Goodbye David Bowie

I do try to keep this blog limited to my professional exploits and experiences, and not to make it too personal, but with the passing of David Bowie, I have found myself grieving in a way that I have found surprising. As I consider the why, I have realized that David Bowie is so huge of a part of my musical and mental landscape.

Ironically, it all starts with Jim Henson. My mother went to high school with Jim Henson, and was a huge fan. We saw all of the Henson films and shows- including the Dark Crystal- which was way to scary for my 5 year old self. When Labyrinth came out in 1986, we of course saw it. I was 8 years old.

Amidst the grey, dark, colorless world, one figure glowed- David Bowie. It was love at first sight! And he also did the music! At this point, I was playing the piano, and LOVED music. There was an instant connection for me.

That same year that Labyrinth came out, my family and I moved from Idaho to Maryland. This was a huge deal to me. Although I was born in Maryland, we left Maryland when I was 1 to move to Knoxville, Tennessee, and we moved to Idaho Falls when I was 3. We had lived there for 5 years- I was 8 when we moved. While the parents were glad to be moving back home, to me, Idaho WAS home. I was in the 5th grade when I started school in Maryland in 1987. Labyrinth was still my favorite movie, and for some reason, David Bowie became such a huge deal for me. That year for Halloween, I found a wig similar to the one he wore in Labyrinth (it was green, but still the same style), and made up a costume that went along with it. That same wig resurfaced later in the year as part of my OM competition play- Rumplepunk (yeah, probably best not to ask about that). That year, my Christmas request was for the "Let's Dance" album. I have very clear memories of dancing alone in my bedroom in a small 3 bedroom apartment in Frederick to that album.

Three years later, we'd moved to our permanent home, and I was in middle school when Vanilla Ice sampled "Under Pressure" for his hit "Ice Ice Baby", which of course I listened to and enjoyed. This weird number 1 hit introduced me to Queen, and led me back to David Bowie. Kate Bush's concept album "Hounds of Love" led me to explore the idea of an album telling a story (before Pink Floyd did it with "The Wall"), and that led me to explore "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars"- which came out 12 years earlier in 1971. I have not seen the film- I keep thinking I need to have a David Bowie film festival at home.

By the time I hit college as a music major studying performance, the concept of Ziggy Stardust- of creating an alter-ego was and still is the way I deal with a lot of performance anxiety. Thanks David Bowie! That was incredibly helpful! On the other hand, hearing Iggy Pop for the first time (Nightclubbing, Lust for Life), I thought he was another David Bowie alter-ego. FYI- Major Tom was always my favorite. "Space Oddity" is such a fantastic song, and I am both sad and grateful that he was included in "Blackstar".

As I have continued to dwell on the passing of David Bowie, and the strange hole left in my soul by a man that I never knew, I have asked myself- is there another artist out there who has influenced me as much as David Bowie? No. There are so many that I love: artists I aspire to be such as Diana Krall, or Norah Jones, artists who bring me back to a specific time or place like Tori Amos, or Nirvana, artists who have taught me that art and music can create positive change like Del McCoury (who I owe a HUGE debt of gratitude to), or Bono. There are artists who've been around since I first became aware of music like Madonna, MIchael Jackson, Jon Bon Jovi, and Steve Martin (thanks Muppet Show!), artists who've shown me that even though I spend a lot of time working with kids, I don't have to do "kids" songs (thanks Joe Craven!). I've got friends making names for themselves- Laura Burhenn, Jessica Mussen, Louise Fury, Jody Mosser, Michael Russeck for whom I am emotionally invested and rooting for. The list goes on and on, and while I love these people, it is David Bowie who engaged me while I was very young, and remained relevant throughout my entire life. I am so grateful for all he has taught me and will continue to teach me I'm sure.

There is actually one other for whom I will be devastated when he passes, and that is... Sir Elton John. I hope he lives a long life, because I can't handle losing him too.