Music

So, did you catch a show during the holidays? Do you have a museum excursion planned for the new year? If not, you need to get going- because there’s new evidence to support the value of cultural engagement for everyone, especially older adults.   First up is a recent study…

If you’re a Baby Boomer, you’re probably intimately familiar with the lyrics and songs of singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell. Born in 1943 in Alberta, Canada (and about to turn 76 on Nov 7th), Mitchell overcame polio and giving up a child for adoption at a young age, to go on to…

Did you experience the thrill of seeing it on Broadway in 1957? Or maybe you first caught wind of the phenomenon that is West Side Story when the original movie came out in 1961, starring Natalie Wood. No matter how you know it, you’re likely aware of the uniquely American…

Did you know at age 19 he was signed to a recording contract by the Beatles? Or that he bought his first guitar in New York City, on a trip from his home in North Carolina, at age 12? Or that he’s recently been an artist-in-residence at Caesar’s Palace in…

Perhaps you’ve sung along to hits like “Tiny Dancer,” or “Bennie and The Jets,” or praised his songs for the musical “Billy Elliot.” Maybe you’ve admired his outrageous live performances and dazzling outfits. Or maybe you’ve applauded his activism against AIDS. At 72 years old, Elton John is having his…

We’ve all experienced the annoyance of having a song stuck in our head. While that can be distracting and seem pointless, in fact, the ability of our brains to latch onto music can be healing. Research confirms the significance of music in our brains. And when you’re connected to a…