Blood on the plow!

It is no secret that live music has been a huge piece of the texture in my landscape. Ever since I was a little kid listening to the Ink Spots at Oakdale Park in Salina, Ks. I have been on a road where I gravitate to any live music possible along the way. But over those years, I have never had the fortune of seeing John Mellencamp until last night. A client of mine didn't need the tickets I offered her for the concert, so I took my daughter, Sophia, out to the amphitheatre to see the show.

John Fogerty and John Mellencamp. Honestly, I had no expectations, and left the show blown away. For nearly 3 hours these two rock n roll American icons played hit after hit after hit. John Mellencamp covered his entire catalog of hits with an amazing band and just a deep reminder of what an impact he has had over the past three decades of american music.

"Scarecrow" came out while I was in college, and marked his outspoken allegience with Willie Nelson to help the working people of America. In that case, it was the farmer. His earlier work soundtracked my jr. high and high school experiences. Even into my adult life, he is still cranking hits.

But above any of the music was the idea that I was able to share this time with my daughter and expose her to music and artists that were not in the mainstream right now, yet were truly enjoyable to seep in. To see my daughter warm up to John Fogerty's guitar playing and infectious songs, dancing and going "wow" throughout his set was just really cool. To see her sit down and soak in John's latest effort, "Deja Vu", which is a throwback to the old vietnam soundtracks of CCR, while images of vietnam era battle and peace rally footage ran was great.

Sophia is learning that all art is sacred, and that there is great room for variety in music. Hilary Duff may be her favorite (and, honestly, I like Hilary to), but it is nice to be able to let her soak in music of all kinds, to embrace tolerance & acceptance, and most of all to be able to enjoy something on her own and not because someone tells her that it's the "cool" thing to like.

There you go.