Love Affair – Amy Hancock

 

I remember in the 1980s when MTV first came out and I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.  I was finally able to see more and more live footage of the bands that I loved at the time.  Television channels like MTV definitely changed the music business forever. 

The evolution (though starting with good intentions) forced the recording artist to become more and more focused on their videos and their image than ever before. Each of us can probably  name several groups that hit the big time though ever so briefly using their video and image and not their music as their success tool.  We then ask ourselves what ever happened to “_______”?   The artists and groups that remain relevant today have used their musical talents to overcome the “flash in the pan” syndrome that strikes so many of these one hit wonders down. 

Yes, it is true, the video/image is still a factor in prolonging their success but it is the music that stands the test of time. 

Recently, I spoke to a good friend at work who was telling me a story about how he and his son where watching the television show called “CrossRoads”.  This particular episode teamed  a long haired aged male  singer with the modern country/folk powerhouse Alison Krauss. This duet performed some live folk/bluegrass music.  My friend’s college age son came in from the kitchen totally blown away by the singing of this male crooner.  Eyes glued to the screen, he asked his father who is the awesome singer?  The reply was simply “Robert Plant.” 

In the recent Grammy awards, Plant and Krauss accepted best contemporary folk/Americana album and best overall album(beating out other contemporary groups like Coldplay, Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo, and Radiohead).  They won 5 Grammy awards  in total.   This is an example of an artist that has survived the test of time based on his incredible vocal talent.  Robert Plant began his evolution in the late 1960s as front man for a little group called “Led Zeppelin.”  I am sure that my friend’s son has dug into his dad’s music archives to hear more of this voice.   

Now, we are living in the age of reality shows like “American Idol” which supposedly is a true singing contest. The contest crowns an obscure and mostly un-discovered talent an “American Idol.”  Are they crowned strictly on their music talent alone?   The answer would be a resounding “No.”  That would not attract enough attention for the show’s producers to get the advertising dollars or to sell the albums they desire.   It is about image and the “rags to riches”  story of the contestants and any other controversial story that can be exploited and/or dreamed up as much as it is about the music.  How many times have you heard Simon Cowell refer to a contestant as “commercial”  or state that their look is  a “mess”? 

Just take a look at this year’s contestant Tatiana for example.  Do you think she really has better vocal talent than others have been eliminated in this contest so far ?  No, but she definitely is controversial.  I think she is most self-absorbed contestant I have seen in the history of the American Idol.  The producers are definitely milking this angle to its fullest degree though at the expense of another contestant’s talent.  Controversy sells ads and keeps the American public watching the show.  The show is generally more about selling than singing.  I must hand it to the producers in that they still keep enough talent in the show to create artists like Carrie Underwood.  In the end, the producers create a musical product that has all the pieces in place for success in this modern music era.

Recently, I was encouraged to join www.facebook.com to connect with my old friends.   It has re-connected me with two old friends  Robert and Amy Hancock.  I graduated from Northern Nash Senior High just outside of Rock Mount , NC.   In high school,  Amy walked a little on the wild side as she worked to find herself.  

My biggest recollection of her was her incredible vocal talent.  She would blow you away with just one note.  Since then at a 20 year high school reunion(a few years back),  she was married to another good high school friend named Robert Hancock and had definitely found her way.  You could feel the love in the room with this pair.  

I decided to check out a link to Amy’s music that I found on Robert’s facebook page.  I was so refreshed to hear true musical talent again.  The recordings were done from an 2006  live show with her and a piano player.   There is no  re-takes, over-dubs or sampling in this music.  It is just a talented singer and a piano player. How basic and true to musical form can you get ?  I strongly encourage you to check out  www.amyhancock.net  and her music samples.   Her album “Love Affair- Amy Hancock” can be purchased on CD Baby.  Apparently, I am not the only one that is impressed with her music.   She will be appearing in the 2009  New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival in May.   You go girl!!!  Knock their socks off!!!  I say this as I am sitting here bare foot listening to your tracks and trying to get some work done.