I did something recently that took me a bit out of my comfort zone.
I love music and certainly have many songs that make my “skin vibrate” but I’m not a connoisseur of music nor an expert.
When Brent Jensen invited me to be a guest on his podcast – which is all about music – I answered with, “Are you sure?”
Yes, I took piano lessons for years when I was a kid, and I sang in the church choir (though not very well) and I even had the lead in my high school rendition of “The Music Man.” But I’m telling you, I can’t sing and I don’t appreciate music the way true musicians appreciate music.
I love to listen to live bands. I enjoy songs from many different eras and genres. I especially love music from the 80s. That’s when I grew up. That’s what I listened to in high school. I was a teenager when the hair bands hit it big, so they will forever hold a special place in my heart.
I was a bit intimidated knowing that Brent had interviewed the likes of Phil Collen from Def Leppard and Jay Jay French from Twisted Sister. He wrote a best-selling book all about music that makes your “skin vibrate.” He knows music. I had the pleasure of meeting Brent a few months ago when I sat on an author’s panel in Melbourne, Florida. The first “Sunshine State Author Expo” was a wealth of information for writers and book lovers and it was Brent who moderated the panel. If you love music, you need to check out his book, No Sleep Til Sudbury
After the panel, Brent and I struck up a conversation and discovered that, despite his living in Canada, we both grew up on many of the same 80s songs.
Fast-forward a few weeks to Brent asking me to participate in his podcast. While putting together my “list” of favorite music, I quickly discovered that music for me is all about the memories. Songs harvest emotion. I may not understand the chords or carry a tune in the right key, but music speaks to me. It buries itself in my soul – sometimes – and other times just makes me smile, or cry.
As Brent said, “We chat about the power of nostalgia, the pressures associated with forecasting the weather, Ron MacLean, KISS dress ups, suicide, Hee Haw, the Vietnam War, music therapy, and how a Tom Cochrane song found its way onto her radar.”
This was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed sharing about some of my favorite songs.
Wow, Amy — your appearance on Brent’s show was SO much fun! From Def Leppard to Patsy Cline, your song list was eclectic and cool. The personal stories you shared were moving, and revealed a side of you that many of us would never have imagined. Bravo!
Thank you, Chris! This is high praise coming from a music connoisseur such as yourself!