Seafairing
April, 2025
Hello There,
I’ve been reading the Patrick O’Brian seafaring novels lately—somehow I associate these as ‘Dad Books’ and having become a father a year ago, I felt I’d entered the stage of life required. The first novel ‘Master and Commander’ introduces the daring captain Jack Aubrey and his companion, ship surgeon Stephen Maturin. Through the course of the novels (I just finished #5 and I think there’s more than twenty) the men sail around the globe for the Royal British Navy, fighting Napoleon and surviving the impossibly harsh conditions of 1800’s ship life.
‘Adventure’ is a concept I think we all can relate to—the desire to travel, break free from everyday routine and experience new things. One element I’ve come to see as necessary for a true adventure is suffering. You don’t feel as though you’ve accomplished much if you haven’t faced trials and overcome them, and this is a real secret of life. If we long for adventure, don’t we also long for pushing ourselves past our sense of comfort? This can be a very helpful truth to remember when you’re stranded on the side of the highway with a broken car, or when you lose the map entirely and wonder where you are and why you left home.
For me, the journey of being an independent musician has been filled with adventure. I’ve travelled and played my songs all over the world, seen places I never imagined, and met incredible people. There has also been struggle—the entire landscape of the music business has shifted like tectonic plates on fast-forward. Things change so fast, there never seems to be any solid ground. It’s never been easy. But I wouldn’t have it any other way, and I’m not interested in ‘the music business’: this is a spiritual journey for me. Writing songs, recording albums, and performing music is my way of being human: music gives me a lens to see the world, and it’s the offering I give back.
As the adventure continues, I’m setting the intention to build connections with my musical community in new ways. Perhaps not all that new, but like a Naval General, I am redirecting the forces I have from certain fronts to others. Specifically, spending more energy on direct emails, my website, and. . . a physical mailer. I think we’re all taking stock of technology, social media, and its impact on our lives. I’ve felt it shift, and while I will still be using Instagram and Facebook as ways to broadcast shows and events, I feel that community building and creative output may be better served by a more curated experience. That being said, expect some more email list communication, a request for updated email addresses, and, for those interested, a sharing of your physical address. My goal is to curate a bi-annual mailer—like, yeah, real mail.
In the direct weeks ahead, there are several great chances to hear me play some music and experience the community of the live show: April 26th at 4pm I’m in Woodstock VA at Muse Vineyard; April 27th at 4pm come out to Union Square Park in Baltimore’s Sowebo neighborhood, and May 10th I’ve got a double header – 2pm at Remfest and 5:30pm at Monkton Festival. All the dates and details at calebstine.com
Wherever your adventures take you, I wish you the best! One thing the Master and Commander books drive home, the journey is always better with a friend. I think that’s one of the guiding forces for me as a musician—helping to create and sustain community, the kinds of events where people meet up, talk, laugh, cry, and just be together. In the seafaring novels, Jack and Stephen meet up in the Captain’s quarters to play fiddle and cello together—no matter how rough the seas have been, they convene to play together. It’s one touch that makes the books so readable, and it’s a great metaphor for how to survive the adventures of life.
Keep Goin!
Caleb
