing, you know, like couplets and you sold them together.

And sometimes like, they might not seem like they have like anything to do with each other, but then you look back and it's like, you know like John Cage throwing dice to write a song.

It's like sometimes you're throwing dice.

(slow jazz music) ♪ I know what it's like ♪ ♪ To feel no pain ♪ ♪ I know what it's like ♪ ♪ Getting' lost in the rain ♪ ♪ Distant room ♪ ♪ Locked out of your home ♪ ♪ Side streets glisten ♪ ♪ No one wants to listen ♪ ♪ I surely know ♪ ♪ I surely know ♪ ♪ I know how it is ♪ ♪ Can't take off your shoes ♪ ♪ I know how it is ♪ ♪ Scared and confused ♪ ♪ Trouble recalling ♪ ♪ Afraid that your falling, spinning' around ♪ ♪ Drilling holes in the ground ♪ ♪ I surely know ♪ ♪ I surely know ♪ ♪ I was lost and adrift ♪ ♪ So late in the day ♪ ♪ So much mystery ♪ ♪ I couldn't give it a name ♪ ♪ You are my true North ♪ ♪ You lead me back home ♪ ♪ Oh, to be destined ♪ ♪ To ramble and roam ♪ (soft electric guitar music) ♪ I know what it's like ♪ ♪ To be high on the hill ♪ ♪ I know what it's like ♪ ♪ To tumble and spill ♪ ♪ Lost in the river ♪ ♪ Give you a shiver, adrift in the ocean ♪ ♪ Give you a notion ♪ ♪ I surely know ♪ ♪ I surely know ♪ ♪ I know what it's like ♪ (tempo rises) ♪ I surely know ♪ (music slows) ♪ I know what it's like ♪ - I'm Lee McAdams from Providence, Rhode Island.

I'm a musician/producer/songwriter.

I think I fell in love with the guitar through the music of Jimmy Hendricks and the Allman Brothers Band.

That was the music my dad listened to.

And then further through like soul music and blues which my mom listened to.

It was kind of just like the only thing on my mind I think at a young age.

It's kind of just the only thing I knew I had to do.

And the only thing I knew for sure that I wanted to do.

(Soft acoustic guitar music) ♪ I'm feeling so low ♪ ♪ I'll do it tomorrow ♪ ♪ Procrastination ♪ ♪ With a little bit of stimulation ♪ (Soft acoustic guitar music) ♪ Caught in a whirlwind ♪ ♪ I know he ain't never come 'round this town again ♪ ♪ You might know better, but I know something too ♪ ♪ Now how 'bout you ♪ ♪ I can tell that your pride has very little to do ♪ ♪ With how long you survive ♪ ♪ Come along for the ride ♪ ♪ Everybody's got something to prove ♪ ♪ And what is that to you ♪ (guitar strumming) ♪ Cracking out a bottle ♪ ♪ I'm in the street, kicking back with my people ♪ ♪ Yeah, we feeling' free ♪ ♪ Don't know what that means to you ♪ ♪ But I know what it means to me ♪ ♪ These moments aren't made to last a lifetime ♪ ♪ Just long enough to find a lifeline ♪ ♪ So won't you come and bail me out again, my friends ♪ ♪ You know I'd do it for you ♪ (guitar strumming) ♪ These moments aren't made to last a lifetime, for you ♪ ♪ But I'll be goddamned if I don't try, for you ♪ ♪ These moments aren't made to last a lifetime, for you ♪ ♪ But I'll be goddamned if I don't try, for you ♪ (acoustic guitar music) (tempo rises) ♪ These moments aren't made to last a lifetime, for you ♪ ♪ But I'll be goddamned if I don't try, for you ♪ ♪ These moments aren't made to last a lifetime, for you ♪ ♪ But I'll be goddamned if I don't try, for you ♪ (acoustic guitar music) So Lifeline is a song by my band, The Cosmic Factory.

It's on our most recent EP.

I wrote it after my friend, Tim Davis passed away.

He was a big part of the Providence music scene.

I think it was just sort of my reflection on seeing how the music scene came together without him.

(guitar strumming) ♪ Pick a game, boy ♪ ♪ Pinball, Nintendo ♪ ♪ But if you beat me ♪ ♪ Well, I might have let you ♪ (soft strumming) ♪ I don't know what you like ♪ ♪ So, I'll stick you in soccer ♪ ♪ Until you tell me ♪ ♪ I want to play guitar ♪ (soft strumming) ♪ Hey now, what are you ♪ ♪ Doing back there ♪ ♪ Oh, I cannot reach you ♪ ♪ Don't make me pull over this car ♪ (slow guitar music) - Hi.

