The gift every cyber-dad wants.
My name is John Morris. This blog site was a gift to me by my son, Adam on the occasion of my 62nd birthday. I think he did it to nudge me back to writing. I think this just might work.
Since I’m new to blogging, I’ll make some rookie mistakes but at my age, I don’t care if I make mistakes. It’s the not trying that’s the real mistake.
John Fogerty and Joni Mitchell are my examples of people with genuine talent. They are blessed with the ability to do something in an hour and half that the average person can’t do in a lifetime and a half.
There are others, but no matter how much I admire the talents of Elton John and Billy Joe, their musics doesn’t inhabit my iPod. This is the sacred ground occupied by Fogerty and Mitchell, and they travel in august company. In the country music side only, we have Hank, Sr, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Roger Miller.
I’ve always wanted to watch people of genuine talent show the world what they can do. I wanted a close-up and personal experience. One that would make me feel special just to be in their assembly.
This past Tuesday, I got my wish. I attended a poorly attended – 20 folks – concert at West Chester University by country singer/songwriter, Keni Thomas. One of my favorite people, Steve McKernian of the Student Activities office asked me to interview Thomas at the concert. Since Thomas and I are Army Veterans of different generations, McKernian rationalized I may be able to connect with Thomas. Of course, I said, “Yes”. McKiernan is a ball of energy who gets people enthused about his plans.
By doing deep studying of Keni Thomas on the internet, I learned he had been an Army Ranger involved in the famous Blackhawk Down mission. He was an assistant team leader and airborne qualified. Since he left the Army, he did music and motivational speaking engagement. He was a man with a message and had found two ways to get it out to us.
The interview wrote itself after I downloaded Thomas’ Flags of our Fathers CD. I had a distance to travel since country music is about fourth on my perference list. The above list would tell you I favor the universally accepted stars fron this genre. No great risk here.
I had not heard of Thomas except that I missed his concert at the 25th Anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in DC this year.
As I listened to his songs, I found his music engulfed me as an listener. His stories are the brand that speaks to most Americans about highly emotional issues. To call them just patriotic is to fail to describe them. His songs will not make it to elevator music status because they capture the intention of the listener. It’s a commitment that pays strong benefits for the investment.
At the concert. Thomas entertained us with a sampling of his work. I was struck by how much talent inhabited this man. I realized midway through the concert I was watching someone who belonged in the rarified air occupied by John Fogerty and Joni Mitchell. I was getting my wish at long last.
I can now scratch one thing off my life’s list of things to do: watch a remarkable talented person do what makes them remarkable.
A place to write your thoughts for all your family to read.You log-in to your account by clicking here and using the password I sent you. Go to “Options” and change the “tagline” field to update the countdown to the big day.
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