The Mastery of Neil Young
Neil Young’s music is impressive to me mostly because of the wide span of genres it encompasses, and as such, the large amount of emotions it conjures. What’s interesting to me is how he’s viewed so differently from person-to-person; some may think of him as a country-rock star, complete with cowboy hat and toothpick, while others think of him as a hard rock icon complete with ripped jeans and a raggedy shirt. It all likely depends on how your own musical journey developed; “Heart of Gold” and “Rockin’ in the Free World” are two of his better-known songs, yet each one is played on very different radio stations than the other. I remember diving deeper into his body of work and being amazed at how much ground it covered; there are songs that are the epitome of despair and desperation, and there are also songs that make you giddy with excitement. How can one man be such a jack-of-all-trades with his music and sound completely genuine and inspired every time? Logic would seem to dictate that such a person would only manage to be merely good at everything he tries, not great. Neil Young, however, is an exception to that thought process, always searching for his muse, thankfully documenting the journey for all to hear.
Neil Young, who grew up in Ontario, Canada, was drawn into music at a very early age, and throughout his teens he played in several bands and was a mainstay at local folk clubs (Macnie, 2001). He started to build a respectable enough reputation, but didn’t hit upon any commercial recognition until he joined Buffalo Springfield, a band that also featured Stephen Stills, who would become a well-known singer-songwriter in his own right. While perhaps not attaining the success they deserved in term...
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...ship was borne out of his own struggles, both in trying to find his voice in Buffalo Springfield (and also in the band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) and the feeling-out process of his early solo career. Young used this time to hone his own musical persona and voice that seemed exclusive to him and not an imitation of others before him, much as Coltrane spent time playing for Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis (Greene, 2012) in order to find the confidence within himself to reveal his own vision (p. 207). It is easy for listeners to determine whether someone is being genuine to who they are; it is a sensation that is hard to put into words, but it’s the difference, for instance, between listening to Nirvana and then the countless bands that tried to imitate them. The basic elements might be there, but not the passion. That is something that Neil Young never had to fake.
“It was the best, worst thing to happen to me.” claims Ian Keith Tyson of his military career. Mr. Tyson is a veteran Marine who served in both Operation Iraqi Freedom (later renamed Operation New Dawn) and the war in Afghanistan from the years 2009-2011. Born in Boston, Massachusetts on July 31st,1985, he eventually enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 24. After interviewing with each individual branch, he decided that the Marines simply fit. This was a decision that would permanently alter his life, for the better.
George Harvey Strait, is a an American singer, actor, songwriter, and music producer, known as the “King of Country”, of the twentieth century to present. Strait was a vocalist blessed with good looks and a vibrant personality. He is one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. George was a 50s baby. He is also known for his neotraditionalist country style, cowboy look , and being one of the first and main country artists to bring country music back to its roots and away from the pop country era in the 1980s. George Strait has been a country music icon since the 1980s.
Jerry Garcia’s life was filled with wonderful things, many of which he never expected in the first place. After an almost fatal heroin overdose in 1986, “ Garcia philosophically stated, ‘ I’m 45 years old, I’m ready for anything, I didn’t even plan on living this long so all this shit is just add-on stuff.’ ” (“Garcia”) This attitude shows why Garcia did all of the things he did and even how some of them came about. Garcia, who “functioned as the preeminent pied piper of the rock era,” led a life of great artistic ability which he used in many ways(“Grateful Dead_ Rockhall”).
During the War for American Independence, 78 men were commissioned as general officers into the Continental Army by the Continental Congress. Many of these generals commanded troops with differing levels of competence and success. George Washington is typically seen as most important general, however throughout the war a number of his subordinates were able to distinguish themselves amongst their peers. One such general was Nathanael Greene. At the end of the Revolutionary War, Greene would become Washington’s most important subordinate, as demonstrated by Edward Lengel’s assessment of Greene as “the youngest and most capable of Washington’s generals.” Washington and Greene developed a strong, positive and close relationship between themselves. Greene began his life in the military after having been raised a Quaker. With limited access to literature and knowledge in his younger years, Greene became an avid reader which equipped him with the knowledge necessary to excel as a general during the war. Through his devoted study of military operations, firsthand experience and natural abilities as a soldier, Greene became an excellent military commander. He would become known for his successful southern campaign, during which, he loosened British control of the South and helped lead the war to its climax at Yorktown. Throughout the war, he was involved in a number high profile battles where he built a reputation of being an elite strategist who also understood unconventional warfare, logistics, and the importance of military-civil affairs and had a natural political/social acumen. The thesis of this paper is that Greene’s proven reputation of being a soldier, strategist and statesman would cause him to become the second greates...
