MIXED FEELINGS

     Everybody has different influences, music wise, in their background.  Those who know me are aware that I sing Western music and Cowboy Poetry.  I am very proud of those in the genre' who cling to the family values and nostalgic qualities of it.  But the diverse amount of music that I love and grew up with is as different as the stars in the heavens.  Good music is good music.  Putting everything in boundries and classifications is so limiting.  I have so much in my background it would be hard to list.  Lets just go from Jimmy Rodgers to the Diamond W Wranglers. 
     Inbetween would be Simon and Garfunkle, George Jones, Gene Autry, Willie Nelson, John Denver, and so many more.  Yes and there is even some Beetles in the mix.
     So why am I having mixed feelings?  Well I am a little sad for the sudden death of Davy Jones.  Yes from the Monkees.  I was in grade school and Jr. High when they were in their hayday.  I watched the goofy TV show, which I am sure drove the folks nuts.  Though they were a fictitous band created for a TV show, they became real.  Which is what our dreams and fantasies are all about.
     The Monkees outsold the Beetles and the Rolling Stones combined.  They just plain made good music and showed that music should be fun and not stuffed shirt.  I know I worked my voice on Last Train To Clarksville, and I'm a Beliver when I was going thru the change to a Bass/Baritone.
     So this is why I am having mixed feelings.  I feel older and sad.  I also feel younger and happy.  Funny how it takes a sudden death to stop and make a person think about how they got to be the way they are.
     If the credit is not given, and I only heard this from one commentator, The Monkees are more responsible for creating the Music Video than probably anyone.  The musical numbers in the TV episodes layed out the formula for telling a musical story visually.  It took performance beyond the live stage show to an amusing or poignant interpetation.
     I am sure the seeds for Stan Hitchcock to create the CMT video network and the rise of MTV have a common, though maybe subtle, begining in a kids show Called  The Monkees.
     I also feel sadder for todays youth for the influences of music, or non music styles that glorify sex, violence, and destruction of themselves and society.  Even though the music of the time had elments of these in them it was more a questioning and creative time.  It was a time we will not see again since the entertaiment industry was bought by conglmerates and the artistic ability of true musicians have been relgated to independent genre's
     I am sure there will be much said and I do not pretend to be the great influence on popular opinion.  But today I am feeling older and younger.