True Fiction Project: Season 5, Episode 7 - "Save Your Drama For Your Mama"

Host: Reenita Hora
Guest: Bill Abernathy
Release Date: September 24, 2024

1. Welcome and Introduction

At the outset of Season 5, Episode 7 of True Fiction Project, host Reenita Hora warmly welcomes Bill Abernathy, a seasoned musician and seasoned corporate professional. Rinita sets the stage by highlighting Bill’s unique journey, which spans over four decades in the corporate world before returning to his musical roots, culminating in the release of multiple singles that have made significant waves in the adult contemporary charts.

2. Bill Abernathy’s Dual Journey: Music and Corporate Leadership

[02:06] Rinita Hora: "Welcome to the True Fiction Project. I am your host, Rinita Hora, and we have with us today a musician. Bill Abernathy has embarked on an exceptional journey, courageously navigating through the ebbs and flows of his musical and corporate life."

Bill delves into his early passion for music, detailing his education at conservatories and how a vocal issue led him to temporarily step away from his musical pursuits. Instead, he embarked on a corporate career with Bayer, ascending to a leadership role as the Head of Logistics Excellence for North America.

[04:56] Bill Abernathy: "I was a bit of a supply chain guru. I worked with various manufacturing sites, warehousing sites, and administrative sites, analyzing their business processes and coming up with improved ways for them to do what they do."

Rinita expresses her surprise at the unconventional shift from music to logistics, to which Bill draws parallels between program/project management in the corporate sector and songwriting, emphasizing storytelling fundamentals.

3. Returning to Music: From Retirement to Streaming Success

After 43 and a half successful years at Bayer, Bill retired and unearthed a compilation of his previously written songs. Collaborating with friends and entering the studio rekindled his musical journey, resulting in the release of five records and garnering millions of streams.

[06:16] Bill Abernathy: "I ended up sitting on the leadership team of one of the largest corporations in the world... And when that came to an end and I got the opportunity to retire, I reached down into my file and found a bunch of songs that I had written over the course of time."

Rinita inquires about building an audience later in life, to which Bill attributes his success to data-driven strategies reminiscent of his corporate experience and effective management partnerships.

4. Storytelling in Music: Introspection and Societal Commentary

Bill discusses his songwriting approach, which balances introspective themes with social and political commentary, heavily influenced by his lifelong passion for science fiction literature. His songs often draw analogies from classics like George Orwell’s 1984, reflecting on contemporary societal issues.

[10:32] Bill Abernathy: "I write a veritable plethora of different kinds of songs... introspective songs, kind of looking at yourself... and then there's the songs that are a little bit more science fiction and politically tainted."

Rinita highlights the importance of storytelling, aligning it with the podcast’s mission, and Bill elaborates on how his narratives resonate with diverse audiences across the globe.

5. "Save Your Drama For Your Mama": Inspiration and Message

The centerpiece of the episode revolves around Bill’s song "Save Your Drama For Your Mama," inspired by the pervasive drama in modern politics and media.

[13:56] Bill Abernathy: "I was watching something on TV and I thought, are you freaking kidding me?... Stop the madness. And so that's how the song kind of started."

The song critiques the sensationalism in politics and media, drawing direct parallels to Orwellian themes of manipulation and control.

Notable Quote:

[16:15] Bill Abernathy: "Save your drama for your mama... corporate drama is bad, but in today's society, it seems like the whole do your job and add value is somewhere in the backseat to, let's generate some more drama."

This commentary underscores the societal shift towards valuing drama and sensationalism over substantive contributions, mirroring the dystopian warnings found in 1984.

6. Audience Engagement: Interactive Challenge

Bill introduces an interactive challenge for listeners, encouraging them to analyze his songs for references to classic science fiction works.

[20:24] Bill Abernathy: "Here's your challenge... I've given this to some friends of mine who found it fascinating and fun to do. I want you to listen to those two songs and I want you to find and document what Bill is referencing... Is it 1984, Atlas Shrugged, Big Brother, Brave New World, or another work?"

Rinita promotes this challenge, inviting listeners to submit their analyses for a chance to receive a special giveaway, thereby fostering deeper engagement with the episode’s content.

7. Conclusion and Future Prospects

The episode wraps up with Rinita expressing her enthusiasm for Bill’s work and the thematic threads that intertwine his music with broader science fiction narratives. Bill shares his contact information, directing listeners to his website for more details on his music and accolades.

[22:48] Rinita Hora: "Bill, thank you so much for being a guest today on the True Fiction Project."

As the episode transitions to the musical segment, listeners are treated to "Save Your Drama For Your Mama," encapsulating the themes discussed and serving as a bridge between non-fiction interviews and their fictional interpretations.

8. Listening Segment: "Save Your Drama For Your Mama"

The episode culminates with the airing of Bill Abernathy’s song, allowing listeners to experience firsthand the fusion of storytelling and musical prowess that defines both his work and the True Fiction Project. The song’s lyrics poignantly critique the current socio-political climate, echoing the podcast’s exploration of transforming real-life narratives into compelling fiction.

Key Takeaways

• Interconnected Journeys: Bill Abernathy’s seamless transition from a corporate leader to a successful musician underscores the universal threads of storytelling and leadership.

• Storytelling’s Power: The episode emphasizes the potency of narratives in both business and art, illustrating how personal experiences and societal observations can fuel creative expression.

• Societal Reflections: Through his music, Bill offers critical insights into contemporary issues, drawing inspiration from classic science fiction to highlight and critique modern-day phenomena.

• Engaged Community: The interactive challenge fosters a participatory community, inviting listeners to delve deeper into the content and connect with the broader themes of the podcast.

Further Engagement

Listeners are encouraged to:

• Participate in the Challenge: Analyze Bill’s songs for science fiction references and submit their findings via www.renita.com/contact for a chance to win exclusive giveaways.

• Explore Bill’s Work: Visit billabernathy.com to discover more about his music, awards, and social media presence.

• Subscribe and Connect: Join the True Fiction Project community by subscribing on Substack at substack.com/forward/@reenitahora for additional content, including video versions of episodes for paid subscribers.

True Fiction Project continues to bridge the gap between real-life narratives and fictional storytelling, offering a unique platform for voices like Bill Abernathy’s to inspire and engage a global audience.