Dylan said it best. “The times they are a changin.’” I am simply one among millions who will quickly say in all honesty we have never experienced anything like this in our lifetimes. The invisible menace struck seemingly in the night, and the next day we were forced to live in a new world. Innocent people were dying world wide at an alarming rate as the medical powers that be tried to find a cure, a vaccine, for the corovirus. Grocery stores were completely emptied and everyone was fearful of even going to the store. We were all ordered to stay home as the economy began to drop like a millstone. Sporting events had to be cancelled- all of them. Live concerts too. The last time something like this hit was 1917. It’s so easy to forget. Hopefully when we make it through this, we will never be caught off guard again.
If there has been anything positive to come from this, it’s been the coming together of people to help one another. Not just Americans, but folks world wide. That and the music. Everyone from local musicians like Ricky Godfrey and Shane Pruitt to huge stars like Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Kelly Clarkson and Amy Lee, there has been an unending stream of “living room” concerts, broadcast free over the internet. Many of these for me were sparks of sanity and hopefulness. I particularly enjoyed Amy Lee’s solo piano versions of he Evanescence hits as well as an intimate solo show by Paul Thorn.
The music helps. But we have still been hit hard. We need to all ban together the be sure this never happens again. On one note, I must say that among the devistating loss of life from the virus were country music legend Joe Diffie and a personal hero of mine, John Prine. I truly believe John was one of the top five songwriters of all time. His songs had a profound effect on me throughout my life. As a performer, I have played many of his songs, at least twenty, including “Please Don’t Bury Me,” “Sam Stone,” “Illegal Smile,” “Angel from Montgomery,” and “Oldest Baby in the World.” As a fan, I can remember buying his new albums when they came out, many times at Horizon Records in Greenville, SC. Case in point, the day he released his most recent album last year, The Tree of Forgiveness, I stopped by Horizon and bought the CD. I put it in the auto deck and it remains there to this day. My official driving album.
I hope you all enjoy this new issue. I cannot recommend the new Outlaws album Dixie Highway strongly enough. Also, we were locked and loaded with a huge story on The Georgia Thunderbolts. The virus has slightly delayed their new album, but it’s coming, as is our article. Get ready to rock.
Until next time, y’all keep on rocking’!
Buffalo
Read KUDZOO Magazine Issue 37 HERE
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