Up & Coming Weekly

September 01, 2020

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 2-8, 2020 UCW 17 Music. It can transport us to forgotten places or treat us to t he opportunit y to sit w it h someone who's long since left t his world. Can you remember t he song t hat played t he day you had your f irst real k iss or as you pulled in t he driveway after your parents f irst let you take t he car out on your ow n? During a visit a few years back, my wife and I drove my parents to the mountains of western North Carolina to enjoy the colorful beauty of the fall. In her latter years, my mother would often complain about music — mostly the volume, but I decided to try something. As we were driving, I turned on the satellite radio to channel 4, which, at the time, played top hits and big band favorites from the 1940s. To my surprise, my mother sat with a quiet smile on her face, and my step dad sang along with near- ly ever y song that played. From the melancholy sentiment of "You'll Never Know" from Vera Lynn, to lyrically twisted novelt y classics like "Mairzy Doats," the audience in the back seat seemed content to ride and reminisce. W hether providing an escape or connecting us more intensely to someone we're holding close, music is powerful. It's common as we honor a nati- on, celebrate a birthday, express adoration for someone we love or sing praises in worship to the ver y God who created us all. One of the greatest joys we have in radio is finding songs to con- nect with people throughout any given day. We owe much to the artists and writers who allow us the use of their deepest thoughts backed by melo- dies that stick in people's heads as they turn it up and sing along. In t he process of rev iew ing new music just before Thanksgiv ing, I was listening to a song called "Run to t he Fat her" from Cor y Asbur y. Wit h t he Christmas holi- day music season upon us, I k new t he song would be a hit, but likely wouldn't start airing for anot her f ive or si x weeks. I paused as the lyrics reminded me that I wasn't alone and that I was never meant to carr y the weight of the world and its prob- lems by myself. I was encouraged to take the burden of my heartache, my strug- gles and my pain to God, who created us all. The song arrived the morning after the single most devastating event in the life of my family. Our oldest son, Chris, had been mur- dered the afternoon before. I was reviewing music after a mostly sleepless night because I didn't know what else to do. And ever y time I hear that song, I'm taken back to that moment, where a simple song from a barely known artist touched me in a way nothing else could. I didn't want it to be 'my song', but it is. OPINION Music can be powerful whether providing an escape or connecting us to someone we hold dear. DAN DEBRULER, General Manager, WCLN. Comments? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200. The power of a melody by DAN DEBRULER FREE HEALTH CARE • for uninsured Adults call 910.485.0555

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