The Power of Music

I was talking to a man yesterday about learning the piano and we got to discussing the passing of our parents. He said, "I'm an orphan." I said, "So am I. But we'll always have music." It sounded a little trite, hollow, incomplete. I had to think about it. I realized that embracing music is embracing God. God works through music, creativity, and art. And, no matter how many loved ones we say good-bye to, we will always have God.

I'm not going to preach. The power of music in my life is not limited to the church or any specific religion or belief system. I'll preach some other time. Music as the hand of God crosses all boundaries and human opinions. Just like love does. Two specific examples come to mind.

The first is the musical part of my relationship with my dear friend, Cece. We met in college and music was a huge part of our lives. In those days we listened to Donna Summer, James Taylor, Billy Joel, and Paul Anka. (yes, Paul Anka!) We put on the albums when we went to sleep (we shared a dorm room) and listened to them all night. Yes, albums. Yes, we had an actual record player. But I digress. I had no religious faith to speak of, and Cece was raised Jewish. We wrote poems. I became a songwriter. I found my faith. Cece became ill with cancer in 2005. So did her husband. Her husband passed away within a few months, and Cece was concerned about their teenage daughter. Cece fought lung cancer for four years before she passed away in 2009. Her daughter was 17, and an orphan. One of Cece's dreams was to write a song with me. Two months before she passed, she visited me (she lived in Flagstaff, and I'm in Cali) and I composed some music for her to put words to. I didn't know what she wanted to write. She wrote a song for her daughter. Bob and I recorded it for her. I don't know how I ever sang it. I can't sing it now without sobbing. That's how powerful the emotion of that song is. The song will live forever, and expresses love in a way nothing else could. If that's not the hand of God, I don't know what is. Listen to the video and see how it affects you.

The second example is my musical friendship with the late Alan O'Day. He used music to express all kinds of emotions -- love, lust, shyness, frustration, concern for humanity, etc. He wrote "Rock 'n Roll Heaven" about rockers who have passed away forming a big rock band in heaven. He wrote about a mentally unstable girl named Angie who kept a boy locked in her room. "It's so nice to be insane, no one asks you to explain." He expressed his desire for a soul mate in "Undercover Angel" with the words "...answer to my prayer. You made me know that there's a love for me out there somewhere." He had a strong spirit, but did not proclaim a specific faith. After watching a friend nearly die due to addiction, he wrote these words, "Guide me, give me eyes to see that it's not about me anymore. I just want to be yours. Guide me Lord."

Alan was commercially and financially successful. But he was so much more than that. He helped those in need, shared his talent to brighten others' lives, and took his light into dark places. Every year he participated in a holiday caroling event in convalescent homes. This year Alan is being honored by the field representative for California State Senator Fran Pavley in recognition of his outstanding love, care, and dedication extended on behalf of making the world a better place through music. In the words of the press release, "Alan celebrated love and life through the gift of music and entertained, ministered to, and performed for audiences for many decades all over the world. This includes the senior residents, care-givers, and participants for 15 years at the annual Los Angeles Caroling Festivities."

Through music, God uses us to make the world a better place. Thank you for blessing me, and so many others, with this invaluable gift.