Said Tina Turner and Mick Jagger in their show stopping song they often sang in concert from Live Aid to a world wide tours Over the last week, since we head of Tina’s death, I have worked out to her music this week, watched videos of her performances, interviews with Larry King, Oprah, David Letterman and appearances on most of the morning shows. There is so much to take away from her life story and how she lived it. Most people who knew her describe her as “down to earth,” “common sense,” “hardworking,” and just “full of energy.” Mick Jagger described her as a close friend, who taught him how to dance and it sounds as if Oprah looked at her as an older sister. Tina had fans world wide, men and women of all ages who flocked to her sold out concerts.
A video of the Blues Brothers singing “Soul Man” came up this week. I watched Dan Akroyd and John Belushi sing and dance it out and I was pleasantly reminded me of those performances on Saturday Night Live, in the movies and when they made appearances on other shows. They were entertaining, they were fun and they had a huge audience of interested fans. I had a couple of friend in high school who would dress up like them and at parties and school dances, they would “perform” THEIR Blues Brothers act when “Soul Man” came on.
Tina, Mick, Dan, John and most of the performers of days past, did just that: They just performed. We didn’t know their politics, we didn’t know their preferences and we didn’t need to. It was none of our business. They were masters of their craft and we valued their creativity, hard work and their willingness to get up on a stage, in a movie or on TV to entertain us. They knew their place in the world, they stayed in their lane and they knew that doing their job and doing it well could mean a hefty paycheck. Maybe that was why they did their job and kept the activism and politics to the activists and politicians. They realized that as performers, people came to them to be entertained for a few hours. For some it was a reprieve from the day to day grind, a vacation for the mind and chance to just enjoy.
Times have changed. Many of the performers of today (and some athletes) think because they have an audience, their opinion is of relevance. Just this week, singer Hayley Williams sent a message to any fans of hers, who are supporters of Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida and 2024 Presidential candidate, “You are dead to me” and she isn’t the only performer who feels it is her role to throw people under the bus or call people out for their politics or values. Why do people feel they need to share their political views and opinions with fans? Fans of sports and entertainers just want to show up to a game or a performance to be entertained. At the French Open this year, Novak Djokovic has already weighed in on political conflict in his own country. Over and over again, so much in life is respect. Respect for one another, respect for the fans and respect for athletes and performers for the job they do, giving them privacy to live their lives how they choose to live their life and if they aren’t harming anyone, why does it all matter? Are there somethings that need not be discussed or even discussed in the privacy of our own homes? We all have a right to our thought, opinions and way of life. It all sort has me in a “State of Shock.”
True professionals do their job, do it well and don’t complain. They realize that any fan is a paying customer who deserves their best performance. If they are smart, they stick to what they are good at, continue to excel and keep opinions, politics and personal lives, private. If we have progressed as a society, people should not be judged by anything but their character and the quality of their work. The other stuff, really doesn’t matter, just “Let It Be.” After all, “It’s Only Rock & Roll.”
