2008 Woodie Awards
Music offers unexpected escape from life's problems
By: Ashley Edwards
Issue date: 9/15/08 Section: Opinion
This weekend my sister and I ventured home. The main reason we left was to escape Ike, and the second was to visit our folks. During our five-hour car ride we realized we hadn't been home in months. Our parents had either come to see us or we had met them in a mutual spot.
On our tour home we headed up the beautiful Highway 7, past towns such as: Riesel, Marlin, Kosse and Crockett. I mean no harm, but these small rural communities are rather boring. After four years of going home this way, we've found one thing that helps pass the time. Music helps sail us to and from our destination. It's always fun to watch the styles and genres of stations change as we move away from East Texas. We are brought up to speed with the rest of the music world. We jumped from station to station in hopes of hearing all the new sounds.
I was struck by the powerful effect music has on people. The reason it is so powerful is because of its ability to connect us. As it connects people, it joins lives, experiences, emotions and hearts. When I was growing up, my family listened to the smooth sounds of Al Green, Hall & Oats, Marvin Gaye, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, TLC, The Temptations and countless others. It's artists like these that have helped shape me into the person I am today.
Life is so weird and complex. The strangest part to me is we're all trying to figure it out. With pain and tragedy lurking around the corner, I think God gave us music to help us endure. I can look back at some difficult moments in my life and remember a song that has helped me. Everyone has to have his or her own way to find understanding in this crazy life.
Over the past couple of weeks it's been a time to reflect. September 11th. With Hurricane Rita and Katrina's anniversary and now Ike. The History Channel produced an outstanding documentary on 9-11 containing a collection of on-site footage. It was surreal to watch as people taped the events as they unfolded. Whether they knew it or not, they were capturing some of America's pivotal moments. I mention this showing because it is an excellent way to show how music can help tell a story. Each track seemed to place me next to all Americans; it was so powerful, it helped me to sympathize.
On our tour home we headed up the beautiful Highway 7, past towns such as: Riesel, Marlin, Kosse and Crockett. I mean no harm, but these small rural communities are rather boring. After four years of going home this way, we've found one thing that helps pass the time. Music helps sail us to and from our destination. It's always fun to watch the styles and genres of stations change as we move away from East Texas. We are brought up to speed with the rest of the music world. We jumped from station to station in hopes of hearing all the new sounds.
I was struck by the powerful effect music has on people. The reason it is so powerful is because of its ability to connect us. As it connects people, it joins lives, experiences, emotions and hearts. When I was growing up, my family listened to the smooth sounds of Al Green, Hall & Oats, Marvin Gaye, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, TLC, The Temptations and countless others. It's artists like these that have helped shape me into the person I am today.
Life is so weird and complex. The strangest part to me is we're all trying to figure it out. With pain and tragedy lurking around the corner, I think God gave us music to help us endure. I can look back at some difficult moments in my life and remember a song that has helped me. Everyone has to have his or her own way to find understanding in this crazy life.
Over the past couple of weeks it's been a time to reflect. September 11th. With Hurricane Rita and Katrina's anniversary and now Ike. The History Channel produced an outstanding documentary on 9-11 containing a collection of on-site footage. It was surreal to watch as people taped the events as they unfolded. Whether they knew it or not, they were capturing some of America's pivotal moments. I mention this showing because it is an excellent way to show how music can help tell a story. Each track seemed to place me next to all Americans; it was so powerful, it helped me to sympathize.
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