Happy Memorial Day. We have seen many holidays go by during this pandemic. Sometimes it seems surreal what we experiencing together. It sure does bring into focus what is really important. For most of us it is the people close to us, those who listen, wonder about us, celebrate our successes and triumphs day to day. Music sure does seem to be important to people. Not that I am surprised about that. Music helps us to find out what we are feeling at any moment. We can hear a song and immediately realize we are happy, sad, needing comfort or kinda pissed off when a song comes on or we are looking through our music library.
I have heard from a good number of people expressing how my music has helped them through the anxiety, fear, and uncertainty of being on lockdown. They have said listening to my songs they like has brought them peace or comfort during some extra challenges. That is one of the reasons I released my new album, Handpan Music for a Pandemic last week. The response and sales has been great and I appreciate every single one. Thank you for sharing my music with others. It is only available on my Bandcamp site for download, hi resolution WAV files not mp3’s. While there check out my other albums. There is a discount if you download the entire collection.
Recently I was walking early morning around my neighborhood. I had a walking stick with me. Someone on the other side of the street stopped and asked, “you’re Randy right?” I said I was and he said, “What are going to do with that walking stick? Play it?” I put it to my mouth and played a song. See, it is a bamboo flute walking stick I was to carry at my shows this summer, however, they were cancelled. He was shocked to say the least. Don’t challenge a musician when it comes to instruments. I was scheduled to play in Ruidoso Downs NM the 23rd at the Hubbard Museum of the American West, but due to restrictions in our state it was also cancelled. I truly miss being with an audience as I wrote about last blog. No to mention the income would be nice. I have to have hope and faith in the process like so many others.
A song by the Old Crow Medicine Show has been on my mind past few months. It is their song, “We’re All in this Together.” It has wonderful harmonies and instrumentations, but seeing as I didn’t have musician friends nearby so I recorded it with the Ukulele. I think the song’s lyrics and sentiments are really apropos as we are all in this together and not by our choice. We are not the first to experience pandemics and having to greatly alter our lives, nor the last. I hope it has taught some of us patience, compassion and the knowledge we can really get by with less of everything. Stay healthy. You can support me, especially being without regular work, via my Patreon page, the virtual tip jar on my website or my Venmo, @Randy-Granger1 and thank you my friends.
Here is Taps played on my Native American flute.
We're All in this Together
Randy