By Alexandria Sardam

Why aren’t musicians with a mindset and musical ability like Jerry Garcia, Bob Dylan and countless others around today?

Have they all been crammed into a tiny glass jar, resting pitifully preserved upon “the man’s” desk, beside his menacing, kicked up feet?

Perhaps they have been stowed away forever and ever, along with the once affordable gas prices and the safe world where front doors were left unlocked.

Is it that artists like Garcia and Dylan are few and far between today, or as a society are we just too blinded by the smog of bullshit emitted from lackluster musicians that prevent us from appreciating true artists when we see and hear one?

Ugh, It’s just like the Yankees and those damn distracting pinstripes.

The world has evolved, causing most musicians to migrate with it. But has all this change really been for the better?

And who, if anyone, still has that charisma?

And it’s not that the substance and chutzpah that pumps through the world of music has dwindled, because there are artists that have both it and talent.

Check out Beyonce. She is one talented leading lady who has revolutionized the world of music and humanitarianism, completely giving a whole new meaning to the term “Renaissance woman.”

However, her monopolized publicity and rather robust ass has cast a “Sasha Fierce” shadow over other deserving, phenomenal female artists like Grace Potter, Alison Sudol and Regina Spektor.

The issue is that many other deserving musicians aren’t receiving their applause.

That little extra something, that “it” factor, consists of this immeasurable, contagious passion that’s passed from musician to fan and recycled again.

Musicians of that caliber do more than pick up and instrument and open their mouths.

They actually give a damn. They are groovy, dependable friends that so many count on.

These artists are humanitarians. And they need to be front and center (along with B.)

Want to give credit where credit is needed? Turn off the boob tube, say goodbye to the radio and give a listen to Umphrey’s McGee, Bon Iver, Sigur Ros, Portugal the Man and Seabear. They’ve got it and they deserve the spotlight.

For at least a little bit.

“If we had any nerve at all, if we had any real balls as a society, or whatever you need, whatever quality you need, real character, we would make an effort to really address the wrongs in this society, righteously.”-Jerry Garcia