One thing that saved my sanity a time or two since I was old enough to remember was music. Started off with just a cheap AM radio. Do you remember those? Before the FM band came along. If I remember correctly, my parents had a couple '78's. Remember them? We had nothing to play those old relics on until the day I got a turn table that looked like a suitcase that played the 78's, 45's, and 33 1/3's. I loved that thing. Eventually started adding to the LP collection. Unfortunately, money was tight and used whatever I made babysitting in town, to get LP's like Canada Gold, where more than one artist and group was listed. After amassing a few LP's and almost wearing out that suitcase turn table, I was surprised one Christmas with a new stereo. Separate receiver with AM/FM radio and an 8-track player, separate turn table, and two decent speakers. I wore out that turn table as I continued to add to my LP collection and took the whole lot of it with me when I finished high school and move out of my parents home to make my way in the world. I still have all those LP's, and had even added to the collection when others were 'throwing them out' sort of thing. I've gone through three turn tables over the years and hate that I can't listen to those LP's at the moment. I inherited my grandfathers' 6 piece stereo system and the turntable part has belt issues.
I would rather listen to music than watch tv. I've got my favorite radio station tuned in almost everywhere. My car. My alarm clock. And if I need a change of pace, I pop in a cd into the dvd player hooked up to my tv and listen through my grandfather's stereo speakers. Or a couple dvd's of live performances (Eagles Farewell 1 Tour is a favorite). Or go on YouTube to find long ago forgotten artists and groups.
The one draw back to radio's, and compiled LP's, audio tapes, and cd's is that you only hear one, maybe two, songs of a particular artist or group. I missed so many good songs all these years.
Heard a song on the radio one day a few weeks ago and thought "oh yeah, I remember that song". Decided to look them up on YouTube. The song might have been their version of Spooky. Well, once I started clicking through other YouTube video's posted of them and discovering all the songs I didn't hear before, what with having multi-artist LP's, I fell in love with everything the Atlanta Rhythm Section had ever done with lead singer Ronnie Hammond and guitarist extraordinaire Barry Bailey (pictured). I'm looking for ways to get a hold of all their music from that time period. For now, I have to settle with clicking on the favorite option and put them in a playlist of their own in my YT account.
It might sound weird, but I don't need quiet, non-lyrical music to calm me down or to escape my own thoughts. I can do it quite easily with any kind, but my music of choice is rock or classic rock. Between my LP's and my cd's, my music ranges from the 60's to the 70's to the 80's to almost todays stuff in rock. I have some New Country cd's. Easy Listening like Enya, Enigma, Yanni. Groups like Three Dog Night, The Eagles, Van Halen, AC/DC, Neil Diamond, Neil Young, Metallica, Nazareth, Elton John, Big and Rich, Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus, Boney M, Pink Floyd .. I couldn't list it all here. And Canadian artists .. I tend to stay loyal and supportive of them. I haven't seen many concerts over the years, but the only non-Canadian one I saw many years ago was Chuck Mangione.
It might sound weird, but I don't need quiet, non-lyrical music to calm me down or to escape my own thoughts. I can do it quite easily with any kind, but my music of choice is rock or classic rock. Between my LP's and my cd's, my music ranges from the 60's to the 70's to the 80's to almost todays stuff in rock. I have some New Country cd's. Easy Listening like Enya, Enigma, Yanni. Groups like Three Dog Night, The Eagles, Van Halen, AC/DC, Neil Diamond, Neil Young, Metallica, Nazareth, Elton John, Big and Rich, Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus, Boney M, Pink Floyd .. I couldn't list it all here. And Canadian artists .. I tend to stay loyal and supportive of them. I haven't seen many concerts over the years, but the only non-Canadian one I saw many years ago was Chuck Mangione.
I don't know what it was about music when I was young. And I started quite young, running around outside with a little transistor radio. Well, I do know, but that's another story but maybe a little odd for someone as young as I was to immerse themselves in music like I did. I was the only one in my family and still am. And still misunderstood.
Music is ingrained in my soul. Never learned to fully play an instrument, guitar being my weapon of choice and still might learn how to play it one day. I was in grade one when I bugged my parents about music lessons and wanted to learn the guitar (yeah, even way back then). Just the local music teacher that taught students as young as me taught accordian. So I did do that for a year, until we moved and the travel back and forth was too much of an undertaking.
I do so appreciate the talents of others. Makes a stressful day a little bit calmer to deal with. Even if it has an up beat and I'm caught dancing or be-bopping around my living room.
I am set free.
