Propane Leaders Answer: Which Music Genre, Artist, Song or Piece Inspires Your Life? — Part 1

Sit back, relax and take a magical musical tour with our music-loving colleagues. This question — more than any other in the past five years — prompted our colleagues to share more in-depth about how music affects their days and moves their souls. They shared from the heart. 

We decided to break up the column in two parts to bring it all to you. Please enjoy part one now, and we promise to present part two next month. In this column, adopted from the familiar “Heard on the Street” format, we offer our responders a chance to answer the question posed in the title. These are their replies reported verbatim. 

Rock! Metal! Jam Bands! & More 

I am a rabid Beatles fan. I have memorabilia, autographs, a personalized license plate — all things Beatles. Believe it or not, I am not old enough to have experienced Beatlemania when it occurred, but I find it fascinating when other people tell me their Beatles stories. Please seek me out and let me know if you remember seeing them on the Ed Sullivan show or (breathless voice) met one of them in person! As my love of The Beatles is great, whenever I hear one of their songs, I’m happy, and I find that inspiring. 

Leslie Woodward 
Fairview Fittings 
Oakville, Ontario, Canada 

Every day, we have a choice: to rise above our problems or crumble. I choose to fight — I need to know every day I’ve done my best and made decisions that match my moral compass.  [Editor’s Note: Judy submitted a link to her inspirational song, “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten: tinyurl.com/fightsongrplatten] 

Judy Taranovich 
Proctor Gas Inc. 
Proctor, Vermont 

Those who know me know that I am a big jam band fan. It started on Aug. 4, 1976, at my first Grateful Dead concert. It was more than the music; it was the energy of the crowd and the interplay between the audience and the band that sucked me in. The band typified the spirit of the 60s but continued to preach love and peace and positive change — but not through politics or demonstrations. As I matured and became a businessperson, I recognized many of the principles I learned from the band and how they operated as a business. They were the first band to sell T-shirts. They allowed fans to tape their concerts and share the music for free as long as they did not sell it. Many credit them as one of the first pioneers in social networking. When they formed, and for several years, all members of the band, crew and staff were paid the exact same amount. All employees had a voice and all decisions at company meetings had to be unanimous. That’s just a few of the innovative business practices they had. Around 15 years ago, I read a book called “Everything I Know About Business I Learned From the Grateful Dead.” It was written by Dr. Barry Barnes, who is a business professor. I continued to model my company after many of the same principles he outlined in the book. Subjects like strategic improvisation, creating a business tribe, being kind to your customers, all employees have a voice, it’s OK to give the music out for free, and many other ideas have become a model for many of today’s successful businesses. When I hired a new employee, I would send them a copy of the book so they would get to know the principles of what our company, Cetane Associates, were based on. So, when asked which music genre, artist or song inspires my life, the answer is very easy for me because our company was founded and grew based on many of the principles of the Grateful Dead. 

Steve Abbate 
Cetane Associates 
Kent, Connecticut 

This is a tough one for me. My music tastes are a little eclectic. Since I work mostly from home, I have music playing almost all day long and can stream it from just about any room in the house. It seems as though I pick songs from a different artist, decade or genre almost hour to hour. At the end of the day, however, I probably played Steely Dan the most. Why? I’m not sure. Maybe the music is nostalgic. It could be I just like the tune. Or perhaps I simply enjoy songs about the seedy underbelly of life. In any event, I find Steely Dan songs put me in a good mood. 

Don Montroy 
Bergquist Inc. 
Rockford, Michigan 

During my teen years in the 1990s, I gained valuable experience working at a local hardware store. The store provided background music for customers, primarily catering to a demographic of first-time homeowners who favored 70s music. While my friends embraced the sounds of grunge, my appreciation for classic and southern rock flourished, particularly for bands like the Eagles. This early exposure fostered a lifelong love for this genre. When one of my girls was eight or nine and sang a Steve Miller Band song with me in the car, I knew I was raising them right!  Today, I deeply admire Americana music, with Tyler Childers ranking among my favorite artists. He has amazing storytelling abilities that shine in the songs he writes and a unique sound that I can listen to all day. 

Tonya Crow 
GROWMARK Inc. 
Bloomington, Illinois 

I love so many different kinds of music that it makes it very difficult to answer this question. Old-time gospel and praise and worship music without a doubt make me feel closer to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! A teenager of the 60s entitles me to my love of rock ’n’ roll. I’m a huge Eagles fan and dig on some Rolling Stones from time to time. I would have to say what makes me want to get up and dance is some good-old honkytonk country music. Crank up some Gary Stewart, George Strait or Brooks and Dunn, and I will be on the dance floor or dancing in the kitchen! Music has some magic, as it can make you smile, cry or dance! 

Paula Moore 
Blackburn Propane Service Inc. 
Durant, Oklahoma 

Heavy metal! That is the music genre that inspires my life. I lived this music scene during the 80s and 90s. I still listen to this type of music to this day. I had long hair and the look. Delivering 100-pounders in the late 80s with my concert T-shirt(s) on, long hair and blasting songs like “Caught in a Mosh” from the truck. Good times! I listen to glam metal, power metal, death metal and crossover metal. The energy behind this music gets me through the day. Maybe not blasting this music from the bobtail nowadays, but still true to this music genre. 

Richard Strycharz Jr. 
Walter’s Propane 
Sunderland, Massachusetts 

Music Stirs the Soul & the Pen 

After five years of presenting this column to BPN readers, I seem to have struck a chord. Propane folks love their music, no matter which variety, and they love to write about its meaning. Stay tuned for part two coming to you next month.