Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Emmylou Harris

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip:

Emmylou Harris

In my own, personal, big gay church, there is a wing dedicated to Those of the Heart. These are the singers, songwriters and muses who have spent a lifetime capturing various aspects of the human condition. Frequently, due to the whims of the music industry and the political climate, their lives were not always their own... but they persevered... ultimately remaining true to their roles as seers of the heart. One such artisan?

Emmylou Harris.

With a voice which trilled like the sweetest of birds... she captivated the attention of both the country traditionalists and the California rock scene. 

She had great musical taste, a natural beauty, and the gentlest of demeanors. 

And a tragic love... one which would color her story throughout. 

As she would sing, with the catch of her voice, one could hear the heartache. 

But she remained relevant and musically vital; so much more than that one piece of history.

As if her own catalog of music was not enough, her collaborations with others - Linda Ronstadt, Rodney Crowell, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison... to  name but a few, only served to increase her artistic reach.

To this day, she explores new musical avenues, while sharing her gift with the world. 

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The topic? Dog Rescuing 

"I'm even able to have kind of a little bit of a second career in dog rescue. Doesn't pay anything, but it's become a real passion for me."

"As anyone who goes into dog-rescue knows, it is not a for-profit business, but the rewards are priceless for me."

"You really do learn every day with every dog; they are all so unique and different. But if you're patient and you understand where they're coming from, and if you are consistent, they will be fine. They teach you to give your full attention."

"Animals have a much better attitude to life and death than we do. They know when their time has come. We are the ones that suffer when they pass, but it's a healing kind of grief that enables us to deal with other griefs that are not so easy to grab hold of."

"You get to a certain point in your life where you get closer to the end of your life than the beginning, and it colors your life, in a way."

 "There's a certain grace in accepting what your life is and embracing all the good things that have been - but there's still an expectation of good things to come. Not necessarily what you expected."

 

Two More Bottles Of Wine - Emmylou Harris

Ashes By Now - Emmylou Harris

Wrecking Ball - Emmylou Harris

And one last parting shot...

"When there are dogs and music, people have a good time."