Time Travel

Hi guys!

So it has been a week since I have been in Ashland, and it has been amazing. In this week alone I have learned a lot... not only in music and dance steps... but a lot of historical facts! I find myself more and more intrigued with the time period of the late 60s and 70s. I've always wondered why it is so much easier to write music when you are going through pain or some sort of difficult life altering change, and that is why there were so many hits produced during the 60s and 70s. The state of the world affected everyone, hence it was easy to relate to. In my opinion, I feel like that is where some of the music of today is lacking... a story line and substance. I'm not saying all of the music today is like that. There are still some great artists today who are staying true to what music should be (in my opinion), but a very small amount.

I've always had an eclectic taste in music... I pretty much like almost everything, at least a couple of songs from every genre. One reason why I like country music, blues and jazz is because most of the songs in those genres tell stories... great ones! What I love about oldies is that it stood for something... even if what it stood for is something that I don't agree with... in the end, it made a statement. So the question I ask of my generation is what are we standing for? Does today's music reflect that?

Well, I just finished watching the movie Across the Universe. I liked the movie! Even though it is a reenactment and love story during the time of Vietnam, it definitely put some things into perspective (as well as talking to those from the baby boomer generation). I've always been a person who has claimed to have an "old soul" or being born in the wrong time period, but after getting a more realistic view of what that time was like, I must say... I think I am okay with living today. I commend the older generation for fighting for our freedom and for our rights as Americans... They made it possible for my generation to accomplish things that otherwise would have been impossible today had they not protested and fought. I learned that a lot of males around my age during the latter 60s on through the 70s had a constant fear and worry about being drafted... to the point that some men would injure and just outright lie and abuse their bodies just to get out of being drafted. Everyone feared about losing a loved one in the war or them returning being disabled and mangled. I thank God that that it is not a burden that I have to bear.

I have also been reading up on some of the singers of that era that the music in the show comes from. It's great to hear their stories and how this period of time affected them and where it has led them. I started reading the biography of Laura Nyro. She was for lack of a better term, a musical genius! The music I have heard from her is amazing. I'll give my thoughts on the book when I am done.

Well, thanks for reading. Peace and blessings to you and yours. Goodnight! :-)