[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-53px|||||”][et_pb_row disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”1640px” custom_padding=”0px|||0px||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”2.5em” custom_padding=”|125px||123px||”]<\/p>\n
I was sitting in a charming (and very clean) breakfast room of a\u00a0Super 8 hotel in Butte, MT.<\/span><\/p>\n Through the blinds of the small window I can see the mountains splashed by the golden color of Aspen trees. It\u2019s breathtaking and I wonder why they would pull the blinds down.<\/span><\/p>\n There are plastic blue flowers on the carefully cleaned and neatly arranged white tables. The flowers match the covering of the white chairs. You can feel the effort made to create this beautiful space.\u00a0\u00a0But I\u2019m in\u00a0Montana<\/em>\u2026 Nature heaven. Why plastic flowers?<\/span><\/p>\n I think about how\u00a0a few bundles of fallen twigs would be so much nicer! And if the blinds were up, the sky would match the color of the upholstered furniture. The kind and friendly housekeeper just cleaned the floors all around me, and my head hurts from harsh chemicals. My coffee smells like pumpkin spice, but has the aftertaste of high corn fructose syrup and artificial flavorings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I sigh, longing for my home-brewed tea made with herbs from my garden and sweetened with local honey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But we are back on the road and I\u2019m happy!! After 18 long months, we are touring again! Safely and responsibly, of course.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I\u00a0missed the road. Not so much the road food, but I missed the change of perspective, open spaces that trigger new thoughts and ponderings, meeting people and learning over and over again what connects us all, how we are the same, and how we differ.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I’ve\u00a0missed the magic of music. I’ve missed being able to bring the magic of music to people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”2.5em” custom_padding=”|3px||7px||”]<\/p>\n I was sitting in a charming (and very clean) breakfast room of a\u00a0Super 8 hotel in Butte, MT.<\/span><\/p>\n Through the blinds of the small window I can see the mountains splashed by the golden color of Aspen trees. It\u2019s breathtaking and I wonder why they would pull the blinds down.<\/span><\/p>\n There are plastic blue flowers on the carefully cleaned and neatly arranged white tables. The flowers match the covering of the white chairs. You can feel the effort made to create this beautiful space.\u00a0\u00a0But I\u2019m in\u00a0Montana<\/em>\u2026 Nature heaven. Why plastic flowers?<\/span><\/p>\n I think about how\u00a0a few bundles of fallen twigs would be so much nicer! And if the blinds were up, the sky would match the color of the upholstered furniture. The kind and friendly housekeeper just cleaned the floors all around me, and my head hurts from harsh chemicals. My coffee smells like pumpkin spice, but has the aftertaste of high corn fructose syrup and artificial flavorings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I sigh, longing for my home-brewed tea made with herbs from my garden and sweetened with local honey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But we are back on the road and I\u2019m happy!! After 18 long months, we are touring again! Safely and responsibly, of course.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I\u00a0missed the road. Not so much the road food, but I missed the change of perspective, open spaces that trigger new thoughts and ponderings, meeting people and learning over and over again what connects us all, how we are the same, and how we differ.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I’ve\u00a0missed the magic of music. I’ve missed being able to bring the magic of music to people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/tatianacameron.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/FINAL_Blog-Banner-TC.com-9.png” title_text=”FINAL_Blog Banner TC.com (9)” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” hover_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”2.5em” custom_padding=”|122px||123px||”]<\/p>\n At a dress-rehearsal with an audience (arranged for us by Brian, at one of the beautiful assisted living homes in Nashville, TN),\u00a0I SAW the magic<\/strong>\u00a0that music creates – that only happens when you are in the same space with your audience.<\/span><\/p>\n As I sang,\u00a0I EXPERIENCED the energy<\/strong>\u00a0of love and healing moving from my heart around the room – like a fragrance – and enveloping each person.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n I WATCHED as they received\u00a0<\/strong>the soundwaves of our songs with their ears, but also through their sight as I locked my eyes with several of them individually. It was as if we were saying to each other:\u00a0I see you, I hear your beautiful heart that sings on the inside. Thank you for being here.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n I FELT their own heart\u2019s songs<\/strong>\u00a0– made from a\u00a0lifetime of moments (of laughter, tears, celebrations, goodbyes, trips and picnics and dances,\u00a0Christmases, work accomplishments, Friday evenings when they could finally relax and get a good night’s sleep, and peaceful Sunday mornings on porch swings).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When we finished, everybody wanted to shake our hands and thank us for playing music that spoke to them; songs\u00a0like\u00a0“Crazy”<\/em>,\u00a0\u201cOver the Rainbow\u201d<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0\u201cWhat a Wonderful World.