Well folks it’s a new month and hard to believe that 2012 is almost halfway done… as the headline states this will be the finale for the “Cover Me” Series as well as the end of my run as a contributor to Grown Folks Music. I could not think of a better song to some up the mixed emotions I have writing this post, this song along with “Where Is The Love?” are my first recollections of a child as to what music was/is (not bad selections I would say).
As has often been said during this series: “Great songs beg to be covered.” and this song is no different. Check out covers from Isaac Hayes and Gloria Gaynor respectively after the jump.
So I wanted to say a few words in parting about this great GFM team that I have had the privilege to work with over the last almost 3 years. You could not find a better group of folks dedicated to the cause of promoting great music anywhere. My relationship started with the team over a series of tweets and from then on it was like being with a group of old friends.
My work with GFM allowed me the opportunity to meet, interview and even forge relationships with artists and great people from all over the world. I even got the chance to interact with a few of my heroes, which I will be eternally grateful. Almost 1,000 blog posts later I feel that I’m a much better person for having had this experience.
The reason for my departure (on very good and supportive terms, I might add) is that I realized that as the clock continues to tick I have a desire to have an impact in a direct musical manner. A life-long musician, I have been somewhat dismayed by certain musical trends (as has been well-documented throughout my time here at GFM) but I reached a point where what really began to resonate inside of me was the desire to be the change that I want to see in music and in the world. So for me, because I am lucky enough to be able to not only write about music but to write music I and a few friends will get together and work to bring about the type of change we would like to see.
What’s important to me is the idea of team and family, this is one of the best lessons I’ve learned not only from my own family but from my GFM family and the family or writers, musicians, producers, engineers and on and on that I plan to create with. I believe that music has gone too far to the I and in many circles there’s not enough we. So it is with these words that I bid all of you a fond adieu, although as I always remind the GFM team, that I’m not really going anywhere and I’m only a tweet away.
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
