The arrival of spring is well underway here in the Midwest, and deep down I know that it will be a seemingly long transition from here into the blooming beauty of April and May. The first warm day of early spring though is such a hopeful transition for me.
Speaking of hopeful transitions, this month we are revisiting an episode that is dear to my heart and that was created in loving memory of my friend Jeff Anderson. Jeff passed unexpectedly last year on March 9, and I felt compelled to share his music and his heart — specifically his song “Try.”
Somewhere around 2012 I started taking guitar lessons from Jeff at McGuire Music, and his passion immediately rubbed off on me. I think of him every time I play my song “Sweet Breeze” because he taught me one of the chords I used in that song. I have long since forgotten the name of that chord (if I ever knew it to begin with), but I haven’t forgotten Jeff. It’s strengthened my conviction that the way we remember a person or event can be a doorway to deep hope1.
As I revisit our playlist for this month I am reflecting on the beautiful treasures that are passed on from one generation to the next. In addition to the G chord in “Sweet Breeze” that Jeff taught me, you’ll also hear original music from the Tommy Prine (son of John Prine) and Skye Peterson (daughter of Andrew Peterson). I hope you find this path-brightening collection of songs a worthy companion to the onset of spring.
Acoustic Blend airs Saturday, March 9 at 8pm on WBAA AM 920 in Lafayette / West Lafayette, and streaming live on wbaa.org. You can view the playlist below or save the always-current playlist on your favorite streaming platform.
Dynamic always-current playlists: Spotify | TIDAL | YouTube
One song I’ve had on repeat recently that touches on this theme is the incredibly catchy Rose Colored Glasses by The Collection