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The event director sent us an email the next day saying how the residents didn\u2019t stop talking about it. The joy will have stayed in their hearts for a long time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I let myself feel the whole thing again, as I write these words in a room with plastic flowers. We’ve lost some of that magic; live concerts are such a rarity these days.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s good that we can all sit in our homes enjoying music through technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But that\u2019s only a supplement to experiencing music\u00a0live<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s not quite the same, but it\u2019s a bit like pulling the blinds down and replacing the Aspens with plastic flowers. Yes, it takes more effort to go gather twigs and then replace them when they get old.<\/span><\/p>\n Plastic flowers last forever – much like YouTube videos of songs that you can pull up any time. Going out may require more work – both the musicians who will drive 29 hours to get to Montana to do a live show, and the audience that will fill the small theatre (socially distanced still).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can\u2019t capture it, except with your heart, but the impact of it is not just decorative or useful – it\u2019s spiritually and emotionally healing. A kind of medicine that\u2019s not available on Amazon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Think about it for a minute. Reflect on it and let me know what your thoughts are\u00a0\ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”2.5em”]<\/p>\n At a dress-rehearsal with an audience (arranged for us by Brian, at one of the beautiful assisted living homes in Nashville, TN),\u00a0I SAW the magic<\/strong>\u00a0that music creates – that only happens when you are in the same space with your audience.<\/span><\/p>\n As I sang,\u00a0I EXPERIENCED the energy<\/strong>\u00a0of love and healing moving from my heart around the room – like a fragrance – and enveloping each person.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n I WATCHED as they received\u00a0<\/strong>the soundwaves of our songs with their ears, but also through their sight as I locked my eyes with several of them individually. It was as if we were saying to each other:\u00a0I see you, I hear your beautiful heart that sings on the inside. Thank you for being here.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n I FELT their own heart\u2019s songs<\/strong>\u00a0– made from a\u00a0lifetime of moments (of laughter, tears, celebrations, goodbyes, trips and picnics and dances,\u00a0Christmases, work accomplishments, Friday evenings when they could finally relax and get a good night’s sleep, and peaceful Sunday mornings on porch swings).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When we finished, everybody wanted to shake our hands and thank us for playing music that spoke to them; songs\u00a0like\u00a0“Crazy”<\/em>,\u00a0\u201cOver the Rainbow\u201d<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0\u201cWhat a Wonderful World.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The event director sent us an email the next day saying how the residents didn\u2019t stop talking about it. The joy will have stayed in their hearts for a long time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I let myself feel the whole thing again, as I write these words in a room with plastic flowers. We’ve lost some of that magic; live concerts are such a rarity these days.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s good that we can all sit in our homes enjoying music through technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But that\u2019s only a supplement to experiencing music\u00a0live<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s not quite the same, but it\u2019s a bit like pulling the blinds down and replacing the Aspens with plastic flowers. Yes, it takes more effort to go gather twigs and then replace them when they get old.<\/span><\/p>\n Plastic flowers last forever – much like YouTube videos of songs that you can pull up any time. Going out may require more work – both the musicians who will drive 29 hours to get to Montana to do a live show, and the audience that will fill the small theatre (socially distanced still).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can\u2019t capture it, except with your heart, but the impact of it is not just decorative or useful – it\u2019s spiritually and emotionally healing. A kind of medicine that\u2019s not available on Amazon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Think about it for a minute. Reflect on it and let me know what your thoughts are\u00a0\ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”46px”]<\/p>\n Music<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|off|off” _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”2.5em” min_height=”61px” custom_padding=”|125px||123px||”]<\/p>\n \u201cWhat good is sitting alone in your room, come hear the music play\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u200b<\/em>We open every concert with this song<\/a>! It\u2019s more meaningful these days LOL<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.5.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”2.5em” custom_padding=”||0px|||”]<\/p>\n\n
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