Too Many to Narrow Down

This should be easy, right?  I mean who knows more about what I like the best than me?  So, I sat down to answer a FPQ post with my own response.  But favorites I find to be a little hard.  Bear with me and I will try to narrow down my likes to just a few for this list. Fandango asks…

Let’s have some fun this week. Or what I hope you’ll think is fun. My question is simple. It’s all about favorites. If you were asked to name your absolute favorite in each of the following categories, what would they be:

  • Song
  • Musical artist or group
  • Book
  • Author
  • Movie
  • Television show
  • Movie or TV actor (male & female)
  • Stage play or musical
  • Live concert

Remember, I’m looking for your all-time favorite in each of these categories.

I have to say, even though the marriage ended “You Made It Beautiful” by The Oak Ridge Boys was our first dance song and holds a special place in my heart.  But there are two others.  I wrote some lyrics a friend put music to and sang.  That CD is so special.  My all-time favorite though, for more than thirty-five years, is a song by a regional band who I would go see play in my late teens and twenties.  The song is “Too Old To Cry” and sadly it does bring tears on occasion.  The writer and lead singer has lost a fight with cancer so I will never hear the song performed in an auditorium like I have always dreamed.  But Tasty Nickel will never die in my heart!

No band can ever knock Queen out of my number one place in my list… I don’t think anyway.

So many good books out there.  The first one that really had a physical reaction from was No Language But A Cry about a girl horribly abused by her father who could not speak for many years.  I cried too.  The Xanth series is just good fun.  But the one book I really remember being drawn into and hard to put down lately was Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill.  And a friend or two have had books published… those are very special too.

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Consistently the author that draws me in and keeps me entertained and on the edge of my seat would be Dean Koontz. 

Here again there are so many.  Short and sweet answer… The Color Purple.

I have a few series collections on DVD and watch them from time to time.  I would have to say though the one that had the best laughs, drama and powerful messages was M*A*S*H. 

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I don’t have to think too hard for the actor… Robin Williams.  He could do comedy so well, but also did some great dramas… his One Hour Photo character gave me the shivers.  As for the actress, this one is harder.  It is kind of a toss up between a half dozen women.  I will just randomly pick… Sally Field.  Once again, a comedy and drama range.  I will never forget her Norma Rae performance.

I have had to pleasure to see a few shows live – Wicked, Cats, Rent, Hamilton… if I have to pick just one it would be Wicked – costumes, music and performances were all top rate.

Who can narrow down live concerts to just one favorite?  I have the concert I went up on stage during, the once in a lifetime Farm Aid all day concert, seeing a Beatle live – Paul McCartney.  If I have to be honest, the one that stands out the most is the one where we saw the Oak Ridge Boys from the front row, and I spent half the show “flirting” with the guitarist Steve… he handed me his stage towel after the show.  That was a lot of fun!

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If you made it to the end of my rambling and are still here thanks for reading!  Sorry this is late posting for the prompt, but as usual I am behind on my reading.  Thanks for the fun and challenging questions Fandango!

*****

Written for Fandango’s Provocative Question (FPQ) #188

Our First Dance

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The bass is so strong

You feel it in your stomach

Boom, boom, boom

The guitar rings out

A melody so sweet

Wah, wah, wah

The words like a poem

Echo through your head

“…free my soul…”

And you take me in your arms

My heart syncs with yours

Beat, beat, beat


For Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – beat

Through His Eyes

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She watched her son on the stage and was in awe of his talent.  She had always wanted to learn the piano and had taught herself a couple of songs on her grandparent’s upright.  But alas, lessons were not in the cards.  In her teen years she saved up money to buy one of those electronic keyboards that were popular.  But not reading music, her dreams fell flat.

Now her son was on stage, at the university she once dreamed about, applying for the music program.  She was so proud and happy to live out her dreams vicariously through him.


(100 words)

Written for Fandnago’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – vicariously

Mumbles … Music

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“You can’t touch music, but music can touch you.”

I really love that quote but saw it attributed to at least four different people.  Bottom line, if you have followed me for any length of time you know I love music.  Am crazy about live music.  And my taste shifts over most genres.

Something I whole heartily agree with is the push in the last few years to shop local.  This works for music as well.  There is a lot of talented artists who have not had that big break yet, or unfortunately never will.  I have supported a few local bands in my life, two disbanded due to a husband and wife split within the group, one split for solo opportunities and one of my favorite ones only played through college and then got “real jobs” – how disappointing, but I still wish them the best!

This day and age the path of a successful artist does not necessarily rely solely on the local bar scene.  There is YouTube and Facebook and so many other online sources for music.  So tonight I am going to share a couple of artists I have found through one source or another thanks to the internet.  I hope you enjoy one or more of them.

The first musical viral video I got hooked in on, forgive me for posting Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but a do know a few people who celebrate both with certain families.  Straight No Chaser…

A friend introduced me to the this group that will be in the state next month but with winter driving I cant guarantee I could get there if the weather is bad, so no tickets for me.  Postmodern Jukebox…

A friend who is into more heavy metal music found this cover artist who does a pretty good job. Leo Moracchioli…

And last but not least an artist my daughter introduced me to Greta Van Fleet…

There is also Lindsey Stirling, 10 Second Songs, Apocalyptica, 2 Cellos, Peter Hollens … the list goes on.


For Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – music

Untitled Song

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The piano is his mistress

Totally within her control he is consumed

He touches the keys

Like caressing the body of a woman

He feels each note

Deep in his soul with both joy and pain

He aches for harmony

To accompany his melody

He bleeds music

Searching for true love

He knows she sings too

Feeling like he does

They believe the rhythm of time

Will bring their collaboration together


Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – piano

Music Notes

“I was never too keen on the British music press. They’ve called us a supermarket hype, and they used to suggest that we didn’t write our own songs.” – Freddie Mercury

♪♫♪

“I try to open up my heart as much as I can and keep a real keen eye out that I don’t get sentimental. I think we are all afraid to reveal or hearts. It’s not at all in fashion.” – Paul Simon

♫♪♫

“I was very big into making the Big Artistic Statement – it had to be innovative, it had to be cutting edge. I was desperately keen on being original.” – David Bowie


For Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – keen

Do You Clique

Jocks, cheerleaders and young politicians

Brains, stoners and weirdos a plenty

No where did it seem

That I would fit in

I was shy, awkward with average brains

But finally we all drifted together

We were our own little clique

Fans of all kinds of music

Not the carbon copy masses

That only followed the charts

We bought albums of many

Went to a few killer shows

Listened to Dr Demento

Liked country, rock and soul

Now grown and long past school

Some have left our little group

But those of us still here

Dance onward to the beat

And probably always will


Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – clique

(A2Z) As Good As Gold

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George Harrison, Genesis, Guns and Roses, Green Day… Gimme Three Steps, Get Back, Glory Days, Girl Crush… golden oldies, greatest hits, Grease, gold record… good group of choices.

Today I write about a family.  A family with a new project in the works.  Let me back up about forty years.  It was December 11, 1981 when me and a friend went to see a country group in concert, the Oak Ridge Boys.  I know what you are thinking, “Leigha, Oak starts with an O not a G.”  Bear with me.  I began something I may discuss more later but after that show I knew who William Lee Golden was (the singer with the long hair and beard).  Through the years I Iearned about his talented family.

He had three sons and two of the three were in a couple of bands.  There was Golden Speer, the Boys Band and the Goldens.  Fast forward to last year.  Covid sent people home.  There were no more concerts to perform.  I believe the seed of the idea came when Chris Golden began some Facebook live concerts and family members started popping in to play and sing along.

Very recently the family announced a new project that not only included William Lee, sons – Chris, Craig and Rusty, but also Chris’s musically inclined children.  As of yet I am not sure if any other family makes an appearance, but I wouldn’t be surprised. 

So all these wonderfully talented people got together in the studio and began creating and I cant wait to hear what they are going to release.  I have been a fan for years and am really excited about this project.  I can’t wait until it comes out!  It is three albums with three generations of Goldens – gospel, county classics and country rock.  It is due out this Spring.

In the mean time take a listen to a little of the Goldens (Chris and Rusty) music…

For Blogging A to Z April Prompt…

A B C D E F

Encore, Encore!

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Notes hit the air

The crowd in a frenzy

The drums begin to pound

A familiar rhythm

An electric guitar screams

The crowd answers back

The singer steps to the mic

He is deafened by the audience

Singing louder than him

He steps back from the mic

And signals the crowd

The words ring out

Across the auditorium

The lights go up

The crowd is alive as one

The encore leaves the band

Bathed in adoration

Nothing better than music

To bring people together


Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – note

Mumbles … Luck

“…If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.  Gloom, despair and agony on me…”  You have to be old like me to know that and you had to like a little country music and humor.  That was a regular skit on Hee Haw.  I think that part of the song sums up the week so far and it is only Wednesday.

Let’s start with the bitter cold of Monday.  My boyfriend went to go pick up some meds… battery said, “Hell NO!” He tried my car and it started fine.  We then tried to jump start the truck.  “Hell NO!”  So, we left to get the meds in my car and were going to address the problem Tuesday.

Tuesday came and went with no work on the battery problem.  My boyfriend really wasn’t in the mood as he had worked the early morning part of his shift and then was fired on his way to lunch.  I might add, that is after 23 years with this company.

Wednesday, he called the local Walmart that does battery repair… they were out of his battery.  So was the other Walmart in town.  Since he had half of his five-year warranty left, he wanted to stick with them so we ordered the battery online and supposedly will get it tomorrow.  This was all done while I was finding out one of my best friend’s significant others was just diagnosed with cancer.

I am kind of afraid to sleep and see what tomorrow holds.  I do talk to my therapist tomorrow and I do look forward to that release.  This is just a few bumps in the road.  I will keep going forward and do what I can to try to keep my boyfriend on the positive side of things.  This is not a sad country song, it can end on a happy note, I just need to turn up the music.


Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – luck