Spike Lee is a filmmaker who has generated numerous controversial films that unapologetically bring delicate social issuest o the media forefront. He honestly portrays life's societal obstacles. He challenges the public to cogitate on the world's glitches and disunion. Spike Lee created a name for himself with films such as Do the Right Thing (1989) and Malcolm X (1992), and with documentaries such as 4 Little Girls (1997) and When the Levees Broke (2006). Lee’s goal was to portray African Americans in a more accurate light. Even today Lee still produces films that directly address modern society's most significant historical movements and episodes. His productions analyze themes of race and discrimination. His work can be analyzed in academic studies such as Philosophy, African Studies, and literary concepts. I am interested in Spike Lee because his craft and career choice is somewhat similar to my future career endeavors. He not only exalted his skills to produce films but he broke barriers of stereotypical Hollywood movies. His works address issues in society such as political, racial, and environmental influences on African American culture. Given that society has evolved into a technology dependent culture; using this talent to visibly shed light to these concerns is an ability I hope to obtain one day.
He had exposure to several different genres growing up in his St. Louis, MO hometown. He heard country from the whites, rhythm & blues (R&B) from mostly blacks, even Latin music. His family environment set him up well for future success while growing up in a middle class home in the middle of the Great Depression of the 1930s. His parents sun...
Robert Johnson I went down to the crossroads fell down on my knees. Robert Johnson went to the crossroads and his life was never the same again. The purpose of this essay is to tell you about the life of Robert Johnson. He is the root of much of the music of today. If he didn't influence the musicians of today directly, he influenced the bands that influenced today's music.
The year was 1968, and America’s spirit was at an all-time low due to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the struggle of civil rights groups, and the expansion of the Vietnam War. Creedence Clearwater Revival changed how Americans felt about the war, drug use, politics, and music. CCR was most popular from 1968-1972, during that time they released seven albums and countless singles (The Guardian, 2013). The Vietnam War Era was a time of dramatic change for the United States in music and life. John Fogerty, the lead singer and songwriter of Creedence Clearwater Revival, encouraged Americans to speak their minds, protest peacefully, and live freely.
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I memorized Don Mclean’s American Pie in grade school, before I fully understood its relevance or who it spoke to. The haunting lyrics fascinated me and left a trail of inexplicable shivers down my arms. How could music die? I couldn’t comprehend the wistful look on the adult’s faces when they talked about that day. It’s hard for children to grasp that look or the deep place where it originates. I vaguely knew of those three but not really, so I just nodded my head along. I didn’t know about Waylon Jennings or that a spot on
At the young age of thirteen, he experienced several tragedies that would affect his life forever and would greatly impact his music later in life. Within a year, his father, his uncle, and his minister all died. He lost every important male influence in his life. After graduating from high school in High Point, he moved to Philadelphia in 1943, where he lived in a small one-room apartment and worked as a laborer in a s...
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Holt Renfrew, known today as Canada’s elite high end retailer started out as a simple hat and fur shop in 1837 Quebec City. Offering top quality cosmetic brands and fashion designers, both local and imported (Prada, Gucci, Armani, etc.), Holt Renfrew provides a uniquely upscale shopping experience for both Canadian men and women. Operating ten stores in Canada, Holt Renfrew offers everything from classics to the most current trends in fashion.
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With over 70 DOI employees, he personally oversees the operations of 10 separate sections consisting of Human Resources (HR), Acquisition and Procurement (Contracting), Budget, Information Technology (IT), Geographic Sciences, Property and Vehicles, Engineering and Maintenance, Records and Directives, Safety, and Hazardous Material functions. Some of the daily duties include: -Establishing, revising, or reviewing policies, procedures, mission objectives, and organization design for the staff Wayne Hackett: one word Wayne Hackett: bachelor's Wayne Hackett: not capitalized Wayne Hackett: awkward sentence Wayne Hackett: copy and paste from two sources (an outside source and Logan's paper). No citation. to eliminate work problems or barriers