“Now, everybody look handsome!”

These words were tradition, Duke Ellington’s final command to his band backstage right before they walked out front together to face an audience and begin one of their legendary performances.

They lived on the road, the tiresome road, bedraggled nights spent far from home in lousy cheap hotel rooms, food on the road more rotten than good, each night a new restless crowd of unknown strangers.

“Now, everybody look handsome!”

And they did.

Duke Ellington.  For over forty years he was one of the most loved and longest lasting of America’s star performers.  He made a real performer out of everyone who played with him.  Some of them heroin junkies, and even they performed brilliantly under Duke’s command.  Musicians who left his band often came back because only Duke knew how to dazzlingly bring out the full glory of the music they felt inside them, to showcase their personal performances like brilliant diamonds on black velvet to loving audiences.

When it came to audiences, Duke Ellington had genius.  

Duke Ellington knew how you face an audience.

You don’t face them with doubts about yourself.

You don’t face them with doubts about your ability to create. 

You don’t face them with questions about your ability to deliver an outstanding audience experience, about your ability to craft an experience they’ll be glad they came for, an experience they’ll remember.

There’s a decision every great performer, presenter or public speaker must make:

It’s the decision about who you want to be.

Duke Ellington made that decision easy for every member of his band.  He made the decision for them:  You are a handsome and outstanding musician.  For the women:  You are a beauty and your song will penetrate their hearts like a hot knife through butter.  There were no other options when you worked with Duke. 

He commanded it.  He demanded it.  He gave them a last look that said, “Be it.”  They did, and then a split second later they were on.

And audiences loved them. The world over.  They loved Duke.  They loved his band.  They loved his singers.  They bought all his albums.  They sold out his concert halls. For over 40 years.

Skip the angst. Skip the doubt. Skip the self-criticism. Skip trying to find out what’s wrong with you. Skip thinking about how unprepared you are. Skip wondering how you’ll do. Skip being afraid.

Handsome is an attitude.  Beautiful is an attitude.  It’s a decision.  Your decision.  It’s a command you give yourself.  It’s how you carry yourself.

Look handsome.  Look beautiful.

Be the genius, be the great artist that you are.

Be the cause!