Greeting and salutations to all of you my dear musical family. This has been another amazing week of entries with memorable original songs, beautiful voices and smiling faces and the perfect way to contrast an otherwise ugly week in crypto (if you have not looked at the market don't... its better this way).

I have to confess I was a bit worried that the declining prices would deter people from being active on the #openmic this week, but I'm gladly accepting I was wrong, very wrong. I've been trying to keep up all week with the entries coming in and have done some final reshuffling to come up with the top 5 entries for this post. As always this task is never easy and no matter how much work I put into it and how fair I think I'm being, I always feel a day later that I could have done a bit better.

In any case, here it goes.

First Place.-

@danieldyemusic Way too long - Original Song

This song hit home for me and big time. I too had one of those amazing grandfathers that left a legacy behind and big empty space when he left this world. This song is a beautiful tribute to what I consider to be a life of success, a life that leaves behind true wealth in the hearts of everyone it touched.

I may have never met Daniel's grandfather, but I feel like I got to know the essence of who he was with one short song and that is so powerful.

Second Place.-

@drewsmusic See you again - Original Song

Can somebody please tell me how is it that I had no idea @drewsmusic existed and that he could sing and write like this up until this week? What a song! It felt both familiar and refreshing at the same time. I gave his entry a couple of listens again as I was writing my top 5 only to wonder why is this not the kind of music I can listen on those long hours on the road.

Beautiful lyrics, amazing delivery and the harmonic composition left me wanting nothing else... Absolutely brilliant!

Third Place.-

@petrajordan More than I could handle - Original Song

Petra is a true songstress, I'm sitting here being drawn by the piano as it plays behind the melodic hooks attempting to make me forget I should be doing other things with my evening that listening to her sing and play. This song is superb and in more ways than one, the lyrical content is a rich as to please the pickiest of poets, the piano work reminds of how Billy Joel chooses to play with his bass lines as he works his magic on those memorable runs that make him distinct.

Absolutely Brilliant Petra.... you are a magical being I swear....

Fourth Place.-

@benleemusic Lean into it - Original Song Collaboration with Nathan Kaye

This was one of my favorite collaborations on Steem probably ever. @benleemusic and @nathankaye together jamming a beautiful and powerful song crafted with pure emotion. What is not to absolutely love about this? I for one would nothing more than to see more of these two collaborating on music in the future.

To me this song is about finding our inner strength and maybe that is why it felt like Nathan was the perfect fit for this collaboration.

Fifth Place.-

@pedromrmourato Turn me On - Original Song

Well last week's winner was not about to slow down, and he came back this week with another amazing performance. A song about seduction will never get old, the performance and delivery of Pedro and his band is honestly some of the best I've heard out there and I'm not only talking about Steem of course.

I'm sure that they will continue to grow their following on Steem with giant steps every single week. Absolutely stunning song guys.

@pedromrmourato acabei de reparar que voce e portugues, eu tinha escutado um sotaque bem no começo do video, e agora faz mais sentido. Abraço!!

Honorable Mentions

In no particular order these are some of the performances I enjoyed profoundly this week:

@operahoser - Strike Three - Original Song

@melavie - Erin Hanson Sung Poetry

@ed-the-songster - Out of Touch - Original Song

@michaeldietrich - Running Against the Wind - Original Song

@melissakellie - Open your Eyes - Original Song

This closes another amazing week, are we ready for week 77? I sure am... But before you leave my post my musical brother, my musical sister, please know that despite the fact that we call this a competition, even though my post says first, second, third place, that is not what matters about the open mic. In the end of the day the judges are just as human, as flawed and beautiful as everyone else on this planet. The ethos of this contest, of this community, is simply for us to have special place to share our passion for music, for us to laugh together, to cry together and explore emotions that everyday life seems to neglect in one way or another.

Every single one of you is valuable to me, so thank you for being part of my musical family...

Much love

signature made by @bembelmaniac