Stand By Me

Have you seen some of the Playing for Change videos made of old songs redone with people singing all over the world? One of my favorite episodes is of the song, "Stand By Me" which is a song I sing a lot with groups.

I wish you could have seen me today singing with some folks at the Blue Ridge Club House. We were outside on the back patio where everyone smokes. One man named T. J. called me over with my guitar and we started singing "Stand By Me". I was stunned by the beauty of his voice! I wished I could have recorded us and I told him that. Then he said he'd love to do it and that we could work on that sometime. I'd like to make a local version of Playing for Change type video where we go in the lower income neighborhoods and sing. There is so much beauty in these places--an urban, raw, real beauty that reminds me of my childhood growing up in the city of Chicago.

After singing "Stand By Me"  T. J. asked to sing, "You Are My Sunshine". Now that's what I love about music. This is a song you'd never think would appeal to a guy like T. J. He's a kind of guy you might be afraid of if you were walking alone after dark and saw him approach. He looks rough but he's always nice to me. A lot of the guys are like that at the club house. They look unapproachable on the outside, but as sweet as can be underneath. I feel privileged that they share their world with me when we sing.

Inside the club house, folks were playing cards and one woman from India was singing in Hindi and I played my guitar along with her. I've done this other times, you no doubt remember reading about it.

Anyway, I love how one song like Stand By Me can bring people together. It made my day.