This has been a hard couple of weeks. We had to say goodbye this week to Richie Shulberg, the great Citizen Kafka. What amazed me about Richie was the outpourings of memories and love from many different communities -- the old-time and bluegrass world, the WBAI and independent radio world, the science fiction community. I didn't know him well but every time I met him or saw him perform he bowled me over with his wit and intelligence and exuberance and knowledge. If you didn't know him, I'm not the one to ask. Check out the Facebook page that's been put up for him:
We also lost Rick Altman this week. I never met him, but he took over the Folklore Center when Izzy Young moved to Europe in the early 1970s. Many of us are too young to have ever even visited that store; I know it from reading biographies of Bob Dylan and hearing many stories over the years. Richie and Rick and Bob and others we've lost were important connectors and community builders, as well as musicians and fans. They knew that music isn't just something you do with an instrument, it's something you do with your life. It's not about learning riffs, it's about connecting to people and building things that can last you a lifetime.
Many of the people who lived through the tremendous growth of traditional music in New York City in the 1950s and 1960s remarked on how the community we've created here over the last few years resembles what they remembered happening back then. Let's all do everything we can to keep that spirit of community alive. I think that is the best way to remember these wonderful people and to celebrate their lives.
So as I said last week, let's get out there and play music and see our friends play music and be part of all of this. In 25 years when everyone is reminiscing about these days, you don't want to be hearing it all and thinking, "Gee, I guess I should have played more music and gone to more shows." Enjoy some music and have a drink in memory of the friends we've lost and in celebration of the friends we are so fortunate to have around us.
We also lost Rick Altman this week. I never met him, but he took over the Folklore Center when Izzy Young moved to Europe in the early 1970s. Many of us are too young to have ever even visited that store; I know it from reading biographies of Bob Dylan and hearing many stories over the years. Richie and Rick and Bob and others we've lost were important connectors and community builders, as well as musicians and fans. They knew that music isn't just something you do with an instrument, it's something you do with your life. It's not about learning riffs, it's about connecting to people and building things that can last you a lifetime.
Many of the people who lived through the tremendous growth of traditional music in New York City in the 1950s and 1960s remarked on how the community we've created here over the last few years resembles what they remembered happening back then. Let's all do everything we can to keep that spirit of community alive. I think that is the best way to remember these wonderful people and to celebrate their lives.
So as I said last week, let's get out there and play music and see our friends play music and be part of all of this. In 25 years when everyone is reminiscing about these days, you don't want to be hearing it all and thinking, "Gee, I guess I should have played more music and gone to more shows." Enjoy some music and have a drink in memory of the friends we've lost and in celebration of the friends we are so fortunate to have around us.
