My soul, like almost everyone’s associated with the Oklahoma and Texas music scene and a majority of those in the Nashville music scene, has been crestfallen since hearing of the passing of Brandon Jenkins earlier today. Today, March 2, 2018, is my son Will’s 24th birthday. We traveled to Savannah, Ga. for a Luke Combs concert to celebrate it – ironically, it is Luke’s birthday as well. It was an outdoor show held on Savannah’s minor league baseball field. There was a young man (9yr old) next to us who was at his first concert. When my son found out, he talked to a couple of the guys he knew and got the kid and his mom backstage to meet Luke and get an autograph… I told Will that is the best birthday present he will ever give or receive – and I couldn’t be prouder. The kid was beaming when he got back. But never in my entire life have I felt so alone and out of place in a crowd of people. I have been to hundreds of shows, and under any other circumstance I would have been right there singing along, dancing, and laughing. But I was weeping, shaking my head, and staring out at Orion’s belt and the star Betelgeuse (a red giant BTW) like a crazy person… Which leads me to the reason for this essay. I usually keep my opinions on music to myself unless I have something positive to say. Lord knows there are enough people ready to tear artists down if they dare color outside the lines… I hope this will help honor Brandon and make listeners think before we criticize.
I have always maintained that there is no such thing as “bad” music. I consider that, for me, there are three types of music – and no genres. There is music that is meant for me that I am prepared to hear and enjoy listening to. There is music that is not meant for me and never will be. And there is music that is meant for me, but I am not ready for it yet. I have found that a lot of Brandon’s music fell in the latter category. Perhaps he was/is simply that many light years ahead of me on our path back to the Maker. Songs from his early days make a lot more sense to me now that I am older and have learned lessons the hard way. I hope someday we all can put aside the petty differences that we think are ruining the future of music and just enjoy the damn songs. If I like it, I like it – regardless of who the songwriter and/or artist is. If I don’t, I don’t. We take music TOO seriously sometimes. In my opinion, every song doesn’t have to save the planet, but I am a throwback music consumer. I buy albums, not singles. An album with 8 songs to challenge my thinking and 4 to cruise around, windows down, stereo turned all the way up suits me just fine. Life is too short folks – I am already older than Brandon.
I wont even begin to start naming those in the Ok/Tx scene who are Brandon’s brothers and sisters. I know who you are, you know who you are. You are all in my thoughts and prayers along with Brandon’s family. I know I ain’t part of the scene in any way – at least not officially – and I have only witnessed it from a distance for the most part. I have been to shows in Tx and Ok, but most of the shows I have seen were in my home state of Ga and surrounding states – starting around 2002. It gives me a unique perspective on the scene though, and I hope y’all realize just how wonderful and special it really is. I have never seen a group of people rally around each other when one is in need the way y’all do. It really is remarkable. Hold on to that and hold on to each other. Y’all know he would want that. Godspeed Brandon.
There is an old saying that “only the good die young”. I would also add that sometimes the brightest lights do too. I believe I will learn from the work Brandon left behind for the rest of my life – be it one day or fifty years. The song he posted on youtube two weeks before he passed (“Without You”) may be one of the most haunting and beautiful things I have ever heard.