Lights...and More

 It's a Journey kind of day. I do believe that Steve Perry (of Journey), the late Karen Carpenter, and the late Freddie Mercury (of Queen) were blessed with the most beautiful voices I've ever heard, especially for their genres of music. 

Wishing the best weekend for all. 

JD Souther

 I once briefly met John David (JD) Souther. He was very gracious and kind. May he rest in peace.

J.D. Souther, American Singer/Songwriter

November 2, 1945 - September 17, 2024

A Fogelberg Kind of Day

It's been one of those days. Sharing some Youtube videos of the songs I've been listening to...all music by the late Dan Fogelberg. Amazon Music, Sirius XM, my old-fashioned iPod...I'd listen to my albums (vinyl) if my turntable hadn't died. 

Also worth sharing is a Youtube video of his former ranch that's for sale again, in addition to the link of the listing. The current owner/seller renovated and updated the property. As anyone will see, it's stunning. Known as Mountain Bird Ranch and located in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, it is worth drooling over simply for the location. I've visited Pagosa Springs a few times and the area has breathtaking views and scenery; it's a wonderful place to photograph, as I've done. Oh, to be able to see and photograph this property, though! Eventually, the house and land will sell and the video and link will be deleted, but I thought it was worth sharing now. 

Mountain Bird Ranch

The Playlist of My Youth

One of many albums in my collection

I’ve often written in this blog about the impact music has played in my life, how it fed my imagination and dreams, and its relevance in how I’m able to create. It sets the tone and inspires. My musical discovery began in the same manner as most pre-teens: the extreme dislike of what the older generation of the time favored, and listening to radio stations that reflected my own likes (often when my parents weren’t listening, but much easier to do so when I got my first transistor radio). 

I know most women of my generation rushed to the magazine stands at the local grocery stores looking for the latest issue of Tiger Beat Magazine, which had monthly sensationalistic coverage of the current heartthrobs, with color photo spread accompaniment. So many of those photographs were torn out and taped on my bedroom walls. Tony DeFranco and the DeFranco Family. The Bay City Rollers (which I think is the first time I’d ever seen a kilt, and it was cool. Of course.). Young teens. I was one of them, and it was how I also got to know the music of the time. 

When I was about seventeen, I attended my first concert. Peter Frampton. I’m sure he was featured in those Tiger Beat issues but, by that time, I’d grown out of them.  My tastes were maturing.  Over the years, I would see dozens of artists in concert, some I was fortunate enough to see before they were famous: Cheap Trick, The B52s, R.E.M.... What’s interesting (and wonderful) about my generation is that the great music of that era includes three decades of differing sounds and genres. It endures.

Then MTV launched. I was a communications major (broadcast journalism) when it first aired, and remember sending in an audition tape in hopes of being added as a future VJ (many did). That didn’t happen, of course, but I thought MTV the greatest thing of that time period and watched probably too many music videos at the time.  Many artists of the 1980s owe MTV much in spearheading, if not reinventing, their careers. 

My daughter has some of my albums of that time, or vinyl as it’s called today. She and I were talking about some of her favorites and I told her I’d make a playlist of my own for her. Then I turned to Spotify because you’re able to share a playlist you create with others, but as in most things that involve a password, I couldn’t figure it out because I’m technology-challenged. Oh, well. It takes me a while, and it’s much faster if I just share it here. 

So, I’ve included what I call a playlist of my youth in no particular order. These songs are so relevant to me that every time I listen to them, I’m taken somewhere else…nostalgia does this. This is not a soundtrack of my life (only part of it) because there is so much music that I currently listen to that was created much later, and none of it is listed here. I’ve also not included any tracks by my favorite artists and bands, such as Fleetwood Mac, Eagles (including Glenn Frey and Don Henley solo), U2, Heart, Journey, Elton John, etc. because I like most of the music from these artists. All of this is music of my life. Below are simply individual songs that influenced me in my early years (pre-teen, teen, and early twenties), and I’ve certainly overlooked/forgotten some.  Also, I’m only mentioning the songs and the artists who performed them. If you can figure out Spotify, maybe create your own playlist. I guess I’ll continue using my iPod until it dies. Thanks for reading.

