The sound of happiness

   The sound of happiness is a symphony of laughter, the rhythmic tapping of rain on rooftops, and the joyous yelp of a dog chasing its tail. It weaves through our lives like an unseen melody, often unnoticed until it strikes a chord during a moment of cheer. For instance, I once found myself at a family gathering where Uncle Joe, the self-proclaimed king of dad jokes, delivered a punchline that sent soda shooting from my cousin’s nose. That eruption of laughter? Pure happiness!

   However, not all sounds of joy are uproarious. In contrast, I live next to a couple whose nightly debates sound like a season finale of a dramatic soap opera. Some might cringe, but I find it oddly comforting—it's a reminder that even the most tumultuous relationships have moments of connection.

   Growing up I was always listening to the radio. Mom used to always have the radio playing in the kitchen. When I wake up in the morning, I always hear Diana Ross singing Baby Love. I grew up listening to R&B. It was the music that was mostly played up north. When we came to Tennessee, then, of course, there was nothing but country. Very seldom did we hear rock and roll, I grew up watching “Hee-Haw.”

   I am George Kornikoski. Listening to the radio became a pastime for me. It was my alarm clock in the morning. And in the evening, allowed me to tone down or to rest.

  In my younger days, I was a huge fan of Elvis Presley known as the King of Rock and Roll. Over time I have bought sixty-two albums of his. A close friend next door, who was more than a friend. His name is Frank McDade. Frank and I grew up together. Although we were tight friends, we were extremely competitive. He was my brother’s nephew by marriage.

   When he would come over, I would always be playing Elvis on the record player/stereo. In time, he asked me, “Will you ever change?” Break out from the slump of listening to one person. Who he listened to was mostly Elton John. He brought a couple of albums over and we sat down and listened to them. Yes, you can say I broke out of the slump. Not only did I enjoy Elton John, but also Fleetwood Mac, Tina Turner, Bachmann Turner Overdrive, and several others.

   After graduation, I moved to Johnson City. There I met the woman of my life. We got married, and then we left Johnson City and moved to Nashville for a new job. I was given a guitar at the age of ten. Played on it every once in a while, in Nashville I became more interested in playing the guitar. Then I met a close friend, and we started writing songs and putting music to them. We even went out and played before an audience and shared our original tunes.

    One thing that I made known. If it is not fun it will not be done. Music became a sound of happiness with soothing melodies, and words of meaning. An art of passion. You may find yourself sitting in a chair, playing your radio, playing a CD, or listening to music off Amazon Music, whatever the case. You too, enjoy the sound of happiness. One thing I have learned through life's experiences is that laughter releases endorphins, but let’s not forget that silence can also be golden. The sound of a warm embrace or a shared sigh after a long day can be equally fulfilling. So, whether it's the giggles of children, the comforting banter of friends, or even the chaos of life, the soundtrack of happiness is as varied as the people who create it. Life’s true refrain lies in our moments of togetherness, hilarity, and sometimes, delightful chaos.

I find myself now wanting to write more and learn more about theory, soloing, and putting music to a song. I even want to share my artwork with a music-loving audience.

I have added a couple of songs that I wrote, these are from our first CD. 

 Been On the Edge

           Let Me In Baby, Baby

          Next, "Peanut butter and Jelly". What's that, besides a sandwich?

          Go to "Peanut Butter and Jelly," click here.

          

          Go to "The Cheeseburger Song, and click here.