I wrote What If shortly after moving to California in 1992. The song quickly became a favorite among my fellow musicians and our listening audiences, often requested at live shows. Over the years, I’ve played it with nearly every band I’ve been a part of.
In the 1990s, I recorded the song with both Road Noise and On The Mile. Later, in 2020, it found new life as part of my Quarantine 2020 project, and it became a regular part of RedShift’s sets.
Musically, What If is loosely based on a minor blues progression, with a B section added to introduce a contrasting flavor. The Reggae groove sets up a great opportunity for the rhythm section to play off of one another.
The song has made it into performance sets for 30 years and has most certain withstood the strength of time.
