BS: Did your parents play music?

Subject: Did your parents play music?
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 03:45 PM

I remember my dad playing his old Harmony guitar and having a harmonica on a metal wire around his neck. He'd sing and play old cowboy songs, polkas, and anything that the B-western folks did. He always called Gene Autry the "Fat Cowboy" and never failed to watch Roy Rogers with us kids. "You Are My Sunshine" was the one I think I remember hearing first as a kid.

He'd grown up a cowboy and never forgot his roots. He was also pickin and grinnin right up to his death. A bit more religious music as he aged but still with the same enthusiasm.

He was also the best whistler I ever heard. He whistled all of the time!

Of all the people that influenced me and my music - I'd have to say that he was my roots.

How about you guys??

Steve

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: mike putt
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 03:52 PM

My Mother played accordion, I play guitar and bodran

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: ChanteyMatt
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 04:11 PM

My father taught himself to play classical guitar. Later he picked up other instruments. My Grandfather played trumpet and piano. My mother is a fine pianist with the ability to sight read any piece of music. That, of course, meant my sister and I grew up playing music. Currently, I play guitar, bass, and a variety of percussion thingies.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 04:14 PM

My father played the piano and sang in the church choir. He listened only to classical music.

My mother played the radio. (Schmaltzy easy listening muzak. Yuk.)

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 04:14 PM

Only on the radio, stereo or TV...

;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: MMario
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 04:15 PM

Dad whistled - Mom played the turntable.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Ebbie
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 04:39 PM

Due to my upbringing, we didn't have radio or musical instruments, but everybody sang. Constantly.

A friend of mine, who is an excellent multi-instrument musician, a great performer, and the most prolific song writer I know, says there was music in her house before her memory begins, so it was only natural that she slipped seamlessly into it too. Her 80-year old dad is still a jazz pianist.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: iRiShBaBe
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 04:48 PM

father is a fulltime guitarist, i play tin whistles, flutes and uileann pipes.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: GUEST,Kim C no cookie
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 04:51 PM

My Dad was a great singer and plunked at the guitar a little. My mom can't carry a tune in an iron bucket.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Daystar
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 05:40 PM

My mother like to dance old time stuff Dad played melodien Anything he heared on the radio or from the dance bands He aslo use to sing but after WW2 His lungs had gone so he played all the songs he had sung as aboy I just followed him but like alot of us when I was young I did not relise the value of it all untill he had gone so I only have odd bits of what he knew

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 05:43 PM

Dad played a beautiful Epiphone; Mom the piano; As did Aunt Jen. Nana played the mandolin. I was offered an accordian at the age of nine and refused. Sorry now. But I wanted a guitar.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: GUEST,Steven G.
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 06:02 PM

My parents don't play music. For some reason, I am the only one in my family that is able to play music. I been playing guitar for about 18 years now, and learned to play music by listening to the radio, tapes, and TV.

Sometimes I wish my parents played.

Ah, well

Steven G.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: SharonA
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 06:09 PM

When I was a kid, my mother played piano sometimes, and sang a lot around the house (mostly hymns but a few of the songs popular in the '30s and '40s too). My father had ear problems and could not carry a tune, though he would join in and rumble his way through a song now and then. My two brothers and I were encouraged to learn piano and other instruments; all three of us joined the school band (my brothers were brass players; I played clarinet and bass clarinet). Once in a great while, usually at Christmastime, my brothers and my mother and I would play together.

I didn't realize till one of my brothers took up the guitar, and my father passed on HIS guitar to learn on, that my father had ever played any instrument. Later I found his ukelele and some sheet music (tunes such as "My Blue Heaven")! He had had to give up playing as he grew older and his fingers grew more arthritic and gnarled.

Eventually I took up the guitar myself, and my father's guitar was passed along to me. I still have it 25 years later; it's an F-hole, arch-top Kalamazoo (Gibson's inexpensive line at that time).

