In the mid-1990s I spent a lot of time flying the freeways of Atlanta. I learned that this was the home of veterans of the Drivin’ N Cryin’ tour. Every trip to this metropolis found me packing my car with every Kevn Kinney-inspired D n C gear I owned. The music can really hook you if you’re open to the attitude of these southern guys.
An interview with Ted Nugent on WRIF-Detroit first led me to D n C. Kevn Kinney called into Ted’s show and they talked about life on the road, guitars, and the opening riff to the legendary song Stranglehold. As Kevn closed the interview, he advised Ted, “Turn it up or turn it off, Ted!” I remember thinking that this guy had the attitude of telling the Motor City Madman to turn up the volume. Ted is the king of high volume assault. He claims that he once made “cows’ udders bulge” from 18 miles away during a late-’70s outdoor concert in Kansas City. From that moment on, I loved Kevin Kinney.
On one of my many trips through Atlanta, I really connected with the song “Scarred But Smarter.” I played it over and over and over again. The lyrics and their endless meaning grabbed my attention like no other song had before. As I reviewed the hardships in my life over the past few years, I applied each experience to the song. Word for word, Kevn Kinney wrapped me in a blanket of comfort with her carefully chosen words of truth.
I am jobless, hopeless. I spoke of what should become of you, Good times for the undeserved and bad times for those who work, Poor, rich, blind, dead, They expected more than everyone had planned. At that moment they suffered a heavy blow when the real world cut the line they had. No one said it would be fair, they warned you before you went out. a new world, a new life, scarred but smarter.” Many times I have prayed for a new start in life. Shouting at all the injustices in our world, work environments or relationships. The deepest pain is when God takes away one of our precious loved ones. At this time I have “waited longer than everyone expected.” Praying and begging for the miracle of life to return was reflected, “at that moment they suffered a heavy blow when the real world cut the line they had.” Unbearable pain courses through my body while the unthinkable is a paralyzing reality. In complete shock, I vaguely hear my parents reassuring me that “no one said it would be fair.” How true is that statement! When I think about my parents’ advice many times during my childhood, I realize that “they warned you before you went out”. On my knees I passionately prayed to God without getting an answer. As time heals life’s crushing blows, the song’s final line brings strength and hope: “There’s always the chance to reset yourself into a new world, a new life, scarred but smarter.” .
Everyone deserves a fresh start in life, especially if we learn perspective and gratitude through our pain. With lots of support and love, I have thrived in the midst of adversity and have truly become “scarred but smarter.”
