(#6021) One thing that has survived the test of time in my mind is the music I grew up with

      I was born in 1955 when rock and roll was just finding its footing in American culture. Bill Haley and Chuck Berry were leading the way. By the time I was able to functionally appreciate music I was 7 or 8 when I heard the Beatles for the first time and as you can imagine I was swept up in their unique look and sound. I was young but I had a bit of a head start as my stepfather joined a country and western band at around the same time so for our region here in Sacramento in the early 60's country music was everywhere. I am not one who was a fan of country music but of course like all genre's there were a few songs that I enjoyed.
     But when the Beatles exploded on the scene I was drawn to rock music with a fervor. The explosion of rock music all over the world. especially Great Britain and here in the States overwhelmed me with the variety of music that encapsulated my soul to the point of addiction. I loved rock and roll and although some country rock intersected into my new mainstream listening like Lynyrd Skybyrd's Free Bird and Creedence Clearwater Revival's Fortunate Son. The bulk of my listening came from listening to the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, The Byrds, The Doors, Grateful Dead, etc...
     There is music enough from having been listened to by me to fill a large book. That is how popular Rock and Roll became in my lifetime. With each generation from the 50's on to even today. The waves of vibrations from Rock and Roll seem to have a most gratifying effect on my entirety. I have listened to other forms of music and appreciate the complexity of their creation but for me Rock and Roll is the form I feel thoroughly within me. It isn't just the feel I have within me it is the memory of these songs. It is amazing how much I can remember the melodies, the lyrics and the emotions at the time I first heard them. A trigger if you will of something about life I can remember that is both mesmerizing and satisfying.