Here is an impassioned plea for the sake of the music, or art in general for that matter. I don’t know exactly when we screwed the pooch on all this, but one thing is for certain, we no longer live in a time where the true value of culture is recognized and honored. Music and art have been treasured through the millennia; and were even economically viable pursuits. It might be because of the digital dilemma, the consolidation of media, or the democratization in the process of making art leading to an imbalance of supply and demand, but we are in the middle of a seismic shift. It is hard to get it out there, it is hard to make money doing it. We no longer have a delivery system which allows for fame and fortune. The days of becoming a household name with one’s music are pretty much over.
Take Guy Forsyth. If the world was as it used to be, a couple of decades ago, he would be front and center in the global spotlight. Now, it is hard to find a national one, let alone one that is worldwide! Guy is charismatic, thought provoking, and hugely talented. I hear we will see a new album from him this year, and that is always a treat. When he played for the Music Fog cameras at the 2011 Spring Marathon at Threadgill’s, he shared this unreleased song, “The Hard Way.” Something to ponder, for sure.
- Jessie Scott