It is no secret that music has a special attraction for young people. It is often an integral part of their identity and the primary source of their role models, for good or ill (with the “ill,” in particular, standing out). Rock stars and hip-hop artists become distant mentors that exacerbate negative emotions and create unrealistic expectations for life.
There was a time when musical celebrities were not all white noise and hot air. Rock stardom, in fact, has its roots in that politest of genres: classical music. The inspirations of these figures were quite different from what motivated the Rolling Stones, though, and their achievements were on a much larger scale as well….