Category: Modern Life

Art, Banjo, Bluegrass, Country Music, Creativity, Culture, Death, Doc Watson, Folk, Modern Life, Music1 Comment

Doc, Doug and Earl…Bluegrass Goodbyes

Gary Furr

A few days ago, I wrote about the too-soon loss of Doug Dillard, an extraordinary banjo player who was a bridge figure between Bill Monroe and the “pure bluegrass” (which is itself an irony, since Monroe was actually an innovator himself.  He took a hodgepodge of what is ssometimes called “old time music,” consisting of fiddle tunes for dancing, old folk tunes, blues and other music that flowed from Appalachia and the south and forged a unique sound dominated by the mandolin and banjo and fiddle.  He was not beyond experimenting himself, even bringing an accordion in a time or … Continue reading Doc, Doug and Earl…Bluegrass Goodbyes

Aging, Brain, Christianity, Culture, Economics, Ethics, Faith, Family, Family, Gospel music, Memory, Modern Life, Music, Oliver Sacks, Physiology, Spirituality, Suffering, Theology, Theology and Life4 Comments

The Songs Remember When Part II by Gary Furr

Gary Furr

…there are aspects of humanity that are not reducible to particles, chemicals and rational analysis. In my last post, I reflected on the interesting work of Oliver Sacks on memory.  A few further thoughts about the whole notion of science, faith, and humanity. Sacks has been criticized roundly for his “anecdotes” that don’t meet all the rigor of some scientific requirement, especially by the radical reductionists.  Some believe that  “there is no self or soul.  We are merely the product of our acculturated experiences and brain physiology and when it’s gone, so are we.” But there is something instinctive that … Continue reading The Songs Remember When Part II by Gary Furr

Art, Creativity, Culture, Modern Life, Writing

The Artist and the Editor

Gary Furr

There is a time for the Artist and a time for the Editor The Editor worries about the audience, sales and attracting attention to the finished product The Artist tries to listen to the deep, deep truth within, unfiltered and unfettered The Editor wants it to be the best it can be and to have a chance to be heard. The Artist wants the work to be true to what it was the first time she heard it The Editor is outside the Artists heart and mind and often doesn’t “get” the artist’s vision The Artist cannot leave himself and … Continue reading The Artist and the Editor

Christianity, Culture, Humor, Manners, Modern Life, Thankfulness2 Comments

Those Two Little Words

Gary Furr

There are two little magic words that can open any door with ease

one little word is “Thanks” and the other little word is please

Since we now have a thirteen month old GC (I’ll just abbrieviate “Grandchild” so I can resist declining into obnoxia braggadocci , which can be fatal to the hearer), I travel more than I normally do.  And I am having to watch all sorts of media and sing songs that were long forgotten.  My wife’s fav is “A helper I will be, a helper I will be, stop what you’re doing and clean up nice-ly” to the tune of “Farmer in the Dell”.  We have a luscious video of our GC slinging toys down as fast as her Mom can pick them up while Mom sings (in vain) “A helper I will be…” Continue reading “Those Two Little Words”