A Musical Bucket List

I was sad to learn of the passing of Little Jimmy Dickens this week.  Dickens debuted on the Grand Ole Opry stage in 1948 and was its most senior member.  I always enjoyed watching him perform. He just seemed like the nicest little firecracker you could ever hope to meet.  I never did meet him, or see him perform live. I have never been to the Opry, but it is something that I have always wanted to do.  Now that I think about it there are numerous musical adventures I would like to have before it is too late, so in that spirit I have created my own musical bucket list, here goes...

1) Van Morrison.
Right now Van is performing in Europe, mostly in his native Ireland.  If I were able to see Van the man in concert on his home soil, I don't know that I would ever need to attend another concert for the rest of my life.  Morrison has inspired me and his music has connected with me in a way that no other artist ever has. One day on this blog I will tell the story of when I was first introduced to this transcendent talent but until then just know that this is number one on my musical bucket list, by a large margin.




2) U2
More Irish greatness.  I had the chance to see U2 once, back when U2 was EVERYTHING to me. I had a ticket to their sold out showTarrant County Convention Center when they were touring in support of the Joshua Tree. November 24, 1987. Unfortunately, I had received a speeding ticket the previous week and my father grounded me from the concert. A friend of mine sold my ticket for face value and I have resented my dad ever since.   I know U2 still tours and perhaps one day I will see them perform, but it won't mean what it would have meant to me when I was seventeen.
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3)  Kris Kristofferson
Johnny Cash is dead, never saw him. Waylon Jennings is dead, never saw him. Willie Nelson is alive, but I have seen him. Kris Kristofferson is my last chance to see another Highwayman. I love this man, and I love his music. I think that he is perhaps the greatest writer to ever step foot in Nashville and I will push Steve Earle off of Bob Dylan's coffee table to get up there and say so.  By the way I have seen Dylan so he does not make the list.

4) The Grand Ole Opry
Might not be as appealing to me now as it would have been in the days of George Jones, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn, but still something that every country music lover should probably experience.

5) Barbara Streisand
Not so much for me, but if I took my wife to see Barbara Streisand, I could leave the toilet seat up for the rest of my life and it would not matter. Plus, it would most likely be a really cool show.

There you have it...hopefully I will get the chance to see Elvis, Michael Jackson, George Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Mozart, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, and a bunch of others one day as well, but that is after I kick the bucket.