Driving through Asbury Park this morning, I flipped to Matt Pinfield’s show on the radio just in time to hear him comment that today is Dave Grohl’s 41st birthday and 20 years ago he was drumming for Nirvana.

What?  How could that possibly be?  20 years have passed since the smelly, flannel types started an offshoot of punk or maybe just an offshoot of rock depending on who you are debating.

I lived in Minneapolis and worked at a bookstore down the street from where punk kids panhandled in front of the McDonald’s.  Half my coworkers were rockers and I’m positive it was someone at that store who first introduced me to Nirvana.  Minneapolis is home to so many of my favorite musicians: The Replacements, Babes in Toyland, Husker Du, Mason Jennings, Prince.

I still have those moments that get etched when I hear a new singer/band that speaks to me.  I can remember the exact moment I first heard Laura Gibson.  It was a live concert in Portland, Oregon at the Doug Fir.  Laura had stayed up late making paper snowflakes and they hung over the stage creating the scene for something magical to happen and happen it did.  It was the release party for her CD, If You Come To Greet Me and it was otherwordly and extraordinary.  I love that this beautiful connection starts when we are young but we don’t lose it as we age.