Tacy Foundation Interview #2
James Quinn has always loved music. In fact, listening to music was a family tradition, which was enshrined in James from an extraordinarily young age. But for James, listening to music was much more than just maintaining a longtime family tradition. For James, music symbolized enjoyment, emotions, and “a genuinely great part of life.”
James’ earliest memories of music involved him and his siblings dancing and singing to the latest billboard hits on the radio. His mother, who was an actress, would perform an accompaniment on their piano while his father sang the emotional lyrics. In addition, James’ family participated in a church choir, where they would gather together and sing harmonious hymns. James would also listen to music in his spare time; for example, he especially enjoyed classical and dance music, which he listened to while doing his homework. James’ musical upbringing would lead to a lifetime passion for the pastime, and he began listening to music whenever he had the opportunity.
James loved music because it made life more interesting and lively. For him, life without music would be absolutely inconceivable, with increased darkness, boredom, and fatigue. James found that listening to music brought him incredible amounts of energy, which surged through his body and brought him warmth and happiness. He also found that music could help alleviate anxiety, and act as a blissful break from the constant stress of the world.
But most importantly, James found that music brought back beautiful emotions and raw memories from all areas of his life. Listening to “All the Things You Are”, which he used to sing to his wife, brought tears to James’ eyes, reminding him of their most treasured memories. Hearing “Ave Maria” on the radio brought James back to his time working as an assistant funeral director, allowing him to retrieve long-forgotten moments of beauty and sorrow. Hearing a singer who sounded like Frank Sinatra on America’s Got Talent pulled at James’ heartstrings, bringing back joyful times from his youth.
To this day, James still listens to music daily and watches musicals with his wife at least once a week. Even though tunes fade over time, the memories and emotions associated with them endure forever in James’ mind.