MUSIC IS THE WINE THAT FILLS THE CUP OF SILENCE

The other day I was driving and while stopped at a red light, I witnessed a young woman singing (windows closed)at the top of her lungs. As the radio blasted, her face exuded sheer delight. She seemed to be in ecstasy. Her happiness was contagious, and it immediately put a smile on my face. I began to reminisce and remembered that as early as five years old, I have loved to listen to music and I have loved to dance. I still do! Everyone who knows me, also knows, that as soon as the band starts playing, I am the first on the dance floor. Therefore, my table is usually situated as close to the band as possible! At a concert, I am up from my seat and dancing along with the music much to the chagrin of the surrounding audience! My love of rock and pop music began with American Bandstand and Dick Clark. I would tune in each day with my (much!)older sister. As the music started, I would grab the den curtains and utilize them to stand in as my dance partner. I have to admit it was quite a visual! "Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." George Carlin From the earliest age, as soon as I got into the car, I played the roll of DJ in search of the best song- and, to this day, I still erratically flip the stations from the Beatles, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Todd Rungren, Buffalo Springfield, Sinatra, Allman Brothers, Cindy Lauper in a matter of seconds. I am frantic to find what is the best song playing RIGHT NOW! "On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty miles more if you have the right music very loud on the radio." Hunter Thompson Another passion is watching television musicals and attending original and revival Broadway shows. When I was too young to attend Broadway, my favorite television movies starred Fred Astaire. Astaire's sinewy body showed off his incredible fashion sense. His style and grace, in combination with his immense dancing and singing talent could mesmerize me for hours. He is one of the greatest dancers of all time, and two of my favorite films are Top Hat and Daddy Long Legs. If an Astaire movie comes on, I must watch from beginning to end. All t.v. musicals entice me - The Sound of Music, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Music Man, Gypsy, Little Shop of Horrors, Mary Poppins, Fame, Dirty Dancing..... I could go on forever. Nothing gives me greater joy than singing along with each and every song from these musicals. " Music is the universal language of mankind." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow We can all agree that music has the power to lift us up, refresh you, energize you, feed the soul, and cure what ails you. It seems we are most content when we can pursue the things that make us feel fully alive. Music is that 'thing' for me. So, when I became old enough, my parents would regularly take me to Broadway Shows. At $25 a ticket, it was reasonable to take your family often. An ideal outing for me was getting gussied up, attend a great musical, and then end our day with dinner at Van Rapoport's Spindletop on West 47th. A double sirloin for two was a mere $16!! My love of musicals expanded once I started this ritual of going to Broadway. My epiphany was that I could look around the theater and see how the power of music would somehow unite all types of people from all over the world. We could differ on everything, but when Jennifer Holiday brings the house down with "And I am telling you", we all have the chills from that outstanding performance in common. A special song has the ability to elicit the fond memory of your first kiss, the first day of middle school, walking down the aisle, your wedding dance with your father, or the birth of a child. Because Broadway has been dark due to Covid, I spend time in my car listening the the radio or at home listening to old albums. I love Pop and Rock and Roll. That scratchy sound of the needle on the record player is oddly calming to me. Joni Mitchell, Prince, Sinatra, Buffalo Springfield, Bruno Mars, the Beatles, the Turtles, Traffic-they all fill me with delight. Music brings me peace, and has washes away the stress of the day even if just for a few minutes. I wonder how music can sometimes make me ache, and yet at the same time make me feel so good (think Adele). "Music makes the world to round Music makes you feel the groove Music makes you feel glad Music makes you higher than skies above Music turns your darkest night into blinding light" The Hamiltons Debie's Top Broadway Performance picks: Jennifer Holiday in Dreamgirls 1983 Cynthia Erivo in The Color Purple 2016 Sammy Davis Jr in Golden Boy 1964 Ann Reinking in A Chorus Line 1977 Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen 2016 Mary Martin in The Sound of Music 1961 Raul Julia and Sheena Easton in Man of La Mancha 1992 HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR! DANCE LIKE NOONE'S WATCHING! PEACE OUT-ONE B