Interview:

Music is a benign cultural implement. It is a collection of sounds strummed, stroked, plucked, hit, or blown into an instrument strung together over time. Add some words and you have a song. But this art form does not come with any significance of its own; we do that as we listen. We give music the power to uplift us, to pass a long work day, to focus our frustrations, to remember our faith or our youth. As we walk through life, we collect our own personal soundtrack of songs that we have given meaning to. Music becomes an adjunct to our worship, gives a boost to our workout, sets an atmosphere for our passions, sparks our memory, or just serves as background noise to our shopping. It helps us blow off some steam, express our angst, inspires us to appreciate our world, or soothes us through difficult times. The listener applies their own set of tastes and experiences as they relate to the music they choose. Writing music can be a very spiritual experience because it requires constant examination beyond the surfaces of life; searching for some kind of essence to convey. There is a deep appreciation for music as an art form able to capture people’s attention and affect them emotionally. For those listeners who choose, there will always be music available to raise their character.

“As we walk through life, we collect our own personal soundtrack of songs that we have given meaning to.”
– Jeff Diehm, vocalist in The Last Dance