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Music transcends differences between generations(Pisegna 03/01/2009) | Print |  Email

One night last September, I set the alarm for midnight so I wouldn’t miss the big event.
 
Singer, songwriter and activist, Pete Seeger, was making a rare television appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman. His new album, At 89 - his first in twelve years – was to be released the following day. He performed one song, Take it From Dr. King, continuing his long career of using music to convey messages of international disarmament, civil rights and environmental causes. 

Rarely do performers on Letterman convince the audience to sing along as happened that night. What’s a Pete Seeger concert without a sing-a-long? Equally noteworthy was the fact that all the musicians accompanying him were young people obviously honored to be playing alongside such a revered elder.

Multigenerational music collaboration continued in February’s 51st Grammy Awards.

The Grammy ceremony started with what was to be a performance by a group of young artists. Following a last minute cancellation, soul and gospel legend, Al Green, was invited to join pop singer Justin Timberlake, country artist Keith Urban and R&B Boyz II Men in a song actually written by Green in 1971, Let’s Stay Together. Unexpected circumstances resulted in bringing generations together for a memorable performance.

Later in the ceremonies, the wildly popular teen pop rock group, the Jonas Brothers, teamed up with singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Stevie Wonder. Performing since 2005, the three Jonas brothers were nominated for this year’s Best New Artist award. Acting and philanthropy are also among their many accomplishments. Stevie Wonder has won 22 Grammy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award and an Academy Award for Best Song among other achievements. Together they performed a Jonas Brother 2008 hit, Burnin’Up, and Wonder’s 1972 Grammy award winner, Superstition, released when he was twenty-two, the age of the eldest Jonas brother.

Country artist Keith Urban performed again in a collaboration with blues and rock guitarist John Mayer along with two blues icons, B.B. King and Buddy Guy. Their four unique musical styles from different generations combined magically in an R&B tribute to the late rock and roll pioneer Bo Diddley. It was a huge disappointment that the performance ever had to end!

Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the only surviving original member of The Four Tops, accepted the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the other members of the quartet. Fakir and fellow Detroit native and Motown legend Smokey Robinson joined forces with the younger pop, R&B and rapper, Ne-Yo and singer, songwriter and actor Jamie Foxx. Performing some of The Four Tops’ greatest hits - Reach Out (I’ll Be There), Standing In the Shadows Of Love and I Can’t Help Myself - the younger musicians did a commendable job keeping up with the senior members’ singing and dance moves.

Although music reflects the moment in history in which it was made, its ageless and timeless qualities transcend differences between generations. As pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff wrote, “Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.” In all of these performances, I witnessed the perpetual flow of music handed off to the next generation to carry through their lifetime.

Watching Pete Seeger on late-night TV with his young accompanists, it was well worth setting an alarm to witness the passage!
 
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