Music. My Life Long Friend!

It was time to write again and I guess this will continue my current trend of introspective posts. This time I will dive into music and how it has had an impact on my life. It has been entertainment, a friend, an escape, and more.  The only way for someone to fully understand is for me to start from the beginning. So sit back and learn a little about what has made me tick through the years. 

I should start with a bit of history. At a very young age music was always on.  My grandmother would babysit for me and she always had music on.  At that time it was a variety of old music.  Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow, Hank Locklin, Hank Williams, and polkas by Frankie Yankovic and Myron Floren. Sometimes she would allow me to pick out albums.  I tended to gravitate toward Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, and the collections of 50's and 60's rock and roll beginning collections she brought for us to listen to.  When at my aunt's house I always grabbed her Beatles albums.  

At approximately six years old I got my very first vinyl.  I saved up cereal boxtops for The Monkees Gold on Colgems Records.  Shortly after that, I got my copy of the Beatles 65 and a television collection of Elvis Presley songs. I also got a copy of the Beach Boys Dance, Dance, Dance. My grandmother got numerous collections of 50's and 60's collections off of TV for me. I had a cheap record player in my bedroom and listened there as well as at my Grandmothers's. My parents always had AM radio on in the car and American Top 40 was a must on Sunday mornings in the car.

In 1970 my music changed. I was completely enthralled with The Door's song "Riders On The Storm". My grandmother took me to Oneonta. New York and got me a copy of The Doors album "LA Woman". I played it over and over that day at her house. My grandmother sang along to all of the songs by the end of the day.  Despite being barely 8 years old when I got it, I started listening to music critically. I listened to the placement of the instruments. I listened to how the vocals sat in the song.  I noticed reverb and left/right stereo placements. My Grandmother bought albums like Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band "Garden Party" to listen to at her house. At home, I had Bachman Turner Overdrive and the Beatles. A bit later I was given a nice Realistic stereo that could shake the house and presented me with more detail to listen to and study the music.  Led Zepplin, Aerosmith,  Kansas, and others. I got into more obscure stuff for the US like The Motors, Horslips, and anything I could get my hands on.

Well, I didn't start this entry to go into bands and styles. I also used music as an escape.  I was a chunky young kid with glasses. I was very self-conscious and when I became interested in the young ladies I was very self-conscious so I used music to dream about these things without the rejection or ridicule that you could get from other kids. I was never bullied.  Well, let's just say it only would happen once.  I grew up on a tough street and took care of myself very well. I didn't put up with it.  I was still sensitive though. After an altercation, even though I always won, I would retreat into my music with tears in my eyes. By the time I was a teen, I was no longer heavy. I was tall and a bit lanky< but very fast and a good athlete. No one messed with me by then.

There were also underlying home issues.  I won't go into the issues. Only recently did I share the issues with someone, but let's say that as a bit of a sensitive guy, I would retreat to my bedroom and music almost every night to avoid any issues. I would occasionally get in trouble for loud music. Then I would put headphones on and get yelled at because I could not hear my name called. At times it was a no-win scenario. This leads up to the next aspect of music. Friendship.

 People assume that I had a ton of friends. I got along with most people, but I didn't share with many. I have only had two close male friends in my life,  There have been a couple I have trusted, but for one reason or another, I didn't get a whole lot of time around them.  Music was a friend to me.  I could always find a song that either expressed my current feelings or that helped ease the situation. If it made me cry, oh well. That is what I needed. I had a lot more female friends than male over the years. There were three or four I shared with over the years(though I never shared the issues touched on above). Early in our marriage, it was hard to share with my wife.  I couldn't call old female friends.  I would dive into music again.

The last thing I will go into here, I do not want to write a novel today,  is that music evokes emotions and memories. I stated in a previous blog that I have a very good memory of things past. I can often recall songs playing at an event in my life. Sometimes songs bring back the memory. I remember watching the young lady that I had my first real kiss with on the diving board at Letchworth State Park while "Stairway to Heaven" played on the pool's PA system. Later that day would be my first aforementioned kiss.  Other songs remind me of relationships, breakups, and more.  Some bring back great memories that make me smile or laugh. Others bring tears or sadness. To paraphrase Lennon and McCartney for my wife, I will never lose affection for those that have come before, but in my life, I have loved you more.  I even have a song that I call my song for my wife. It's "After All These Years" by Journey. There are even songs that bring back anger at times. I avoid those.

Ok. enough is enough. I didn't even touch on college and jobs affected by music, or the fact that I now play music. I will abruptly end here with a question. Has music been important in your life?  Does any of this parallel your life? If so drop me a line or comment. As always stay cool and God Bless all of you.