Inspiration

Someone asked me, a year or so ago, “what would YOU write about?” And it was said in a way that suggested I had nothing interesting to say. Which would be true if I was writing about my own life. Which I’m not. Thank god! But aside from poking holes in my self-esteem, the comment did something else: it got me thinking about what DOES inspire me.
It always goes back to music.

Music is a very personal thing. Everyone has his or her own favorite artists, bands, songs, styles. I’ve never been able to categorize my tastes. Because if I claimed to be a hard rock fan, I’d be omitting how much I love Jason Aldean and Miranda Lambert. And if I was just a country fan, there’d be no accounting for Def Leppard. And really, despite what people claim, they all like a little bit of everything. AC/DC is my favorite, favorite, favorite band…but there’s something stirring and beautiful about Aaron Copland’s compositions. ADELE is amazing. “The House of the Rising Sun” was the first request that came to mind when the mariachi band was coming around at the Mexican restaurant the other night. I love the Allman Brothers, George Michael, Carrie Underwood, Skynyrd and the Fray.

Sad songs, love songs and leaving songs inspire me to write. Lines, choruses and melodies tickle creativity. And amazing guitar riffs always bring action montages to mind. I build my own playlists and cycle through them week by week. Recommending songs can be tricky because no two people have the same musical ideals, and sometimes, people (usually my peers) choose music because they think it makes them sound cool or mature or…whatever.

But, this week I’m listening to:

“My Heart Can’t Tell You No” – Sara Evans
“Hell on Heels” – Pistol Annies
“Barton Hollow” – The Civil Wars
“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” – Johnny Cash
“Uncharted” – Sara Bareilles
“Kings and Queens” – 30 Seconds to Mars
“Turning Tables” – ADELE
“Skeletons” – Eli Young Band
“Too Close” – Alex Clare

I have an unhealthy relationship with iTunes.