The “Better Times Project”. On March 9, the day after John Prine died, I was doing laundry when a chorus began running around in my head. Two hours later, I sang the new song into my phone (dog barking in the background), and put it on line. My colleagues and I had just lost all our 2020 shows. Knowing the financial hardship it meant, I asked a few to make “home-grown” versions and let me put them on line, with leads to their social media. First was John Gorka; it worked so well that I asked a few more. Then a quarantined parent emailed that coloring books were sold out, so Sue Coccia, Sandra Boynton and I began “coloring pages”. Donna Russo, a dancer friend in a wheelchair, sent a video; Frank Turner and Mary Black signed on, and now there are versions from punk to ASL to Japanese. It’s an illustration of the many ways one song can be done, and a reminder that you don’t have to be a professional to make art. Every version here was done from “lockdown”, with birds, dogs, children in the background. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we enjoy it, give voice to it, and remember that someday, better times will come. Thanks, and stay safe. Janis
Janis Ian – “Better Times Will Come” (Janis Ian)Christine Lavin
