By Mickey Dunaway | Reprinted with Permission by Currents Magazine, September 2023

As I write this, the “bey-hive” is buzzing in Charlotte with Beyonce having come to town. And the rest of the U.S. is just as fanatical with the “Swiftees” obsessed with Taylor Swift. I recently read that Taylor Swift’s earnings from her The Eras Tour are greater than the gross national product of several small countries! I am not a fan of either except when I am in the presence of my granddaughters! 

A few years ago, I thought it would be interesting to categorize my personal favorite forms of music, musicians, and musical groups. Eventually, I developed several categories: Blues, Gospel, Classical, Country, Folk, Island Music—Hawai’ian and Caribbean, Jazz, Rock, and Pop. Being in my early 70s, my list limits some modern candidates and adds candidates from back when! 

The Baker’s Dozen of Music My Way

Artists six through 13 I grouped together as #6: The Blind Boys of Alabama, Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, Jim Croce, Bob Dylan, Meryl Haggard, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (IZ), and Willie Nelson.

My top five artists are noted below. They boiled down to three members of country royalty and two rockers. 

5 Dolly Parton. All one needs to say is “Dolly,” and everyone knows who you are referring to.

4 Kris Kristofferson: One of the best of all lyricists in all of music.

3 Hank Williams, Senior: The King of Country Royalty credited by almost every other country singer and rocker as the “best of the best.”

2 Mark Knopfler: Rock Storyteller, Guitarist, Composer. He started Dire Straits. Their first hit was “Money for Nothing.”   

1 THE BAND: Rock Group Royalty. The best collection of musicians and songwriters of any group. 

If you don’t immediately recognize The Band, they got their first significant recognition at Woodstock. A major hit (at least in the South) was “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” Other hits included “Ophelia,” “The Weight,” “Acadian Driftwood,” “The Shape I’m In,” and “Stage Fright.”

Martin Scorsese’s film, The Last Waltz, documented the final performance of The Band with a cast of notable musical legends: Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Ronnie Hawkins, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Pinetop Perkins, The Staples Singers, Ringo Starr, Stephen Stills, Muddy Waters,  Ronnie Wood,  and Neil Young participating in the concert.

These rock royals demonstrated the influence of The Band in the Rock and Roll world. If you have not seen The Last Waltz, do yourself a favor and sit down with an adult beverage and let yourself be moved!

My purpose for Music My Way was to whet your appetite for Music Your Way and to suggest you do it with a turntable stereo receiver and speakers.

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Suppose you decide to really return to the musical days of your youth. In that case, you will need a good turntable, a decent stereo receiver, and a set of speakers that can do justice to your vinyl. 

As I write this, I am listening to The Band’s Last Waltz on a pair of Polk T-15 bookshelf speakers (non-Bluetooth) that were $100 for the pair. I have paired them with a receiver by Onkyo for $244. Note that this is not a home theater receiver that has 7 channels! This is a STEREO with only two speakers, but those bookshelf speakers are perfect for my study. I paid $500 for my Pro-Ject turntable because it was the most essential part of the system and was designed to get the most from my vinyl and not do damage. However, there are other most acceptable turntables around $250.

Another option is a Bluetooth turntable and Bluetooth bookshelf speakers for around $150— A good deal. However, Bluetooth always loses detail in its transmission, but this is still an excellent way to get started. 

A sunroom, a home office, a den, or even a bedroom can be immediately enhanced by a return to your past—musically with the right equipment!

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Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. – Plato