I hope all is as well as can be for you in these still uncertain times. Since my last editorial, the world has gone a bit nutty, and we’ve all been going through some changes, frustrations, and fears.
We all know by now as we head into a new year that music, the arts, and many businesses in general have been hit hard by the pandemic. We need to keep reminding ourselves to stay positive—and to thank our frontline essential workers! On the bright side, virtual lessons and recordings took off. Musicians are learning to run their own studios. The pandemic has also given us more time to practice our instrument or learn an additional skill. I have friends who are usually out two hundred days a year touring, and for the first time in ages they’re enjoying time with their families. Most are also adapting to playing music virtually.
But many of us who make our living playing music, whether it be in bars or in arenas, are experiencing hard times. At the same time, there are injustices and problems in the world, and the future is unclear. But I’m hopeful that by the time you read this, we’re on the other side of some of it and on our way to a brighter future. As horrible as 2020 was for the world, it’d all be worth it if we could learn to live together in 2021 with peace and love. Yes, I’m a dreamer. Don’t stop believing.