Another View Of The Magic Of Music

Not too long ago, I wrote a blog about how music can grab the members of the band when things are going well. This week, I was reminded of what music often does to those who are listening. First, some context, and maybe even a bit of marketing. On July 4th, the band I play in is the featured band for a celebration at the University of North Texas football stadium, with thousands of expected attendees. We are excited to feel a little bit like rock stars for one night, a dream for all of us, I would guess, or else why would we be playing in a rock and roll band at our ages? Anyway, I am one of the main singers in the band, and I practice in the car, singing along with recordings of the songs we cover. One of the songs we do (and I sing) is “Already Gone,” an Eagles hit from 1974, and on the way to a corporate meeting this week, I was listening and singing and imagining the thrill of performing this song in a football stadium in front of thousands, when all of a sudden I was transported back to the summer after my junior year in high school, heading for my job at Bull Run Regional Park, driving my 1965 Buick Special. That morning, “Already Gone” came on the radio; it was a big hit, having been out only a few months, and as I listened to the opening guitar riff and then the driving beat and catchy lyrics, it became one of my favorite rock and roll tunes. It remained so throughout high school and college, and remains so today. On July 4th, when I hear that opening riff with my acoustic guitar slung around my neck, I’ll lean into the microphone thinking of my Buick and a long gone summer when a 44-year love affair with a song began. That’s what music can do.