I don't know if you can see this very well, but it is an image of just one of my playlists based on a country-rock group's song Heart of the Night by Poco. Generally, I like classic rock though I'm not opposed to listening to anything once. If I don't like it, I don't criticize someone else's viewpoint. We're just different. On Instagram recently, I saw a video clip of Miley Cyrus doing a Led Zeppelin song. When I heard it, it just blew me away. Miley has an unbelievable set of pipes.
I think she would do the world -- well, at least old guys like me who don't think much good music came out any later than the '70s -- a huge favor by doing an album of covers of great rock songs. After listening to her do Zep, I'd like to hear her do Black Sabbath, Cream, the Doors, Kiss, Lynyrd Skynyrd and groups like that. I'd buy the CD -- well, I guess nowadays, I'd buy the digital download.
Music has been an important part of my life since -- well, I was born. My parents listened to classic country music when I was growing up. I'm talking Merle Haggard, classic. This is what I grew up with. My mom and my sisters loved Johnny Rivers. My dad also loved a rock instrumentalist group called the Ventures. You maybe have heard the song "Wipe Out."
My family was always musical too. My Grandpa Penberthy could make anything with strings scorch. Most of my uncles played guitar though one did drums instead. I had cousins who did a rock band, but it wasn't really until I was 16 or so that I gave up my KMOX in St. Louis station for more AOR stations. KMOX was talk, news, but most important to me, Cardinals ballgames. KSHE was my favorite rock station. They did a program called the 7th day where they played 7 albums. I would be ready with my cassette stereo to record them right off the air.
When I think of music, I could list a dozen right off the top of my head that held special meaning for me, including Freebird, anything by Bachman Turner Overdrive, Bob Seger, and a really weird one called The Halls of Karma by Black Oak Arkansas. That song was a trip. One of my all-time favorite songs for a variety of reasons was Cool Changes by Little River Band. Whenever I went through a restless phase -- which was pretty frequent since I am bipolar -- I played this song. I still pause and sing along every time I hear it which sadly isn't much anymore.
Music has influenced and shaped me in so many ways. It is so important to me. (I have even used Bob Dylan music to teach poetry -- look at a Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall if you want to see some poetry. Hell, I even did my master's thesis on one of my favorite singers. The only problem with that was that I listened to his songs so many times that I got sick of it, and it's only been 40 years later that I can listen to him again.
I know it's hard for parents to understand their kids' tastes in music these days, but I'm here to tell you that for most of us music is vital to our growth and development, and if you try to take it away, I believe you do emotional damage.
Until next time, keep this NOTE in mind.
