Music and Family: Steve and Jim Coming Full Circle
Interviewing Steve, Poppa
My grandfather
was diagnosed with dementia December 2021, which progressively led to him forgetting
countless things including confusing me with my mother and the fact that he can
no longer practice with his Veterinary Medicine Doctorate, but there is one thing
that has stayed consistent, this man’s love for music, which I am sure is where
I get it passed down from.
The informal interview
was between Steve, my 77-year-old grandfather, while he sat in his old high-backed
chair, and I sat diagonally across from him on the couch. I prompted him with some
Jim Croce that I have saved on Spotify and our old Neil Diamond CD that we used
to listen to anytime in the car. To preface, I am not sure how orderly in time these
musicians and experiences happened due to the loss of his memory, but my focus
in this interview was to see music’s purpose, how it was listened to, how their
music taste changed, and current feelings about music for a person growing up
during the boom of rock and roll, folk rock, and rhythm and blues (my favorite
genres). Steve is totally camera shy and the last camera I did with him was unsuccessful
with the sound so I figured I would save him and I both the frustration and
type out the transcription of the recording. I hope you enjoy the blunt and unapologetic
words from this man as much as I do.
Me: “So, let’s start with what music is to
you. What has music been for you, what do you think of when you think of music?”
Steve: “Welp, *pauses* I’ve
never was a dancer in the slightest, so it was never that for me, I just feel
all the words, they just make my mind quiet down.”
Me: “With it quieting your mind, does it
remind you of good time, I remember you telling me stories of you and your
classmates in Vet school driving to the breakfast place listening to all sorts
of music depending how the labs were going.”
Steve: “Bad, Bad Leroy
Brown was a group favorite since we were all shy guys, we would joke and laugh
at the fact of being tough. I always felt sort of weaker than the rest of the
guys because with the war, they got to go be veterinarians or soldiers testing
the meats for safety or serving in arms.”
Side note: Veterinarians were sent to
serve in the Vietnam war to treat wounded animals but mainly to test that meats
that were sent for soldiers to eat for disease and such to prevent illness among
the troops.
Me: “Are you disappointed that you didn’t
get to go serve? What was the reasoning for not being drafted?”
Steve: “Yes, I always
felt sorry and guilty that friends and classmates went because they either had
better eyesight or couldn’t go to college, I lost some friends, and some came
back with crazy stories. Since I couldn’t relate to the war experience other than
seeing protest here at home, the music connected me and my friends that left.”
Me: “I am not trying to sound like an
annoying young person but how did you listen to your music?”
Steve: “Before college, all
I had was a radio that I would sneak into my room because it wasn’t too big. Momma
was strict, I couldn’t listen too much but when I could, I took advantage of it
with my little dog that I would sneak into the house. We’d listen to more
static than actual music because we lived far out at the farm. And on the way
to school or church I would beg Vivian to let us play music, but she’d say, “no”
as soon as K.C. would go to turn the dial. When I got to college my car radio
stayed on the station with Neil Diamond and Jim Croce, they made the drive to
Clemson much easier. The guys and I would also go to the bars and listen to
whatever wannabe cowboy was strumming, none of them were real like Croce.”
Side Note: Vivian in his mother (my great
grandmother) and K.C. was his father (my great grandfather).
Me: “I take it that since you showed me
the same music, we’ve discussed in all your memories, that your music taste did
not change with the times?”
Steve: “I don’t know, I
guess I stuck with what I got to listen to first, when Stephanie and your dad
started bringing that rap around, I was tired to deal with it, I know some had
good meaning behind, but I just couldn’t get with the beat”
Me: “With all of your experience of music helping
you clear your mind as well as giving bright memories, what are your feelings
about music currently?”
Steve: “Current music, it’s
whatever, I don’t hate it. It just doesn’t feel the same. I lost touch with
music for a time in my life but having you in your car seat putting stickers on
the window of Old Blue brought my ability to feel music again. Music is just
opening feelings to an artist’s words and tune that makes you think or stop
thinking, it gave of us all peace back then and I can see it gives you the same
peace it gave me punkin’. It’s full circle, I heard a boy on the voice a while
ago who sounded just like Jim Croce, I never thought I would hear a live voice
like that again, it was amazing and hopeful.”
Some of his favorites,
Jim Croce, “Operator”
The Beatles, “The Long and Winding Road”
Neil Diamond, “Shilo”
Comments
Post a Comment