So you asked about my Musical Tastes

A few people have asked me about my tastes in music because they seem to be all over the place. Well, to give you a little idea of where my jumble comes from, I was raised with my parents playing Orchestral Music, Patriotic and Military Music, Frank Sinatra, Julius LaRosa, Johnny Mathis, and Dean Martin, and my live-in uncle playing DooWop, Elvis, the Platters, Chet Atkins, Martin Denny, and the Kingston Trio. As a teenager, our radio station played everything from Elvis, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Johnny Cash, Motown and R&B, Beach Boys, the British invasion (Beatles, Dave Clark Five, etc.), Frampton, and whatever was out there. (Oh, I and was in glee club LOL and did some singing here and there)

As the culture changed and the music evolved with the influence of Les Paul (Do you remember him? I do. google him for some history), came the sound of Southern Rock(today some of you call it Classic Rock, but in actuality much of Classic Rock is Southern Rock. It is a mix of Rock n' Roll, Country, and the Blues. Oh and I do love the Blues). Throw in a mixture of musical creativity and you can add in Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, John Mayall, BB King, Janis Joplin, Skynard, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Credence Clearwater Revival, and all the other groups and musicians of the 60's and 70's. (Don't want to forget Bon Jovi, Foreigner, Journey, Marley etc, but you get the picture and if I wrote a list it would go on for pages).

In 1975, I accepted Christ as my personal Savior and began listening to lyrics first and foremost. Even though I may like the music, if the lyrics are offensive, it bothers me because I know it bothers God. I began listening to Contemporary Christian Music from Keith Green, Phil Keaggy, Honeybee, Second Chapter of Acts, Phil Driscoll, Amy Grant, Carman, DC Talk, Stryper and the Rez Band, etc. I've always kept up on music in general.

When my children began listening to music, I listened to what they were listening to, to make sure it wasn't off the wall. So I began enjoying Hip Hop/Rap (Yes, you can really enjoy it. It is music and it is a talent) BUT, when Hip Hop started veering off into sexuality and gangster violence, I no longer enjoyed listening to it. I still do love listening to what they call Holy Hip Hop or Christian Rap and if you haven't heard of it, you should check, check, check it out :)

Fast forward to today. My heart and spirit are fed and rejuvenated by listening to Christian music because I try to live my life for Christ. If you think "Christian" is one genre, think again. Christian music is the umbrella, but it encompasses everything from Rock, to Rap, to Country, to Worship, to Alternative. If you like a particular genre, you will find Christian music that matches your musical taste. You probably already may like some songs under that umbrella and are not even aware that they fall into the Christian category.

When I'm in different states in the south, I love to change the radio stations and sing along with the DooWop, Country, Rock, or Christian songs. You would be surprised at what the archive of your brain stores LOL. I can still remember lyrics from the 1950's. I also enjoy varieties of Irish, Spanish, and Italian music also.

I keep up with what music is out there, but I try to keep away from the offensive stuff and the mindless garbage. It can seer your heart and your spirit and make you numb to life. (Just look around)

I have interviewed artists and written for a Country Music magazine and have developed a deep enjoyment of that music (of course, it's that Southern Rock too).

I have met and known many famous people in my lifetime, but since I don't put people on pedestals (after all we are just human and not worthy to be exalted) I can't look beyond the humanality of the artist. My gosh, they are just people that took a different career path in life. It is God that gave them the talent and their desire enabled them to work toward perfecting it. If they get a "tude" and think they are better than everyone else because they have money or because they are an artist, my heart saddens for them.

At this time in my life, I listen to a wide variety of music, but Bucky Covington, Jason Castro, Jason Michael Carroll, and Cole Deggs are my favorite artists. (Actually, they are all great guys -- I look at the inside of a person -- a little Heart-throscopy). Some of my favorite groups are Casting Crowns, Hillsong United, MercyMe, Third Day, David Crowder Band, and Barlow Girl. I still enjoy and support so many more but those are my favs above all. LeCrae, TobyMac, Luke Bryan, Josh Turner, Todd Agnew, Matthew West, Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Jason Mraz -- they're up there on the list. (If I hear patriotic music, I better have tissues because my eyes will always react) Eminem, is a really talented guy and I really like when he does postive stuff, but I don't like the nasty stuff. DMX and Kanye, talented, I see the heart, but you need to get soul search and hold tight to the Lord brothers.

I feel I need to say something here because I hear things :) About American Idol, we know it's a machine and that a big part of the music industry looks down on someone having gone through that process because they haven't "paid their dues". I don't necessarily like a lot of things about the alleged AI process or their practices, but in the end, it is a talent show and it finds that diamond in the rough and gives them exposure to start a career. In my book, a career is a pursuit or profession. So does everyone need to be a megastar once they get off the show in order to be successful? I think not. Success is not all about money. I rather be poor and happy, than rich and unhappy. If they can make a living doing what they love (even if it is to just pay the bills), quit ragging on them and let them live their lives.

So, my thought for today -- music feeds your soul and your spirit, either positively or negatively depending on what you are listening to (there goes another sentence ending in a preposition). Proverbs 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it".