When I first moved here nearly two years ago I didn’t know a soul. After a few months, I decided to enroll in a class at Emory on the works of Bob Dylan. When I got into the class room, I was shocked to see that there were only about 10 or 12 of us in the class. It was a very random group but in the group I met a guy named Bruce. Bruce is a really cool older guy who has amazing taste in music. After each class we would hang out talking for another hour or so and just bullshit about music and concerts. As time went on, we started getting together for what we like to call “Music Dork Day.” Once a week (as often as we can) we get together and we exchange music and we go eat lunch for 2 or 3 hours we just hang out and dork out over awesome music. Bruce tells me awesome stories from his youth like how he saw Bob Seger many moons ago in a cavern and how he just walked up to the box office once to buy a ticket to see Led Zeppelin. Bruce has awesome stories and its always a great time hanging with him.
Its been almost two years now and Bruce and I still get together and trade music as often as we can. Sometimes its every week and sometimes once a month or so but either way, Bruce never ceases to amaze me with what he gives me. The first time I ever listened to Delaney and Bonnie was at Bruce’s place and now I’m forever a fan. He showed me what REAL blues music is, not this rich white boy playing expensive guitar blues but classic Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson stuff. He also introduced me to a great songwriter by the name of David Bromberg who opened up a whole new world of quirky, fun songwriting. Hanging with Bruce always opens my eyes and ears to some amazing music that I would maybe never have crossed paths with. This is what I love about our friendship. On paper you couldn’t have two more different people but with all those things aside, we are both just music loving dorks that get excited over a great lyric, a fun jam or a cast of characters that read like a whose who of music. Music is our bond and it is what makes us great friends. The power of music to bring people together is something that will never cease to amaze and excite me. Bruce, if you’re reading this… thank you! I love what we’ve got goin’ on!
Jun 03, 2011 @ 19:29:01
don, thanks for writing this. i enjoy talking about music with you, too. jane & i moved to decatur in 2007 and i didn’t know anybody, so i started looking for classes i could take about things that interested me. i saw a class about bob dylan, and that was when i met you. since we started sharing music i have also “discovered” some very cool music, like your songs and kevn kinney …. i’m glad i have a new friend. i still want you to sing more covers, but i like your original music a lot.