Butch Walker: Out of Focus. An American Treasure Gets a Documentary.

Butch Walker is one of the most amazing American musicians alive. Period. And pretty soon there will be a documentary released on him titled Butch Walker: Out of Focus, which looks amazing. Thank God one of my Army buddies introduced him to me well over a decade ago. Billed as “a film about never giving up,” and “discovering what really matters,” it’s the kind of movie that’s already speaking to the conservative in me. Better yet, the trailer is set to a song off his new album, Synthesizers:

“For once in your life, won’t you do what feels right, instead of waiting on the next big compromise.”

Not long ago, when I was at a professional crossroads, this song came out. It seemed to perfectly put into words exactly how I was feeling. I had a great job—a job a lot of people would die for—but I felt as though I wasn’t on track to accomplish a lot of long term goals. I could stay where I was in a secure place that might present me with the opportunities I was looking for, or I could take a leap of faith in a direction that was high-risk, high-reward territory. I did what “felt right,” and now I know that I made the right choice, because no matter what happens I’ll never have to wonder “what if?”. On your death bed it’s probably good to have a short number of those, and I’m thankful to Walker for subtracting quite a few from my “What If List.”

If you’re not familiar with Butch Walker, I highly suggest looking his work and the work he’s done for other musicians. His depth and breadth is amazing. He’s smart, creative and a true individual. As he states in the trailer: “I’ve been a self-supported, self-sustaining touring act for 10 years, 15 years.”

Butch Walker has a way with words that I truly admire. He can turn a phrase like nobody’s business, he notices little details that capture the essence of a character or a moment, he’s witty and funny, and I just can’t say enough good things about him from a creative point of view.

As a writer, I’m always looking for someone else who loves their creative craft the way I do—whether it’s an author, a musician, an actor or a director. I don’t know what Butch Walker’s politics are and, quite frankly, in this case I don’t really care. As an American musician, he’s a national treasure and an inspiration to creators everywhere. I can’t wait to catch Butch Walker: Out of Focus.