THE MUSIC IN ME

I have been blessed to have many wonderful musicians, singers and songwriters on Between the Lines. From Ray Manzarek and John Densmore of The Doors to Richie Havens and Janis Ian.  And musical guests as diverse as Mickey Hart,  one of the co-founders of The Grateful Dead, Chaka Khan, avant-garde pianist Sandy Owens  and Country Western singer/songwriter Larry Dean.

This week in Los Angeles and many of my markets across the country we go to some of the early roots of rock and roll with Gary U.S. Bonds  and his autobiography, By U.S. Bonds.

In our conversation he mentioned how Sam Cooke influenced him by saying: “Do something Bonds!” Sam meant that more important than just singing was to bring your soul into your performance.

When Gary started doing that his success followed right behind. In fact, Bruce Springsteen at an early age felt that soul come out of Gary and said that he became one of The Boss’s big influences and Gary and Bruce even play together on certain occasion to this day.

I remember my conversation with the late Ray Manzarek who said that he was not only aware of the soul in The Doors music, but believed that what the music did was actually penetrate the chakras in our body, not just our ears. That music can literally be absorbed by our cells and felt as much as heard. When I spoke about this with The Doors drummer, John Densmore he at first was taken aback by how powerful that sounded and then too realized how beautiful it was.

In fact, when meeting Richie Havens, the soulful experience must have exuded from his pores because when in his presence you actually feel it and it soothes you just being near him.

So next time you listen to any of the music in your life that moves you, remember, the music literally is in you. Feel it and enjoy where it takes you, for as Janis Ian so eloquently put it, “It’s all about the journey”.

EPISODE LISTINGS & TIMES ARE IN THE TAB AT THE TOP OF THE BLOG.

CONTACT BARRY: barrykibrick@aol.com

Feel free to leave a comment by clicking on “comment” just below this post.

A KNIGHT, A VIDEO GAME and A BEAVER

What could a knight, a video game and a beaver have in common? All three thrilled me this past week.

To begin with I experienced a first on Between the Lines; A conversation about a video game. Mind you this was no ordinary video game. The game is called The Last of Us and my conversation was with its talented Creative Director, Neil Druckmann, of Naughty Dog. The game and our conversation sheds new light on video games which, in the “Mainstream Media,” often only get a bad rap. The Last of Us however, breaks new ground when it comes to the literary and cinematic qualities of the game, but most importantly in regards to the philosophical underpinnings that will set a new standard for the genre. 

What also amused me was the juxtaposition of my other guest that day. It was Sir Ken Robinson with his latest book, Finding Your Element, a follow-up to his bestseller, The Element. Sir Ken is truly one of the great thinkers of our time. His TED lecture has been seen by nearly 18 million viewers. If you are not one of them it is a must see.

Besides having a Knight and a video game creator on the same day, it was with Sir Ken that the term “Twerking” came up and how often to you get to say that to a Knight?

As for the beaver, well that had to do with tweeting. Just a few minutes before I began this post I was notified that Jerry Mathers, of Leave it to Beaver fame, tweeted about my conversation this past week with Geri Jewell. Never missing a Leave it to Beaver episode, this was just so cool. I forwarded it to my friend Michael who e-mailed me these words. “There really is nothing left in life to achieve!”

May you too someday get a tweet from the Beav.

EPISODE LISTINGS & TIMES ARE IN THE TAB AT THE TOP OF THE BLOG.

CONTACT BARRY: barrykibrick@aol.com

Feel free to leave a comment by clicking on “comment” just below this post.

Perseverance

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines perseverance as the continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

If there was a picture of perseverance it would be of my guest, this week on many of my stations, Geri Jewell. 

As you too will learn about Geri, her sheer perseverance made her who she is.

Perseverance is also a theme I discuss often in the show because it is one of the human qualities that is of the utmost importance. Some of my favorite quotes of all time are about this topic and range from some of the most admirable people to grace our planet. From Winston Churchill to Abraham Lincoln and from Benjamin Franklin to Nelson Mandela, they all know that in almost all cases perseverance trumps everything when it comes to achievement and overall satisfaction. Just Google “perseverance quotes” and you will be overloaded with inspirational gems.