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 06:13 PM

My Dad noodled on the piano, and probably could have done quite a bit with it if he had wanted to. He sang in Church, but admits that he would never have made a good lead or soloist.

My Mom was not terribly into anything noteworthy except Scott Joplin (Hi CarolC).

Ironically, I started singing for 2 reasons related to my Father. He said once that I could not be an (opera) singer, as it would take years of training, and it was too late for me. I sing folk, but have been approached by someone with connections with the National Opera (or whatever the major Opera company here in DC that performs largely at the Kennedy Center).

And, I started because he sang.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: SharonA
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 06:13 PM

Sorry, I should explain that by "at that time" I mean: at the time my father purchased his Kalamazoo to play (1950s, I believe).

The ukelele, alas, warped and broke apart in the heat of the attic where it had been stored.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: 53
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 06:30 PM

my father was a drummer for some bands pre ww2 and his influence rubbed off on my sister, and me i saw the beatles and i knew that i had to play the guitar, so i quit taking the piano. bob

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 07:24 PM

Celtic Soul, are we related? If we are, you missed Mom's glory days in Rhode Island when she used to do the vacuuming to such notable songs as "Mack the Knife" and the typewriter song.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: GUEST,Leila
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 07:26 PM

When I was younger, my folks played the 60's-70's style 'folk' music. Neither read music, but dad played a mean guitar and beautiful picking. Mom sang like an angel and when my dad sang harmony it was like heaven come to earth. Years of cigarettes, asthma, and bronchitis stole mom's beautiful voice, and dad got too busy for music. I still miss it (I'm in my 30's now) but some of my fondest memories from childhood are of hiding in a corner when I was supposed to be in bed so I could listen to them sing.

Sheesh, makes me cry right now to remember how much I loved that and miss it. If you have kids, don't stop singing.

Cheers, Leila

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 07:47 PM

...and if we are related, all I have to say to you is - you little turd.

;-)

;-0

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 08:16 PM

(Just checked out your posting history, Celtic Soul)

Aaaaaccckkkk!!!!

I think my little sister is chasing me around the Mudcat!!!!!!

troll! Quick! I need your help!!!

What do I do now?!?

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 09:54 PM

Neither of my parent's played. After I had been playing guitar for a few years I learned my maternal gtandfather, who died before I was born, played clarinet in Lawrence Welk's band before he hit the big time. So i guess the musical gene skipped a generation.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 10:02 PM

My Mom was a very gifted musician. She had a truly excellnt alto voice and sang harmonies without thinking. The only problem was that she had a STRONG voice so needed an equally strong voice/voices singing melody. As a little kid standing next to her in church, I thought the harmony line was the melody line to a lot of hymns!

Far more than that, she was an incredible pianist. In another place and time she would have been a concert pianist. After her death, a firend who had been a piano major was at the house and I whipped out some of these old manuscripts which my Mom often played. Ruth looked at them and sat down and attempted them for awhile. She stopped and said, "Your Mom really played these? I'm humbled."

As I started playing music through my elementary and high school years (Sax, Clarinet, Flute, Bassoon), I realized just how fine she was. She played quite comfortably by ear also, but even more, she'd transpose to a different key while sight reading a piece she had never played before. I'll not ramble on anymore........sounds too unbelievable to be true. As a matter of fact though, she was.

The Old Man sang some and his tastes ran to crooners and torch singers. He didn't play anything but I think he had one of the larger collections of "partially remembered song lyrics" that you could imagine. The three of us sang in the car all the time to pop tunes of the 20's to 50's (which it was then).

On the side.........They were great parents too. The great sadness in my life is they aren't here to know Tris and Michael. My gawd they'd have loved them.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Peg
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 11:43 PM

Mom got a Hammond organ and later followed it up with an electronic Wurlitzer; very '70s!!!

She had books full of old show tunes and old fashioned love themes from films (Mancini, Gershwin, Cole Porter, etc.) so I grew up singing these old songs...

