Make me wanna holler with joy

As boomers weep over a few rock star heroes dying, it’s a good time to appreciate the ones who are still above ground.

Marvin Gaye was the first entertainer to make me think about the world outside my purview. My 13-year-old brain finally kicked into empathy mode after I listened to the words on the 1971 album "What's Going On." — Marvin Gaye was the first entertainer to make me think about the world outside my purview. My 13-year-old brain finally kicked into empathy mode after I listened to the words on the 1971 album “What’s Going On.”

I wasn’t perceptive enough to know that Marvin Gaye’s dad was going to shoot him before I got a chance to tell him that “What’s Going On” redirected my life.

Once I heard the title track, well, mercy mercy me…inner city blues made me wanna holler, too.

This incredible album took me away from my white boy working class neighborhood to places that I hadn’t considered. My musical tastes and capacity for empathy grew exponentially.

But Marvin was gone long before I had a radio show that could have allowed me to thank him. It’s not too late for any of us to thank the people who led us down fascinating journeys of discovery.

Hit up Stevie Wonder or Graham Nash on Twitter to thank them for writing the soundtrack to your teen years. Yo, Aretha. Mad RESPECT! Hey Ted Nugent, I wango tango’d last night! Tito & Jermaine aren’t too busy to read your email. And Keith Richards would totally critique your latest batch of meth. Reach out and touch somebody’s hand before it assumes room temperature and we have to hear about it for a solid week on CNN.

Here are memorable musical offerings that twisted my head. Thanks, rock stars. Now get off my lawn. I’m old, too.