By Gloria Austin
Music makes the world go round. It is powerful. It stimulates our very core. Words put to melody sprinkled with instruments or delivered in its purest form acapella … voice. Recently a group was started on Facebook called Quarantine Karaoke created by Joseph Meyers.
“I started the group because music has always been therapeutic for me. One night after being quarantined, I went into my basement to play music to try to flip my depressed mood – which seemed like a lot of people were feeling the same way,” said Meyers. “I recorded a video of myself singing and posted it on Facebook.”
That’s when it hit him. If he was feeling this way, others were feeling this way, maybe an expression of music was the way to combat this quarantine and apprehension.
“I created a group with an opening message that you’re encouraged to take a video of yourself singing your favorite songs from your home and the only requirement is to be nice and HAVE FUN,” he explained. “It took off from there and has gone viral.”
People from more than 100 countries have joined the group and it continues to grow daily. At the time of this writing the group had 549,032 members.
“I never could have expected that response in a million years,” Meyers said. “My favorite part of all of this continues to be the people. The members in the group who share their stories and then sing in the comfort of their own home, truly in their element.”
Songs range from top-performing country seconded by classic rock paring to alternative rock, pop, blues down to theater. A smattering of different genres of music in between.
“Once the quarantine is lifted, I plan on continuing the group because I think there will always be people who are musical and talented who might just not have pursued it in life, but love this feel of being able to share their talent with others without the need to have a band or get on a stage,” Myers explained.
With a whirlwind takeoff, Meyers is extremely grateful to those moderators who have been beside him making this happen.
“With over 540,000 members, this would be impossible for one man to do alone,” he said. “Many many people have reached out to offer to help any way they can and I can’t talk about the page without mentioning them.”
Evening entertainment to showcase skills, Quarantine Karaoke is worth checking out on Facebook. People from all walks of life, different states/countries, all types of music lending their talent.
I think the Carpenters said it best: Sing, sing a song; Sing out loud; Sing out strong; Sing of good things not bad; Sing of happy not sad; Sing, sing a song; Make it simple to last; Your whole life long; Don’t worry that it’s not Good enough for anyone else to hear; Just sing, sing a song.
Ya. You got the melody now. Let the world sing along; sing for you and me … just sing … [whistle inserted – fading away].