Tradition

I write songs in spurts. . .sometimes with years in-between. Sometimes I feel guilty about it. . .like I'm a slacker or something. There's probaby some truth in that, but I don't think that is what it is all about. For me, I think it's because in the past I've put too much stock in songwriting, and not enough into developing an appreciation for music. I haven't listened to much music, pop or otherwise, in many, many years. I'm always a little embarrased when somebody asks me what I've been listening to or who my favorite artist is. I just stare at the ground, shrug my shoulders, and say, "I dunno." I think somewhere along the line I bought into a lie about music. That if you're not "creating" music (and by that I mean writing your own stuff) then you're really not a musician. I don't buy that anymore. Since becoming an Orthodox Christian I've developed a taste for tradition. Granted, in that context it has to do with the tradition of Christianity passed down through "God-bearers". But as I have grown accumstomed to this, I've noticed that it is a very basic human quality. That is, the passing down of some tradition from one generation to the next. (I know, I know. . .I'm pretty slow. I should have figured this out long ago. It doesn't require converting to Christian Orthodoxy to realize this. . .that is just my path.) So I find myself standing here fairly empty-handed musically speaking, longing to be involved in some tradition of music. I feel like I need to spend some time to figure out what appeals to me. . .what genuinely appeals to me. . .rather than "what tradition will afford me an opportunity to make a record, etc." As I approach my 50th birthday, I find that I'm tired of trying to come up with something fresh sounding, etc. I just want to learn a tradition, be faithful to it, and perhaps after learning it for a few years add a few licks of my own. That just seems right.