2016 has drawn to a close, and we here at Currys Music LLC are taking a moment to reflect on a long, complicated year. As always during the holiday season, the temptation arises to wax poetic. I’m going to indulge, briefly, in a bit of sentiment:

 

Viewed from 30,000 feet, 2016 was a tumultuous year. The globalism that accompanied the dawn of the Internet age has been undermined by a resurgent nationalism, as legitimate concerns about economic and national security mount around the world. Genocide in Syria and Iraq… terrorism in Europe and the U.S…. bigotry, partisanship and misunderstanding across the globe…  Even for the optimistic, silver linings feel hard to come by.

We have also suffered the loss of so many of our idols. Over the course of this year, we have lost the women and men who taught us how

to laugh                                    Gene Wilder

to speak                                    Shimon Peres

to watch                                   Gwen Ifill

to make                                    George Martin

to play                                      Alan Rickman

to pray                                     Mother Mary Angelica

to dress                                    Craig Sager

to be                                         Alexis Arquette, ourselves

to write                                    Harper Lee

to sing                                      Debbie Reynolds, in the rain

to fight                                     Carrie Fisher, among the stars

to float                                     Muhammad Ali, like a butterfly

to fly                                         John Glenn

to act                                        Anton Yelchin

to share                                   Guy Clark

to cry                                       Leonard Cohen, the baffled king

to dare                                    David Bowie, from funk to funky

to love                                     Prince Rogers Nelson, with a kiss

to move                                   Sharon Jones

to live                                      Elie Wiesel, while walking, at night

In due time, the curtain comes down on each generation. Our heroes relinquish their seats at the table of art, science, and politics to those who come after–to us. But it is challenging to lose so many icons in such a troublesome year. We have been left with big shoes to fill; we must step up to the task.

Even as we mourned these losses and worried over the state of the world, our little eponymous musical enterprise has quietly continued to grow. We released our second album; we travelled all over, from Florida to Illinois to Massachusetts; we played 125 shows in 365 days. We played to old friends, to new fans, to audiences both big and small, in homes, in concert halls, at festivals. We lived in a minivan for months at a time, and we survived. We welcomed new additions to the Curry clan: an old friend, a new in-law, a beautiful baby girl.

Life is nothing if not contradictory. A difficult year for the globe proved to be a pretty good year for the band. We are deeply grateful, and humbled, and concerned. Over the past year, we have been provoked, encouraged, disappointed, inspired. To begin the new year, we intend to capture what we can of this current moment, to record in note and word what we have felt and seen and heard.

So here’s to hoping that things improve for everyone in 2017, no matter your vocation, identity, or nationality. From the three of us Currys: we wish you a happy new year!

 

All my best,

Tommy

 

(PS: The picture at top is from our New Year’s Eve show in Port St. Joe at the Thirsty Goat with our adorable furry friend Curry–named for the band!)