When Whitney Houston died I felt great sadness. My sadness of course was about our collective loss - when you listened to this nightingale sing your body would drop into a chair your head would tilt up a small smile would creep across your face and inside you knew that there was a higher power somewhere: gifted beautiful spiritual.

Anthropology demands the open-mindedness with which one must look and listen record in astonishment and wonder that which one would not have been able to guess.

It's fun to sing sad songs. And it's fun to listen to sad songs. Enjoyable. Satisfying. Something.

It's sad that people listen to music and decide how the singer should look.

And for some reason when I'm sad I do listen to Leonard Cohen I do listen to Joni Mitchell. I do find myself going to the music that's actually reflecting my mood as opposed to sticking on Motown which might actually bring my mood up.

When I look back at those pictures of my mother performing - and listen to her recordings - it makes me sad to think that all of that joy she found in her work came to an end. I wish she hadn't had to make that sacrifice even if it was for the benefit of my father and siblings and me.

Well the country songs themselves are three-chord stories ballads which are mostly sad. If you are already feeling sorry for yourself when you listen to them they will take you to an even sadder place.

I always wanted a guitar. I always wanted to be a cowboy singer because I also listened to Hank Williams and he would always sing these neat romantic songs.

There is as much wisdom in listening as there is in speaking - and that goes for all relationships not just romantic ones.

In those days boxing was very glamorous and romantic. You listened to fights on the radio and a good announcer made it seem like a contest between gladiators.