Never Blue with Bluegrass

Last time I wrote to you, I said that this post would tackle something a bit more eccentric or informing. After spending so much time here in Israel, I have a temporary dislike for the eccentric middle-eastern quirks. Writing about informing matters will only get me on to the subject of Hamas winning the Palestinian elections and make me mad. Either way I will only be complaining and ranting. So, we're going to go in another direction... homeward. The sounds I have been hearing for the last few months haven't been those of angry middle-east yelling or the sounds of heart monitors in the hospital. No, instead of those all too familiar sounds I have heard the healing sounds of Bluegrass.

Bluegrass not only is good for the ears, but it is also a medicine for a homesick, tired Texan who has a ton of work to do. After spending some time digging on the net for musicians both old and new I found that the fiddle has incredible motivating power. The strings instantly put the urge to do hard physical labor in my bones. Coupled with the banjo's tempo, bluegrass is the musical equivalent of caffeine and adrenaline.

Now, I realize that studying isn't exactly physical labor, but at this point in my education I'll take any sort of motivation. On top of it all, the songs aren't just notes played into a can. Bluegrass has based itself around such wholesome subjects that one actually becomes a better person by listening. I don't know of any other genre that is exclusively written about Jesus, real love (for family, friends, and the weary), peace, and Home. That's it. If there is anything to learn from that fiddle, it's that outside of those few precious things... there's not much else to listen to.

Keep playing the notes strong folks.