Category Archives: Music

The Influence of Influences

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Katherine Wikoff

Inspiration may strike, but creativity accumulates. One is lightning in a bottle; the other is molasses—slow to pour, but sticky enough to catch the stray ephemera that lend rich flavor to whatever artistic projects you’ve got baking. Creativity is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Creative Practice in the Age of AI, Creativity, design, Music, Photography, Popular culture, Technology, Writing with AI, Writing, blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Southpaw Violinist (Or, ChatGPT makes a mistake)

Posted on August 2, 2025 by Katherine Wikoff

When I asked ChatGPT for an image to illustrate “The Pianist’s Hands,” the short story I wrote with ChatGPT and posted earlier this week, I thought it was gorgeous and (for a few minutes) an “absolutely, breathtakingly PERFECT!!!” image to … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Creativity, Music, Technology, Writing with AI | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Marian Anderson’s 1939 Easter Concert

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Katherine Wikoff

When contralto Marian Anderson was denied an opportunity to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington, D. C., by the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution, whom we never hear about anymore but who sadly were once very much in the … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Music, Popular culture | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Moonlight in Vermont

Posted on December 14, 2024 by Katherine Wikoff

Listening to this song tonight, which I’ve always liked, I suddenly realized that its verses are haikus I always sensed that its structure was different from most other songs, and I’ve also always found the lyrics evocatively poetic. But never … Continue reading →

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A Fun “Weird Al” Tribute to eBay

Posted on November 4, 2023 by Katherine Wikoff

Although this song appeared on “Weird Al” Yankovic’s 2003 album Poodle Hat, it was apparently not released as a single, nor was there ever an official music video made. “Weird Al” did perform this song at eBay Live! 2003, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Music, Popular culture | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

“When You’re Good to Mama” — Heard on a head-clearing coffee run to Starbucks

Posted on November 7, 2022 by Katherine Wikoff

I have so much work to do! But as I finished one project and faced the daunting prospect of beginning the next one, I forced myself out of the door because I knew it would be good for me to … Continue reading →

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Some songwriting magic

Posted on June 15, 2022 by Katherine Wikoff

Have you played the online game of Heardle? It’s obviously similar to the smash hit Wordle in that a new short puzzle appears daily. At some point in the last several months I began playing both of those games plus … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Life, Music, Popular culture | Tagged | 2 Comments

A chance encounter with “Tubular Bells”

Posted on March 16, 2022 by Katherine Wikoff

Heard this old song on the radio driving home today. It has literally been YEARS since I’ve heard it or even thought about it. The song, “Tubular Bells,” was released in 1973 and went on to be used as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, History, Media studies, Movies and film, Music, Popular culture | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

4 chords to rule them all

Posted on December 6, 2021 by Katherine Wikoff

I remember thinking when I was about 11 or 12 years old that pretty soon there would be no new music. Because how could people possibly continue creating new songs? There was only an octave’s worth of notes, iterated multiple … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Music, Popular culture | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

My favorite Chicago song

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Katherine Wikoff

I was actually singing an Eagles song the other night as I carried laundry up from the basement, but my daughter thought it sounded like a Chicago song. Really? I couldn’t imagine a Chicago song sounding like “Take It to … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Music, Popular culture | Tagged | 10 Comments