How Music Heals
Music has been a big part of my life since childhood. I am a classically trained pianist so I spent many hours playing and practicing while growing up. Fast forward several decades when I joined Old School Horn Band and played keyboards in an 8-piece band made up of talented neighbors and professional musicians. Performance anxiety has always been a personal issue so I gave up the band, then my husband and I decided to buy a boat. A much better choice for me!!
The past few years have been filled with some troubling times with the pandemic, plus family members and friends who departed this earth due to terminal illnesses. The chaos of politics and elections has also put me in the deep depth of depression as I struggle to understand human behaviors.
Music is one thing that always uplifts my spirit and gives me comfort when I'm sad. When my brother Bill was in his final stages of life due to COVID, I crawled into the tub each night after work and put on songs from albums that he had given me as a teenager. It brought back memories from the past and lyrics that seemed to know exactly how I was feeling...
"It's getting to the point where I'm no fun anymore | I am sorry | Sometimes it hurts so badly I must cry out load | I am lonely | I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are | You make it hard - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes by Crosby, Stills & Nash
While I have always loved classic rock from the '70s, for over the past 10 years my favorite music is from Tedeschi Trucks Band. Led by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, this powerhouse band has so much talent and guts. Their songwriting is crafted with originality and played with exceptional musicianship. Soaring vocals reach out to fill your soul so you truly feel the love. I mean, who else could fearlessly revisit the album Layla and Other Love Songs and do it with such penache? Only one band...TTB!! For years I've been singing their praises and personally sharing my admiration for their music to all in my unofficial role as "band ambassador"!
Do yourself a favor and take a listen to their music. Begin with "Midnight in Harlem" - a hauntingly beautiful and mesmerizing song with poetic lyrics that fill your heart with emotions. It's on their first album, Revelator, then proceed onward to each and every album they have created. Make sure to see them in person for a night of inspired music that will bring you such happiness and hope for a better tomorrow.
Music heals...