Louis Armstrong and Johnny Cash - Blue Yodel No. 9

YouTube really has some gems and this is one that shines. Seeing these two perform together makes me appreciate how fortunate I was to grow up when I did. Entertainment on TV was so incredible back then. I guess it spoiled me for what passes for entertainment now. Am I just getting older? RR

Sons Of The Pioneers - Blue Prairie (1959)

This song was one of my favorites on the "Cool Water" album by the Sons of the Pioneers. The album remains one of my favorites. I wore this album out when I was a boy as it conjured images of the old west. I later acquired an autographed copy by Tim Spencer who was one of the original members. It influenced me greatly in my efforts to compose music that paints a picture in the listener's mind. This album has a permanent spot on my MP3 player and I imagine that I will listen to it regularly for the rest of my life. It's that good! RR

Joshua Bell playing Ave Maria.

Listen and weep...

Stop and Hear the Music

This is a video of Joshua Bell, a world class violinist, performing in a subway entrance in Washington, D.C. What makes this interesting to me is that you can see how few people stop to listen, even for a moment. Here is one of the most amazing violinists on the planet playing some of the most beautiful music ever composed and hardly anyone notices or cares.

I have mixed feelings about this video. I feel sad for people who don't take advantage of the opportunity to soak up some beauty in an otherwise hum-drum day. I feel bad for Joshua Bell because he is being ignored by so many people. I feel a little vindicated because when I play at some of my gigs, I get the feeling that nobody is listening and nobody cares even when I am playing my heart out...if they are not paying attention to Joshua Bell, then I don't have to take it so personally when they aren't paying attention to my music making!

At the end of the video, one lady who has been listening recognizes him and pays him a compliment. Joshua is thankful as it is one of the only times he is complimented all morning. He remarked later that the hardest thing to deal with was the silence after each song...no compliments...no applause...nothing...

Sometimes, when I am performing in hotel lobbies or at parties, I get the feeling that I am nothing more than a CD player with legs. The worst feeling is when I am performing and a party guest ends up backing up into me after standing in front of me with his back to me for several minutes. They then excuse themselves by telling me that they didn't know I was there! I am convinced that I become invisible sometimes. Musicians just aren't respected much in this society. I don't understand why and I don't think I ever will. In the meanwhile I continue to do the thing that is my purpose in life...play music...whether or not people are listening. RR

Concierto de Aranjuez - Paco de Lucia on Guitar

This most popular of all conciertos was composed by Joaquin Rodrigo and is the crowning pinnacle of Spanish classical music. Rodrigo was quoted as saying that this interpretation by flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia was the best of all that he had heard in his lifetime. Who am I to argue with Maestro Rodrigo? By the way, you can see the blind composer at the very end of this performance where he congratulates Paco de Lucia and the orchestra on their fine performance!