Sharpened Pencils I have a thing about sharpened pencils … I’ll admit it (which I guess isn’t a bad thing for a writer!). While I do all my writing and editing on a computer keyboard, having the opportunity once in a while to write with a super pointy pencil on a crisp new sheet of … Continue reading Three Positive Things – March 2021
Before the curtain went down on large-scale gatherings, concert halls closed for business and ‘live’ music turned into another online experience seen from our devices at home, I had the great fortune to see some truly amazing performers last year. While 2019 had its ups and downs for me, in pandemic-hindsight there were some truly … Continue reading Pre-Covid Concerts (a.k.a. Magical Musical Moments of 2019) hi
Certain songs and lyrics mean more at different times in your life, right? These days I’ve been thinking about Dan Fogelberg’s Part of the Plan and wanted to shoot out a quick blog to share the lyrics because they might speak to you too in these difficult pandemic times (and difficult times all around). Dan … Continue reading Love When You Can …
At the very end of the movie Almost Famous, young budding Rolling Stone music critic ‘William Miller’ asks up-and-coming rock ‘n roll guitarist ‘Russell Hammond’ what he loves about music. Without missing a beat, Russell answers, “In a word … everything.” I kind of feel the same way. My father’s violin playing fills my earliest … Continue reading In a Word … Music
Did you ever hear a song on the radio that was so good you just had to keep driving around till it was finished? Then you had to drive around some more to find out WHO WROTE, AND PERFORMED, THAT SONG? Before all the music you wanted was on your phone – when people listened … Continue reading R.E.K. (a.k.a. Robert Earl Keen)
“They can kick dirt in your face Dress you down and tell you that your place is in the middle When they hate the way you shine …” Omg, Brandi Carlile. You cracked my heart wide open listening to those lines in your song, The Joke, which I played repeatedly my entire hourlong morning commute … Continue reading Shine
The longest relationship in my life (besides my parents) is with my piano. My parents bought the Hardman upright right after they got married in 1958 as their first piece of real furniture in our small apartment in Flushing, Queens, New York. My mom started playing when she was pregnant with me and to this … Continue reading My piano
When I was a kid, I used to have the same bad dream once in awhile. A ‘scary’ man all dressed in black with a hat and mask – a stereotypical ‘bad guy’ you might see on TV or on a cartoon – would be hiding in the bushes right outside the front door of … Continue reading The Voice (not the TV show)
Last blog I talked all about why R.E.M. Is my favorite band. (Click here.) Now, as promised ... my R.E.M. playlist. Like the last one, this blog goes out to the band I love! Hope you get to check (some of) these out. And, as always, would love to hear what YOU think: South Central … Continue reading R.E.M. – The playlist
'That's me in the corner That's me in the spotlight Losing my religion Trying to keep a point of view And I don't know if I can do it Oh no, I've said too much I haven't said enough ...' I heard that song - with its jangly guitar and mandolin; Michael Stipes' voice and … Continue reading R.E.M. – The band
