I’m not mystified by Justin Bieber’s fame. If you are, it could mean…you’re old. Or you’re attitude towards music culture and musical creativity is staid (aka old).
 
Don’t panic. Justin is the latest in a decades-old, long line of singer sensations that distress older generations, which is as it should be. Yes, I said it is as it should be. Music is part of every generation’s identity because each generation creates and embraces their individual musical style, regardless of quality. They also advance musical technology, from electric guitars to YouTube videos.
 
Remember Elvis on Ed Sullivan? (No, too young.)

Ministers barring their daughters from watching The Beatles? (Ditto.)

Tiny Tim? (Alright, alright, who liked Tiptoe through the Tulips?)

My husband and I have tolerant attitudes towards music because he is a professional musician who grew up in a family of talented musicians. We have a semi-famous musician or two in my family and I was exposed to a wide variety of music as a child. On Sunday afternoons, my parents played their albums: R&B, classical, jazz, gospel, and Broadway, including the soundtrack from Jesus Christ Superstar, which they thought was fantastic, and I thought was really, really freaky.
 
When our four children were teenagers, my husband and I suffered through, I meant to say were exposed to, Vanilla Ice, M&M, Marilyn Manson, Hole and so many Swedish Death Metal Bands we can scream Swedish.
 
The trade off was our teenagers had to suffer through, I meant to say were exposed to, our musical preferences during car trips. The reason we choose car trips was because they were trapped and couldn’t get away.  They listened to Bruce Hornsby, Bonnie Raitt, Delbert McClinton, Robin Ford, the Yellowjackets and so many other Jazz artists they have permanent, soulful southern accents.

I don’t need to know why Justin Bieber is famous. What I need to know is Justin Bieber’s mother.  I wonder if she’d be my agent?