This week has been no less crazy than last week. I thought things would maybe slow down now that the students and teachers have a little bit of time behind them in the classroom. I was absolutely wrong...
I am to the point where I feel like I am never going to get caught up. I need some inner peace and I need it now. That is why this week I have taken a huge dive into some soulful sounds.
It is probably few and far between the people who could say "yes, I have heard of the Sanford Townsend Band". You might actually find a couple more people than that who recognize the song "Smoke From a Distant Fire".
I will be honest with you, until about yesterday I was on the edge of being one of those few. I knew the song very well but I had never really listened to any of their other music.
It was a good primer for me and I found that besides this song "which I love" they had a bunch of other songs that had me tapping my feet.
Check them out if you get the chance.
This section is going to be hard because words can't even begin to express how much I enjoy listening to Leon Bridges.
There is something wholly spiritual about his music. It reaches deep down into my very essence every time I listen to it.
Like I said, it is hard to explain.
I remember the first time I heard the album "Coming Home". I know it probably sounds cliche, but it was truly life changing. In fact, Leon Bridges is so amazing that you get a two-fer this week...
In the past three years or so I have really started to embrace this "new old soul" movement and I am glad the music industry has as well. This is just my opinion, but I feel bands like Mumford and Sons really paved the way for stuff like this in the mainstream. Now I really enjoy bands like Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, and Anderson East.
Finally, I am going to leave you with this. Despite the other event that this date is well known for, one of the first weekends in September is also the time of year for the Wheatland Music Festival. It takes place out in an old farm field in a small town just West of Mt. Pleasant, MI home of Central Michigan University.
The pilgrimage to Remus, MI used to be a regular occurrence for me many years ago. The festival is basically a whole weekend of folk/traditional/bluegrass music on three or four different stages. I have a ton of great memories from my years spent at Wheatland (plus many I probably don't remember).
No doubt some of the other Hivians from Michigan have been to or heard about Wheatland.
This is the first year in close to fifty years that they are not able to have the festival due to the Corona Virus. In tribute to that, I am sharing this video of a performance from one of the smaller stages over by the dance hall.
Enjoy!
If you have been listening to some awesome music this week let me know about it in the comments. Better yet, write your own post and use the #whoareyoulisteningto tag.