So I'm Jonathan Grice, and I currently reside in Providence, Rhode Island.

But I'm originally from North Carolina, and I'm a singer/songwriter.

So how it really started is I come from a musical family.

My dad, mostly.

He was in the R&B and Soul.

My mom, she came from Gospel and Reggae 'cause she's from Jamaica.

So music was kind of always in the household, but mostly my inspiration came from church.

My whole life sort of just got topsy turvy because I loved it.

The feeling that you get when you're doing something in real time, and you're interacting with people.

But really the magic that comes from it, that's what really got me hooked.

But also, it showed me that you can be whoever you want to be.

You can be completely yourself but also embody something that people can look at and you know, really enjoy.

But also it is a reflection.

So I started doing that, and that's what really started everything.

Especially when I started getting into live music.

But I heard this one quote by Terrence Mann.

He says, TV will make you famous, movies will make you rich, but theater will make you good.

And I just wanted to try and be the best I could at what I do just doing it my way.

And so what I realized was just, you keep doing it.

You keep practicing.

My choir teacher said, practices make perfect.

With music, I found, that's a vessel to really penetrate people's hearts.

But not only that, you could penetrate their souls.

And so that's what I learned from theater.

So I just wanted to translate that into music.

You're telling people that, Hey, this is my voice.

This is my song.

Here's everything that I've lived through.

But I'm gonna try and put it in a little capsule for you through a song, through a note, through a dance, through some sort of piece of art to give to you.

And hopefully, you know, when they take away from that, it creates a whole legacy.

A community.

(Upbeat piano music) ♪ Let me hang your picture on the wall ♪ ♪ Show the world that you're beautiful ♪ ♪ I know you got more questions than stars ♪ ♪ Wish we all had the answers, nah ♪ ♪ And I liked it too much, can't help it ♪ ♪ I realize it's too much to handle ♪ ♪ So, I'll wait to see which one of us will cave ♪ ♪ Oh no ♪ ♪ I don't mind ♪ ♪ If things don't change ♪ ♪ Though you're not mine, no ♪ ♪ My heart will never chase ♪ ♪ I said, I don't mind ♪ ♪ To leave some space ♪ ♪ In case your mind ♪ ♪ Does ever change ♪ (upbeat piano music) ♪ I said, I don't mind ♪ ♪ If things don't change ♪ ♪ Though you're not mine ♪ ♪ My heart will never chase ♪ ♪ I said, I don't mind ♪ ♪ To leave some space ♪ ♪ In case your mind ♪ ♪ Does ever change ♪ (soft piano music) Change, I Don't Mind is a story about adulthood.

And I personally wrote it because during the pandemic I was talking to a special certain lady.

And so, I was just sitting at the piano, and I just started playing some chords until I came up with this chord progression that really resonated with me.

And the first thing that came to mind was let me hang your picture on the wall.

Meaning that even though sometimes you can't have things that you really desire or want, especially when it comes from another person, another soul, another mind, you know, the best you can do is just remember those good times.

The memories that you have.

(Cheerful piano music) ♪ Back in school, it was almost two, we had Miss Brendan ♪ ♪ She sat alone in the back of the room ♪ ♪ In the middle of the city ♪ ♪ She wrote her notes in a worn out book called ♪ ♪ Color With Daisies ♪ ♪ She passed a note, and I read what she wrote ♪ ♪ Could I be your lady ♪ ♪ My lady, oh, oh ♪ ♪ My lady, yes, oh no ♪ ♪ Before I knew it, it was well past two ♪ ♪ And the class was over ♪ ♪ I was tying my shoe, but I had no clue ♪ ♪ She was over my shoulder ♪ ♪ I hop on my feet, and she smiles at me ♪ ♪ And says, what's your answer ♪ ♪ And nervously, I tried speak ♪ ♪ I said this, I told her, ♪ ♪ She's my lady, oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ My lady, oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ My lady, oh ♪ ♪ My lady ♪ ♪ My lady ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh ♪ ♪ My lady ♪ (slow piano music) - [Narrator] Go online to hear more music, meet the artists, and more.

Visit ripbs.org.

(lively rock music)