Southern Man

Music has had its effect on my life.  It has brought me joy.  It has reminded me to be sad.  It has lifted me up and then often brought me down again.  From the moments of my earliest memories, there is music mixed into the replays.

Music has always been there to represent the moments and flow of my time on this planet.  Show tunes, Classical tunes, Patsy Cline, and Hank Williams filled my infant years.  Soon the Rock and Folk my older brothers tuned the radio to began crowd my playlist.  By the time I had 50 cents extra in my pocket I was down to the local record shop once a week purchasing the latest top ten 45 to come out.  It didn't take long to learn to ignore, "Turn that crap down!" 

At some point around those prepubescent years, I discovered Blues, then Jazz, and Rock that would morph into Punk, Metal, and Glam.  One of the recurring and enduring artists from this period was Neil Young.  I first ran into him as a member of Buffalo Springfield.   

I didn't pay any attention really to Neil.  He was a member of the band.  The individual members meant little to me then.  The music was a group grope and Neil was but a part of the total result.

Then Neil popped up with Crosby, Stills and Nash, turning them into Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.  Many would argue that he was not needed.  The original group was good enough.  But no one can argue I think, that they lost anything with him coming on.  As always, I considered him less as an individual, and just a member of the band. 

I did notice though that he did seem to have a sizable chip on his shoulder.  Hate and discontent did not bother him.  He actually seemed to stir it up on purpose sometimes.  Neil was a nose tweaker.  I liked that.

I liked it then.  I like it even more now that I plopped down $20 for his Best of CD.  Running through his greatest hits as a solo act, I realize his music evolved in much the same way I did over the years.  Still tweaking noses but now we both understand it doesn't make much of a dent.  The Universe will do what the Universe will do.  All we can do is hold on as long as we can.

Keep it 'tween the Ditches..............................