WORDS FOR THE WORLD

There are musicians, and then there are artists. Rather than talk about the history of how a man named David Robert Jones became Rock ‘n Roll god David Bowie, I want to talk about how he affected my life. You see, I grew up listening to what my parents liked. Christian pop and Country were hitting a renaissance during the early 90’s, and I was a product of that era. I really didn’t start listening to anything else until I got my driver’s license, which gave me to drive to the local stores and browse the CD rack. In all honesty, when I saw “The Best of Bowie”, the artwork sold me. It was a collage of Bowie’s various persona over the years. I only knew the man from the cult classic “Labyrinth”, which I loved as a child and appreciated the off-the-wall humor when I grew up. I remember vividly sitting in the Fred Meyer parking lot listening to the opening acoustic guitar and bass of “Space Oddity”. The connection was instant. I didn’t grow up on the Beatles or The Stones, rather, my classic rock immersion began with David Bowie. I did not weep when I heard the news, but I can say that my mind has been playing over my favorite tracks on a loop today. To be so honest and stay true to his art in the face of adversity is courageous. His latest album was released 2 days before his death, which makes one think that his life was an art exhibit and he waited to the very end to give us his curtain call. I will always love the music of David Bowie. May he rest in power. Indeed there is a Starman waiting in the sky.