 

For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield

My Back Pages – The Byrds

Get Together – The Youngbloods

In My Life – The Beatles

Drift Away – Dobie Gray

Dance with Me – Orleans 

Coming Around Again – Carly Simon

Will You Love Me Tomorrow? – Carole King

If You Could Read My Mind – Gordon Lightfoot

Alone Again (Naturally) – Gilbert O’Sullivan 

Wedding Song – Noel Paul Stookey

Sentimental Lady – Bob Welch

Sister Golden Hair – America

Ventura Highway – America 

Holiday – Madonna 

Borderline – Madonna

Freedom – George Michael

Father Figure – George Michael

You’re Only Lonely – J.D. Souther

Reminiscing – Little River Band

Just Between You and Me – April Wine 

More than a Feeling – Boston 

Good Times Roll – The Cars

Since You’re Gone – The Cars

How ‘Bout Us – Champaign 

If You Leave Me Now – Chicago 

Just Remember I Love You – Firefall

You Are the Woman – Firefall

Right Down the Line – Gerry Rafferty

Our Lips Are Sealed – The Go-Gos

Rocky Mountain High – John Denver

Imagine – John Lennon 

Lola – The Kinks 

I Melt for You – Modern English

Always Something There to Remind Me – Naked Eyes

Lotta Love – Nicolette Larson

Magic – Olivia Newton-John 

Baby, I Love Your Way – Peter Frampton

Show Me the Way – Peter Frampton

You’re My Best Friend – Queen 

Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds 

Into the Mystic – Van Morrison 

 

  

Simply An Incubator

My two daughters are young women now and when I look at where they are in their lives, I wonder how I was any part of their talents and accomplishments.  Of course, I’ve owned many titles over their lifetimes: nurturer, caregiver, homework enforcer, cab driver, lunch maker, bad guy who made rules and curfews and the volunteer-for-any-job-in-elementary-school-just-because role.  But I look for things they might have inherited from me, something genetic that could have contributed to what they do now.  And I struggle to find it.

My younger child has been offered a special opportunity to work toward her Master’s degree this fall.   Tuition free.  Her undergrad scholarships covered all of her tuition during those years.  She was a member of seven honor societies, graduated summa cum laude and her resumé reads as if she’s been in the work force for decades.  How is she my child? 

She is a visual artist, as well.  Her artistic abilities amaze me and while I love all of her work, my favorites will always be her cartoons.  She can create on paper, bringing to life all of these wonderful characters.  It’s certainly not anything I can do.

My older daughter is a musician.  She began playing the violin in first grade and took lessons until she graduated from high school.   The violin was chosen for two reasons:  1) we didn’t own a piano at the time and, 2) we had a neighbor who rented string instruments to schools for their orchestra programs.  We rented a tiny violin for our daughter and she took off, never looking back. 

Lessons via The Suzuki Method started and lasted for a few years.  By the way, if you don’t think it’s possible for young children to perform music by the classical composers such as Bach, Handel and Mozart, then find a Suzuki School recital and go to it.  You’ll be amazed.

Traditional lessons followed, as did concerts, youth orchestras, ensemble groups and fiddle instruction.  One of my fondest memories is when she played the role of “The Fiddler” in Fiddler on the Roof during her high school years.  She didn’t play from the orchestra pit; she was up on the rooftop on stage, dressed like a man (including beard).  And I loved it.  Today, she continues to play gigs around the Chicago area and I continue to marvel at her musical abilities, as she didn’t inherit them from me.

So I wonder.  I was a good student, but I had to study, and I was far from brilliant.  I started out as an art major in college and abandoned that career path due to an unfortunate experience.  Looking back, it was probably a sound decision, as I see the talent my youngest possesses…talent that eluded me.  As for the musical inability...I took classical guitar lessons for a while, regretting much later that I didn’t continue.  I felt it important that my daughter play an instrument, thus the music lessons.  But I have no talent for it. 

Perhaps I’ve been pursuing dreams through my kids…some people do it.  Although, my daughters have never been forced to do these things.  They continued along their paths because they chose to do so and they felt good about what they were doing.  And I continue along my own, wondering how in the world either one of them are a part of me.  The incubator idea is strong during these times.