From the Facebook, but here for the records:
10 Albums Challenge Day 10 … supposed to be “… an album cover that greatly influenced your taste in music. No explanations, no reviews …” But I still can’t stop myself, so, that’s that.
While I’ve tried to skip along a few decades of music, this top-ten list was always going to come up short to tell the whole story. There are too many records I’ve left out of this. No John Hiatt, “Bring on the Family”? Seriously? No Aimee Mann? No Sheryl Crowe? Aretha Franklin? Stevie Wonder? BB King? Ben Harper? Bon Iver? Stray Cats? Bruce Hornsby? Colin James? G-Love? Gillian Welsh? Jimi Hendrix? Cash Cow? Julie Dorin and the Wooden Stars? Sarah Harmer? Blackie and the Rodeo Kings? Kathleen Edwards? Keith Jarrett? Kelly Joe Phelps? Wilco? Laura Veirs? Ryan Adams? Lyle Lovett? Oscar Peterson? Paul Simon? Prince? Robben Ford? Robert Johnson? Ron Sexsmith? … If I had to list 100 albums that shaped or changed or inspired me, or that for a time were on constant repeat … impossible.
I’ll end this list where new things are beginning. My daughter Claire is 12 going on 18. As such SHE has music tastes and she brings them to the fore. And she’s cooler than me and I’m so excited about her brilliance and hilarity. And yeah, she’s opening up the sounds over here. She’s WAY into this Tyler person. A WHACK of Frank Ocean in her room. Kendrick Lamar. And yeah, this album, by Daniel Caesar: “Case Study 01”. It’s brilliant. It’s cool. It makes me shake my Dad-bod in the kitchen when I do the dishes. So much of life has changed from that first post of mine, the 6 year old with the Stones Greatest Hits wondering what life had to offer me … It ain’t at the final chapter here, not by a long shot if The Great Spirit will keep blessing me with life, but let me say, man, new music abounds! New discoveries are constant! I think in many respects I play music and HEAR music better these days than any other time in my life. And I got my kid to now influence me! So so so so so grateful.
Hey, side note: if you haven’t already, STRONGLY recommend you check out the 4-part ShowTime doc series SHANGRI-LA about Rick Rubin, creativity, and music. Daniel features in one EP. Worth the watch – on Crave.