I don’t remember which musician friend I was talking with about how much we loved music and how important it was in our lives but I do remember them saying that they thought of me as a musician even though I don’t play an instrument. Say what?!! I think they said that because I definitely “get it” about all kinds of music and the ins and outs. That, plus, I love watching musician friends when they are purely jamming and hit the sweet spot of playing together. You can see it in their foreheads and in their eyes. This happens for me mostly with guitars, but I have witnessed some incredible drumming jams as well as horn blowing.

Music was so important to me in my life growing up that it seared certain memories into my brain that were happening when a song was popular, so most of the time I can tell you the year a song was popular by tying it to what was going on in my life at the time. Will always think of Little River Band and Yes if I see a hanging swing rope over a river. During my high school years, I attended a very Baptist boarding school. Thank goodness the housemothers were mostly deaf because I do remember blaring out of the dorm room with Earth, Wind and Fire and the entire Countdown to Ecstasy album, not to mention the J.Giles Band, Elton John and the Allman Brothers. My first year of college at North Texas brought me in touch with my first “real” musicians who were part of the music school there. From them, I learned about all kinds of music and specifically how to isolate a train of musical notes to fully appreciate what was being played (I suppose our extra curricular activities at the time, helped with our appreciation abilities!). Learned about jazz, more hard rock and even Gino Vanelli! Oy Vey! My first hard break up my freshman year, I played Gino over and over and over and cried my heart out. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

What I know about music today is that it can help me to get in touch with what I am avoiding but it can also release the inner happiness that is being blocked by a black cloud. I just downloaded a video by Living Out Loud about the whole job thing and even though the song was about loosing your job and being without money, somehow it put me in a really good mood. I’m feeling a dance coming on….

Don’t forget about music folks. If you are lucky enough to live in Austin, there is so much good music to listen to out there. Our own Sara Hickman is on the cover of the Austin Chronicle for the week of May 5, 2010! Support Waterloo Records with your purchases and turn on KUT to listen to John Ailee/Eklektikos and the other great programs available. We also have a couple of very good community run radio stations (KAZI and KOOP) that have an eclectic blend of music to listen too. You have no excuse to not find the tunes that get you going and move you.

Music really can make most everything alright. Try it.