People will continue trying to monetize their music making, as is their right. We all know that musicians deserve to be paid for their work. But, the problem with the current scene is much larger than, How can all of these great and worthy musicians make a living? The better question is this: Why are the majority of Americans largely ignorant of our glorious musical heritage? While hearing recordings of transcendent music is easier than ever, the majority of our fellow Americans have no outlet in which they can learn to MAKE their own music at their leisure for enjoyment and self-expression. Fix that problem and you will have no hand-wringing over the future of the music business because the business of music will become as giant (or larger) than that of professional sports. Give people a way to participate that is deeper than buying a T-shirt with their favorite band printed on the front. Give people the knowledge and awareness of Duke Ellington and Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie and all the rest, show them that they can extend the tradition and not just remain idle observers. When the majority becomes aware of our rich heritage we will not continue to hear so much dreck on the radio. We will hear people dancing in their living rooms to live music. That is what the Rhapsody Project is working to do. This is a photo I took of some of our students at the Wintergrass Youth Academy a few weeks back--you think these girls are going to become Valley Girls dating Bro-bots when they grow up after learning to play fiddle tunes from the age of 7? No. No, they are not. They will become every bit as awesome and enlightened as this photo suggests.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 22:04:56 +0000
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