I discovered this morning that Buffy Sainte-Marie has a new album out. Well, new to me–it came out in 2009, but was her first new album in 17 years. Running for the Drum.
You young whippersnappers probably never heard of her, and even some old whippersnappers probably missed out back when, but she was one of my favorites during my coming of age years. She’s not everyone’s favorite flavor, but if you don’t know her, I recommend you check her out, on iTunes or here**. I really like the new album–am listening as I type, and like it even better than I expected to from the iTunes previews. The notes basically claim that her voice hasn’t changed, but in fact it has–it is definitely the voice of a more mature woman, while still as strong, lyrical, or –what–trilling? as ever.
One of the side-effects of my iPad, and now my new iMac, has been that I now listen to more music than I had for years. When I moved here, I stashed my boxes of albums (yes, albums, not CDs or tapes) in the garage, where they promptly got buried under other boxes of stuff. I’m not even sure where they are any more–I sort of hope they emerge as I clear things out preparatory to moving when I retire, but who knows what kind of shape they’ll be in. If they are OK, I foresee a retirement project as I try to get them transferred to modern devices.
Anyway, the result was that I more or less stopped listening regularly to music. I have bought CDs over the years, but both CD players I bought died within a year, so I just listen to them in the car now.
But the easy access, and customizability, of music on the iPad got me exploring a bit, so I’ve bought some music, both new and never-heard-of-it and old and familiar. But in my exploring, I had simply forgotten all about Buffy–until her name showed up in an old-fashioned, paper-medium crossword I was doing this morning, which inspired me to look her up, and so discover the new album. Here’s to media, old and new!
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**Where I learn that the reason I lost track of her is she was blackballed on mainstream media because of good old LBJ and RMN.
Someday I have to get my niece to show me how to do proper footnotes. Til then, this will have to do.
I liked the bit I listened to. If I paid for all the music I like I’d be broke!
Musicians deserve income, but nevertheless.
OK, I’m feeling stupid. What/who are LBJ and RMN?
I also listen to FAR more music now (and I’ve always listened to lots). But I have big honking iPods in my car and in my office that have my entire collection on them, and smaller ones in the bathroom, the kitchen, and my gym bag that I swap music out from time to time.
Katrina, if you were my age the LBJ, at least would burned into your brain. But you’re young enough I’ll forgive you.
Lyndon Baines Johnson and Richard Milhous Nixon