"You have to believe what the words are saying and the words are as important as the melody" -- Bob Dylan In all my 70 years, I would never have dreamed I’d be reading a piece in AARP’s magazine featuring an interview with Bob Dylan, one of the most iconic musical artists of our time, and a musician who’s been a personal inspiration to me for my entire life. In some ways, I grew up with Bob Dylan and his music. We are contemporaries, even though he’ll always somehow remain an angry young man … [Read more...]
The Times They Are A-Changin’: How Music Inspires the Courage and Hope of a Rising Generation
Each generation comes to reject, in one form or another, the conventional rules for getting along in the world as defined by their forebears. America last experienced this rejection in the 1960s. Having lived during that time, I can tell you the process is profoundly unsettling, scary, invigorating and yet cleansing. Sometimes the upheaval is so powerful that it unleashes a torrent of new ideas that engulf an entire society, a deluge that creates swirling eddies and cuts new channels into our … [Read more...]
Musical Memories: Blowin’ in the Wind
Since the founding of our Republic, musicians and entertainers have reflected America’s complex and ever-changing culture. They hold up a mirror that inspires us and evokes pride in our accomplishments as a nation, and they help us heal in the midst of national sorrows. They also can serve to challenge us to change course about aspects of our society that we’re less proud of. A recent example of this has been the rapid ascent of the #metoo movement, and the passionate calls for change which … [Read more...]
