A Myriad of Music

As I am looking though my YouTube account today, I am noticing a pattern: there is not pattern. I am completely all over the map when it comes to musicality. Today, a certain ninja who shall remain nameless, gave me a large amount of music. He is attempting to 'expand' my musical horizons so he says, however I would like to say with the example of my YouTube account, I am already quite open minded. My listing on YouTube includes:

Disturbed - Down with the Sickness
Saliva - Ladies and Gentlemen
Internatinal Staff Songsters - Count Your Blessings
Tyrone Wells - Looking at her Face
Rush - Xanadu
Rise Against - Prayer of the Refugee
Garth Brooks - Wrapped Up In You
Jimmy Buffett - Margaritaville
Eagles - Tequila Sunrise
AC/DC - Back in Black
Led Zepplin - Kashmir
Yoko Kanno - Piano Bar
Rodney Atkins - About the South
Metallica - Fuel
Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Looking Out My Backdoor
Avenged Sevenfold - Seize the Day
Chris Thomas King - Hard Time Killing the Blues
Evanescence - Going Under
Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight
Quiet Riot - Cum on Feel the Noise
Chris Rice - Go Light Your World
10 Years - Wasteland
Celtic Woman - The Prayer
T.M. Revolution - Heart of the Sword
Billy Joel - And So It Goes
Declan O Rourke - Sara
Luke Bryan - All My Friends Say

I'd like to explain a bit too if you don't mind. You see, I was raised on country music. Every sunday I'd ride in the car to church (We go to church in a different county than the one I live in, thus the drive was about half an hour.)listening to the tail end of a classic country western radio show and then on to NASCAR USA. That's right ladies and gentlemen, if you haven't quite figured it out I am a redneck: proud of it too. NASCAR USA usually profiled the 'newer' country of the day, with artists like Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Kenney Chesney, Toby Keith and the like. We did not purchase music at my house, CD's were usually a christmas gift, and I typically asked for something like Toby Keith, Charlie Daniels or something. Since I am also a pianist of sorts, I was also greatly influenced by the material I played. My instructor for my eight years of piano lessons was an older lady who lived in town. She played for all the graduation ceremonies and for the Methodist Church on the square. Obviously, my influences there was lots of old hymns, Brahms, Bach, Chopin, and other classical composers as well as many obscure modern composers. I enjoyed playing Beethoven especially, he had such a verve, even if he was deaf the last half of his life. However, classical and country does not a renaissance woman make, and I consider myself a renaissance woman for sure. So as I began high school I began to tinker with the dial on the radio...

What's this? What's this? So loud, so vivacious so wonderfully strong! I had discovered the greatness of hard rock. As I became a runner, I found hard rock was a god send in getting my blood pumping and focusing my resolve, rock became a release. I adore artists like Avenged Sevenfold, Papa Roach, Distrubed, Breaking Benjamin, HIM, Candlebox and Seether. Lyrics can speak just as well in a rock song coming out in a near scream as can be phrased by any country crooner. Rock speaks to my soul I think, while Country works on my ideals. Perhaps that's not fair to say... but for now I suppose...

Rock, country, classical? Is that all? That's what you may be asking. Ah my dear reader, of course not. I do enjoy the music of my parents as well: Lynyrd Skynrd was my first delving into the subject, then Pat Benatar from my mother's record collection as well some wonderful Ted Nugent and Pure Prairie League. World music is also really fun, especially japanese bands. I love to listen to the Seat Belts and anything by Yoko Kanno, T.M. Revolution, and Toy Box. Then there is a true product of World music, my amazing peeps from The Pocket Band! Oh yes! A fusion of reggae, jazz and blues. IT"S AMAZING. They performed at the 2007 John Deere Leader's Academy (Which yours truly helped plan! great experience, and all the guys are super nice!). Please check out their incredible music at www.thepocketband.com


Well that's just scratched the surface of what I like. That's not even counting the many performers in the area or around the country I've seen through my involvement with Extension. The Puerto Rican 4-H Performers at National 4-H Congress : AMAZING! You guys need to get a video up pronto! Also, a huge shout out to my 4-H boys in Deleware of the band SoundBreak, keep up the great work and turn out a website so I can post ya'll!

If you'd like to see a bit of what I listen too here are the above mentioned in a special 'Mix It Up' Playlist courtesy of YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=425DE0965B609A84



Don't you just love technology?


Sincerely, but not merely, musically yours,

Lady in Black