Pondering a Playlist (Life of Things)

Anyone who knows me knows about my love of music. It’s always been there, and in all likelihood started when I was in the womb. I come by it naturally. It’s in my genes. My dad was what some might call a musical genius. An ability to play any instrument put into his hands he chose the double neck pedal steel guitar because it was the hardest to play… requiring hands, feet, and knees. He loved that guitar, light shining out of him and joy exuding from him every time he sat down at his Emmons. I loved hearing him play it. I loved the smile on his face, his closed eyes, his mastery, his joy. He was a gifted and spectacular musician. But my musical influences just don’t include my dad, they also include my mom as well, and her side of the family. Growing up I remember family gathering after family gathering where music played a part. It didn’t matter what was going on when my mom’s side of my family got tother, music showed up. My mom is one of seven siblings. They sing seven part harmony. It’s very cool. They still do it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard them, and how much I’ve always loved it. My Mom’s dad played piano in a band to earn money when he was a teenager, taking his share of the coins that got thrown up on the stage, and there were always musical instruments around my grandparents house when I was growing up. My Uncle Tom is the youngest of the siblings and only eight years older than I am. My childhood memories of him all include his electric guitar. The seven siblings were all in either bands or choirs of one sort or another, some still play in orchestras and bands to this day. I love that. I love how my life has always been surrounded by music and the love of it. I not only heard people singing and playing, but the phonograph was also going a lot in our house. All sorts of music and musical influences… big band and Jazz from my Mom, country from my dad and step-dad, rock and roll from my sister, Kay, and my Uncle Tom, and the wonderful musical influence my friends throughout my life have brought into it. My honey… she introduced me to the blues and Bryan Ferry. I myself started playing the guitar when I was a kid. I got fairly decent at it. I still have a guitar, and some bongos, and a kazoo.

As I said, my love of music has been with me always, informing most aspects of my life, helping to explain the unexplainable, helping to express things I can’t always find the words for. It’s a huge part of my life, and has always been. Which is why I’m constantly making playlists for road trips and friends and just because. Usually they have a theme, or are inspired by new music I’ve found. Recently we traveled to Florida for a family reunion. And yes, I made a playlist for the flights there and back. I thought, just because it might be fun, I’d include that playlist here, using YouTube.

The playlists I make tend to be more about feel than they are made by design. And in that vein I don’t think I’d ever make the same one twice, which is sort of the cool thing about them. Something I happen to love about them. They are organic, in the moment, and natural. I usually tell people they should be played on shuffle, which isn’t really possible here, but I still like it.

So without further ado… here’s the Florida trip playlist (number 110). Love it, or hate it, that’s up to you. Music is like that, it’s personal. Which is just something else to love about it.

Jason Mraz – Love Someone