Bob Dylan threw a music party this summer. And he threw it twenty-two times over the course of the summer with the majority of them taking place in minor league ballparks. And at each party, he invited two of his friends – Willie Nelson and John Mellancamp.
Three roots-based/Americana performers tearing it up in a minor league ballpark is conversation-worthy. So it made sense that it came up in a conversation I had the other day.
Amidst the conversation, a comment was made that stopped me in my tracks. The guy remarked that when Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson pass on, who’s going to take their place?
I didn’t have an answer for him at the time. And I still don’t. The music industry is always evolving. But in the end, music is music. That will never change. The only thing that will and does change is how we consume it.
At one time, all there was was live music. Musicians played and the crowd listened. As time went on, the technology became more sophisticated. People could own the music recordings they enjoyed.
Then AM radio played a role in what we bought. Then FM radio came along and offered a better quality sound. Then the introduction of the music video and MTV changed the game.
And even now, the game continues to change and evolve. This crazy thing called the internet has torn down all barriers when it comes to music.
We now have access to bands large and small, old and new. We can buy their entire album or we can only purchase a song. All of this can be accomplished with just a few clicks of a mouse.
The music hasn’t changed. It’s the consumer who has changed. The kids today aren’t as concerned about album art and liner notes. They don’t even need a tangible recording. All they want is a computer file and a music player to be able to play it.
So will music die when Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson are no longer making and playing music? Not at all. Sure, these two are legends, but their music will be covered and recovered for years to come.
Someone once told me that this is the best time ever in the history of music to be a music fan. There is more of it being made, and it is more accessible than it ever has been.
So in a sense, the musical floodgates have opened. And just like they say, the cream rises to the top. So will the best music. Maybe even the next Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. Your job, as a music lover, is to go find it.
