We all have our own memories
The loss of George Michael was a sad reminder of how many lives music can touch.
Much like David Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen and countless others who have died this year, tributes were paid on front pages while social media feeds were stuffed with songs and memories.
It’s great to see so many people remember the art of someone who, despite his troubles, lived life with a good heart and spread joy to millions.
Different generations will of course hold different memories, but despite Wham! and George Michael’s musical heyday coming slightly before my time I have my own fond memories of his music.
A scratched- up copy of Wham!’ s Greatest Hits soundtracked many trips down south with for Premier League games.
And as we got older, it grew to become a pub jukebox favourite – and Careless Whisper will always be one of my favourite pop songs.
It’s a sentiment often shared, but 2016 has seen the final curtain call for a number of iconic entertainers.
As well as music legends – including Status Quo frontman Rick Parfitt, who once performed in Ayr – the acting world said goodbye to Alan Rickman and Gene Wilder to name but two while sports lost mammoth figures Muhammad Ali and Arnold Palmer.
But as a good friend mused on Facebook this weekend, the last twelve months will also have seen the birth of millions of youngsters who could go on to light up the entertainment world in future years.
And with any joy, we can go on to foster the passion of younger generations and continue to produce top- class talent across Ayrshire and beyond.
The battle for Christmas # 1 turned out to be, well, not much of a battle at all.
Despite a much- hyped “fight” between Little Mix’s new single Touch and 1960’ s Dave Clarke Five hit Glad All Over – rising up the charts thanks to a certain football chant – it was all a bit of a damp squib as Clean Bandit held on to the number one spot.
But it got me to thinking what Ayrshire’s Christmas # 1 would be – would one of our top local bands take the prize, or would football fans launch a similar campaign to Rangers fans.
Would the Ayr United faithful send Somerset Boab straight to number one? Or would the Killie support launch a chart raid for Paper Roses?
Finally, what a fantastic year it has been for the arts in Ayrshire. From the reopening of Ayr’s Gaiety Theatre to the continued growth of the music scene across the county, it’s been wonderful to watch the arts flourish.
I have been putting together The Ticket since late April and it’s been tremendous to cover the amazing events happening in our corner of the country.
But those events would be nothing without the dedication and sheer bloody mindedness of those who work tirelessly to promote the arts around Ayrshire.
Whether you’ve promoted a gig, organised a theatre performance or exhibited your artwork, you have helped to foster a real sense of community. Here’s hoping 2017 brings more of the same. Until next year, Michael Reynolds