What makes this quality of such value to all is that without it being part of our human make-up we literally would not exist. It is in us at the deepest cellular level from the beginning of time. It is the quality that allowed us to hunt and gather even before we could make weapons or tools. In fact, persistence hunting was a technique where early humans followed their prey until the prey was exhausted but their human counterpart had the perseverance to continue and caught them while they slept.

But maybe because it is so deep within us, and not just at the surface, we too often give up before we draw on all its power. I remember feeling so down about the struggles it took to launch Between the Lines that I just wanted to throw in the towel. I could not find the perseverance within me that I knew was there but just would not manifest itself. If it was not for my wife, whose perseverance and faith was literally in arms reach, who knows?  

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

-Thomas Edison

Even if you are alone, and have to fight the daily good fight without someone in your corner, there is always a way to reach deep down and find that perseverance gene within. During the great depression many people felt so desperate and hopeless that they were sure they could not go on any longer. President Roosevelt was aware of this situation and knew he had to assure the nation that through our persistence we would overcome the situation. In one of his famous fireside chats he uttered these words:

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. 

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

I often question why we sometimes have to get to the end of our rope before it kicks in. I want it to be easier. Who, after all, wants to struggle in the first place? Now, if I had that answer you’d be reading quotes about me. But I do know how fragile that perseverance gene is and how difficult it is to locate sometimes. However, as Winston Churchill so famously stated: “Never, never, never give in!” 

EPISODE LISTINGS & TIMES ARE IN THE TAB AT THE TOP OF THE BLOG.

CONTACT BARRY: barrykibrick@aol.com

Feel free to leave a comment by clicking on “comment” just below this post.

TOUCHDOWN… KICK OFF… BEGIN AGAIN…

This may be the first time football and Rosh Hashanah are mentioned in the same sentence, but it is also the first time that the Jewish New Year and the new football season start on the same day.

Now, if I refer back to an earlier post is that just coincidence? After all we kick-off the New Year and every football game begins with a kick-off. Fear not, I will not tread there.

However, I do love new beginnings and the start of the new football season, a New Year, and almost anything new I find a joy. I was even one of those kids that loved the first day of school, moving into a new neighborhood, a new job, and just about anything that causes me to experience something original is refreshing.

Plus, September has always been celebrated for ushering in something new, and although many may not celebrate Rosh Hashanah, all know about new beginnings and football. In fact, this entire month is known for new beginnings. School starts, autumn starts, football starts, and the new TV season starts.

September is truly a month of new beginnings and for me there is no better way to welcome this time than with some words from the great theologian, philosopher and poet JohnO’Donohue  from his book To Bless the Space Between Us. John was aware that not everyone shares the joy of new beginnings. He writes that:

Beginnings often frighten us because they seem like lonely voyages into the unknown. Yet, in truth, no beginning is empty or isolated. We seem to think that beginning is setting out from a lonely point along some line of direction into the unknown. This is not the case. Shelter and energy come alive when a beginning is embraced. We are never as alone in our beginnings as it might seem at the time. A beginning is ultimately an invitation to open toward the gifts and growth that are stored up for us.

Here is John’s blessing titled: For a New Beginning  

In out-of-the-way places of the heart,

Where your thoughts never think to wander,

This beginning has been quietly forming,

Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire,

Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,

Noticing how you willed yourself on,

Still unable to leave what you had outgrown…

Though your destination is not yet clear

You can trust the promise of this opening;

Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning

That is at one with your life’s desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,

For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

Happy Holiday, happy September and good luck in your football fantasy leagues.

EPISODE LISTINGS & TIMES ARE IN THE TAB AT THE TOP OF THE BLOG.

CONTACT BARRY: barrykibrick@aol.com

Feel free to leave a comment by clicking on “comment” just below this post.