Musical history

I watched American Idol last night and I have to admit that enjoyed it. And last night they were doing country which off the top I would probably say that I don't much like. But I guess I do like some country after all.

I remember at one point in my life, years ago, being in a dead panic to find out what kind of music I liked! Not having much money and being aware that there was music available to be listened to for free at the library, I tried listening to a bunch of music at the library. (This was at the public library in Honolulu near the state capitol and city hall, for anyone who would know it.) I think I was listening to a bunch of "folk" music, some old jazz and classical.

I would say that folk, is still what I like most. I don't know what all might go under that category. I used to be a folk dancer--we were called the International Folk Dancers of Hawaii--and we danced to international folk-dance music, naturally. I have a myspace page (I haven't done much with it), but I think that I put that I like bulgarian folk music on there and in my blogging profile. Folk dancing is where that came from. But my liking of folk music goes back to my childhood.

My parents didn't listen to their records that much and there weren't all that many of them. I don't know how many, maybe 20? I remember them having two albums by the group Peter, Paul and Mary. There were several records from The Tijuana Brass, The Singing Nun, The Sound of Music (not Julie Andrews, but the Broadway version which was Mary Martin), The South Pacific, some jazz, I don't remember what else. My nearby grandparents (Mom's folks) had an extensive collection of classical music and they liked Lawrence Welk.

When I was in middle school our music teacher had the choral group doing several PP&M songs, "500 miles" was one. And I guess over the years I looked at the covers of their albums a good bit. So years later, I remembered that Bob Dylan had written this blurb on the back of one of those PP&M albums my parents had.

I think my first album was one of the Monkees. Before that my Mom had bought a stack of 45 records that me and my brothers could listen to on our own portable record player. I don't know if any of those songs would have fit under the folk category. I only remember the name of one song, it was Rin, Tin, Tin. I remember spending hours listening to those songs. I listened to the radio some, and watched music programs on tv. I hated Lawrence Welk and accordians!

I did like rock and roll in high school, but I don't recall buying any albums. I know I spent hours, many, many hours listening to the radio. I remember I liked Dylan and not that many of my classmates knew who he was. I continued mostly listening to the radio or listening to friends albums in college. (I have often said musicians would all be broke if it was up to me, since I have been so cheap about buying music.) I used to often go to listen to the (free) gigs at the "Coffee House", on campus, which was a small intimate environment with tables and coffee, etc., and to some concerts. We had lots of good musicians who came to our campus, but I can't remember the names of any of them!

Other than on campus, I went to two (only 2) "rock" concerts in my life, one was Bob Dylan and the other was Paul Simon. I was rather disappointed with both of them. I don't know if Dylan was too high or tired or what but he sounded horrible. And Paul Simon's show was too flashy for me, lots of lights and smoke, not at all what I expected from him. I still like their music anyway.

I am getting rather tired, but I have more to say on this subject.

Recently I made a playlist. I really enjoyed doing that.