4 Random Facts You Must Know About Me: Fact #1

Fact #1:  I believe we can be friends.

And here’s why I think we can… I have a very eclectic musical taste.  It’s true, quite varied.

The fact is, I believe that you can make significantly more friends to some extent by simply widening your musical preferences.  Music can bridge lots of gaps, bring unlikely folks together and give them something to talk about as they get to know each other and develop a friendship.

And I like to have lots of friends.  (Of course, I can’t hang out with most of them simultaneously because they don’t always appreciate each other’s musical preferences. ha!)

But I believe in stretching myself and in making new friends.  So I keep trying to stretch myself to enjoy more styles… like opera or hip hop. (That one somehow eludes me as I keep coming back to DC Talk, ETW & Mike-E… Not really today’s hip hop.)  I suppose I’m a work in progress. 😉

And so today I share with you my top 8 musical genre (style) preferences in hopes that you and I can be friends.  Here they are in order from least to greatest:

#8: Classical

Basically, just the old, well-known stuff.  I’m not an aficionado, just a guy who is classy enough to appreciate a little Beethoven, Chopin, Handel and Mozart.

To quote Uncle Si of Duck Dynasty fame, “Hey, Jack, I’m a renaissance man.”  And my appreciation for a wonderful orchestra led by a skilled conductor is just proof that I like to “Bach out”.  (See what I did there?)

#7: Jazz / Classic / Big Band

Give me some music from the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s.  That era produced some phenomenal vocals and spectacular instrumentation.  It’s fun and emotionally moving music.  It just makes me feel good and you know I like to feel good.

#6:  Christian Adult Contemporary / Inspirational

Who doesn’t love a great radio single?  I have plenty of individual songs and albums both on my phone and on CD from AC/inspirational artists who range from Carman to Mercy Me to Newsboys.  Some of those songs are timeless and have helped me give words to thoughts, prayers and feelings.

#5: Bluegrass

Yep, I said it.  I think it must have something to do with all those vacations in the Smokies.  But I just can’t help myself.

I know that part of it is the incredible instrumentation involved in making it.  I love me some good ol’ dulcimer, steel guitar and stand-up bass.  And I even enjoy those twangy, nasaly vocals.  Probably because that is the genre in which my voice would sound best… in the background… turned wayyyyyyyy down low.

#4: Southern Gospel

I know that some of you will think I just covered that genre in the previous one, but trust me when I say that I speak of two completely different styles of music.

Many of you may only be able to think of one major name synonymous with Southern Gospel in these recent years… None other than Bill Gaither himself.  But there are definitely others…

When I think Southern Gospel, I think of incredible quartets like The Cathedrals, Gold City or The Kingsmen.  I think of trios like The Greenes or Karen Peck and New River.  I think of family groups like The Hoppers or The Perrys.

For some reason, it seems like this style has a knack for connecting Biblical stories and current life situations in a way that just resonates with me.

#3: Worship Music

I remember as a teenager hearing U2 for the first time and thinking to myself, “This is what worship music should sound like in the church.”  So, it’s a pretty cool moment for me nowadays when, on any given Sunday, the guitarist rips off a lick with some distortion that reflects that sound and I feel like I’m about to be raptured.

Quite honestly, I can appreciate and worship to almost everything from old campmeeting hymns of the church to the most modern song by the biggest names out there.  There is just something unique and special about a song that can unite people around & focus our attention on the creative God who loved us enough to give His own Son to be executed for our crimes against Himself.

#2: 1980’s Christian Glam Rock / Arena Rock

Didn’t see that one coming after some of the others, did you?  But it’s true.  I can’t recall the speaker- I think it was either James Dobson or Josh McDowell- but I heard them say at a conference once that our musical preferences are set between the ages of 15-21 years old, and that whatever music we prefer during that period of our lives becomes our default when we just want to relax and enjoy some music throughout the rest of our lives.

Hello, 1980’s Christian rock!  You’re my default.  Most people only know of Stryper & Petra, but my appreciation is much deeper than that… Maybe a post for another time. Right now, I need to go put a cassette tape in the walkman and jam.

#1: Christmas Music

It was a toss-up between this and the 1980’s Christian Glam Rock / Arena Rock genre.  But I think I could listen to Christmas music almost all day, every day of the year.

And I don’t just mean those great anthems like “O Holy Night” or “Away In A Manger.”  I equally enjoy “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas,” the Chipmunks version of “Christmas Don’t Be Late”  and “Jingle Bells”.

Then there are “Winter Wonderland”, “Ave Maria”, “The Christmas Song” (Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.. to help out those who are not avid/rabid Christmas music fans) and “Here Comes Santa Claus.”  I love all those classic Christmas tunes, along with a few newer ones I’ve picked up along the way.

It’s just that Christmas is my favorite time of year.  How could it not be?  It’s the most positive, uplifting, inspiring time of each circle around the sun.  It’s when life seems to be more like what an idealistic optimist like myself wants life to be… believes life should be all the time.  And every year, it seems like one Christmas song becomes the one that really makes the season all it should be for me.  And so Christmas music gets top billing this blog.

Are We Friends Yet?

There you have it…  Surely, I named at least one musical genre that you enjoy.  That means we can strike up a friendship.  Which one of these 8 do you enjoy most and why?