Music and Family...well, a very close friend

I interviewed Tim Wilson. He is an ex-city cop here in Spartanburg and a very good friend of mine. He is just like family to me, always there when I need him and also awake the same hours I am, so here it is!

Me: What kind of music did you listen to as a child?

Tim: I listened to country music. Alabama, Johnny Cash, and Hank Williams Sr.

Me: How did you listen to music, i.e. what technology did you use?

Tim: Completely honestly? 8-tracks, and some cassette tapes. But mostly 8-tracks.

Me: Was there any dancing involved? Why or why not?

Tim: No because I never really thought about dancing. I don't know why, just never did.

 

Me: What sort of environment did you listen to music in?

 

Tim: At home, and in a car. That's pretty much it other than church.

 

Me: How did your parents or teachers feel about your music of choice?

 

Tim: As a child, my choices of music were dictated by my parents. I listened to what they listened to. As I got older I discovered my own taste in music as a teenager. and while I still listened to the styles they did I ended up discovering my own musical styles.

 

Me: Did you play an instrument or sing yourself? How was that for you?

 

Tim: Yes, I enjoyed it. I played the piano. I only played for two years, but it gave me an appreciation for people that play instruments and for a wider variety of music than I previously listened to.

 

Me: Why did you listen to music? Were there any situations that caused you to turn to certain kinds of music?

 

Tim: To stop the voices in my head, just kidding. Because music is like journey. It can take you other places and teach you things. I pick music to reflect my mood. If I'm sad, I listen to sad songs. If I'm happy I listen to happy songs. Because for me, music speaks more to my heart than to my mind, so when I find music that reflects the situation I'm in or whatever I'm going through it is like having another person there sharing a different viewpoint on the same set of circumstances.

 

Me: Were you ever exposed to music outside of your own culture? How so, and what was it like?

 

Tim: Yes. I have been on mission trips to Indian Reservations and third world countries. During those travels, I was exposed to styles of music that were new to me and did not reflect the music that I had been listening to or previously been aware of really.