O

ne of the things that struck me about Monday’s Fourth of July events was the presence of some very good music both locally and from the televised events that aired Monday night.

The music performed Sunday by the Vicksburg Orchestral Society and Vicksburg Orchestra Choir at First Baptist Church was an excellent mix of marches and classical pieces. Later that evening the jazz selections presented with a Crescent City beat by the National Park Centennial Band was a wonderful change of pace as the group played classic jazz selections. Monday, the Boston Pops Orchestra and the Washington, D.C., symphony orchestra also performed very well.

However, some of the individual performers were disappointing. I don’t mean Kenny Loggins’ or Smokey Robinson’s performances on PBS, and I don’t mean the live performance by the National Park Centennial Band’s singer, Jazmarie Beebe, who all gave very talented performances Sunday.

I mean the younger singers like Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato, and others like them. Why? I couldn’t understand a word they were singing. It’s a problem I have with a lot of young pop singers today, and I’ve had it for a long time. They take the microphone like they’re going to swallow it. The lyrics to their songs come out mumbled like their mouths are full of marbles. The lone exceptions Sunday were Beebe and 12-year-old Chirstina Brown, who sang “You are My Sunshine” with her during the centennial band’s performance. The lyrics came out crystal clear and I and the audience could hear every word they sang.

But there are countless other singers out there who sound like their choking on the words or they’re trying to force them out. Sometimes I have to wonder who in the Sam Hill told them they had talent.

I will admit I’m not a music expert, and I didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but I know what I like. Besides, I believe my three years’ musical training in high school band, listening to Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick Jr., and others gives me enough background in music to be a bit educated about what’s good.

And there is also my memory of the rock groups and popular singers I listened to growing up in the 50s, 60s and 70s. No matter how “stoned” the Rolling Stones were, I could hear every word of their songs. The lyrics to Beatles songs were sung by the group so you could understand the words. There were a few singers you couldn’t understand, but not on the scale I hear today when some new “talent” comes on the scene and performs on some TV show.

Hopefully, this period of mumbled vocals will soon leave, but I’m not taking any chances. I stay with my favorites, and when a new group comes on, I turn the sound off or play something else. And when it comes to new groups, the Stones put it best, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.”