I can relate to Shawn when he wrote about music being a way to express emotions.  "Where words fail, music speaks" is precisely right; it is a way for musicians or actually anyone to help express their feelings --kind of like another way out.  For example, the way you are feeling right now determines emotionally the way you would play and instrument or the type of music you would listen to on your playlist.  Music brings "out a dormant side" of everyone, including myslef, being blessed with such a gift.  I do grasp "the connection between music and emotion", and myriad of others do as well.  Music does bond "...us together and connects us to history...," it also brings us closer with friends.  Moreover, thank you Shawn, for reminding me and everyone else, the impact that music has on the life of a person.