Celebrating Music

The lion’s share of the attention yesterday surely went to dads everywhere since it was Father’s Day.  While that’s certainly justified and due, it’s just a shame that yesterday’s other occasion had to play second fiddle (pun intended).

National Music Day or Make Music Day or whatever you chose to call it was yesterday too.

With certain exceptions, we are often left wondering why there is only one “day” that we should celebrate certain people or occasions.  For example, why was only yesterday Father’s Day?  Shouldn’t we celebrate and honor our dads all year long?  Certainly the same claim could be made about Mother’s Day, of course.

And then Thanksgiving is always at the top of such a list.  Meaning, why is it that only one late November Thursday each year we should stop and reflect on all that we are grateful for?  Gratitude is truly something we should be in a posture of each day.

So now we have yesterday’s “other” occasion.  I could use this blog to speculate on the differences between that and Universal Music Day, which was founded by Susan Golden, who was the guest on Episode 48 of our “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast.  However, then yesterday’s occasion would again be taking a back seat.

Indeed, music and making music should be celebrated, but again, probably more regularly than just once a year.

That’s why it’s important for events such as festivals to continue being organized and presented.  While, no, every festival you go to might not have the look and feel of a celebration, they usually do cultivate a feeling of community and joy.  And aren’t those some of the same qualities of a traditional celebration?  You go to someone’s birthday party and that same togetherness and happiness prevail.

A songwriters festival is a celebration, so to speak, of the people who make music, and the songs that they’ve created.  Think of it – a blues festival is a gathering of listeners who all want to unite to join together in the music that forms a common bond between them all, even though they aren’t – to continue the birthday party analogy – family members who drove there in the same car with you.

And that’s why Now Hear This is so thrilled to be a part of the Summer Concert Series being put on in conjunction with the Ybor Daily Market.  Music lovers will get a chance to come out each Saturday night and be in gratitude for the great music being made and the performers will also have an opportunity to give thanks for the talents they’ve been given to do something that provides great joy to so many.  Maybe someone will even do it as a birthday night out or with their dad.