For most of my life, music has been more than something I do — it’s been a way of understanding the world.

Over the years, as I performed, recorded, improvised, taught, and navigated a creative life built around the Chapman Stick®, certain lessons kept appearing. They weren’t just about technique or notes, but about listening deeply, adapting when things don’t go as planned, learning from mistakes, and staying committed to an unconventional path.

Those lessons eventually became a book.

What Music Teaches You About Everything explores how the principles that make music work — curiosity, resilience, patience, and creativity — apply far beyond the stage. While the stories are rooted in a lifetime of music, the ideas are universal and meant for anyone navigating change, building something meaningful, or simply paying closer attention to how they move through the world.

This isn’t a technical music book. It’s a reflection on mindset, process, and the quiet ways music shapes who we become.

The paperback edition is available on Amazon, with two-day Prime shipping, and includes the “Look Inside” preview. The Kindle edition is also available for those who prefer reading digitally.

Thank you, as always, for listening, for your support, and for being part of this journey.

— Michael

→ View the book on Amazon: What Music Teaches You About Everything