I played a little organ by ear and tried violin but could not stick with it...instruments have never been my strong suit, but I have enjoyed singing since I was a kid.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Chip2447
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 12:01 AM

I love my folks to death, but neither of them can sing or play a note. Mom tries on occassion with her dulcimer, and Dad bellows songs with my nieces.
Both Grandmothers were very talented play by ear musicians, one played piano, and the other, my dad's mom played a wicked harmonica. Another one of those skip a generation things.
My brother plays a little guitar and some harmonica, both sisters play the radio, and me, well I can play anything, not well, mind you, just semi recognizable anyway.
Hellsbells, I'll sing to just about anything also, which explains why the dogs in your neighborhood seem to howl for no apparent reason

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: CaptainLewis
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 12:14 AM

My folks only sang a bit - Dad was partially tone-deaf as a result of a high fever as a kid damaging his ears. But he could be really enthusiastic when he wanted to be (shudder!).

However they insisted my sibs and I learn music, so we had lessons on our instruments, took piano, sang in church choir all thru our school years. I was the only one who went on for a while as a paid musician. My brother who was very competitive learned to be excellent on the cello and hated every minute of it! My sisters still play piano and concert harp. Me, just playing evrything I get my hands on and love it.

CLB

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: ddw
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 12:38 AM

My dad never played or sang a note in his life, as far as I know and used to gumble about me playing the trumpet instead of working (I think I was 11 or 12 then).

Mom would sing occasionally, usually only at Christmas, and she always kept a chromatic harmonica in a table drawer in the living room. Occasionally one of us kids or, more often, my brother-in-law would coax her into taking it out and playing. The only songs I remember her playing were "Home on the Range" and "Silent Night." It wasn't until we were having the kinds of conversations siblings have at funerals (hers, then Dad's, six months apart) that I learned she had in her youth been considered quite a good pianist and singer. I felt awfully sad — maybe even a little cheated — I'd never known that before.

david

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Bert
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 02:01 AM

Dad was always singing and the old fart still is. Mum used to play piano, but never often enough for us kids. Just at parties or at the pub.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Mudlark
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 03:03 AM

My mom wanted to be a concert pianist. When I was little all she could afford was a little 2-pedal 2-1/2octive organ...looked like a child's toy. She would play pop tunes from 30's and 40's and my dad, who had a good voice, would sing along. My mother cried like a baby the day the family could finally afford a baby grand. She practiced a lot but started too late and with too little to be really good, and in the last years of her life she enjoyed HAVING the piano far more than she enjoyed playing it.

I didn't realize until I grew up how lucky I was to have parents who sang--together and separately-- and played music, just for the fun of it. I've been singing, humming, whistling ever since I can remember, everything from Moonlight Sonata (from listening to my mom practice), to songs that were popular before I was born. My folks were lousy parents but they gave me the great gift of music.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 07:39 AM

My father played guitar and accordian, although I never heard him play the accordian. My mom messed around on the guitar. More importantly, my dad had a very extensive record collection. Although it was mostly Jazz, he was from Ireland and he had a lot of Irish stuff as well as folk, country and various other types of music. I learned from him to always be listening, that even though something was from a style of music that you may think you don't like, it could be good.

I was pretty spoiled as a young boy. I heard Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Tal Farlow, Django, Johnny Cash, The Clancy Brothers, Belafonte, Homer & Jehtro and many, many more.

I never could get him to appreciate Hendrix, but he did like some of Johnny Winter's acoustic blues. I did put him on to Willie, although he doesn't appreciate Willie's guitar playing.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: LR Mole
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 08:15 AM

The radio was always, always on in my house: pre-rock '50's pop, like Sinatra/Perry Como/Four Lads. My father couldn't sing (had, in fact, been told to "just stand there" in school), but once I remember my mother singing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" while down cellar with the laundry. A true little voice wholly unlike the one she spoke with. So there was always music but not performing.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: SummerGirl
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 08:35 AM

Mom could read music and played flute, but has no "ear" for music. Dad wouldn't know what to do with sheet music, but noodled with a guitar when I was young (wonder what happened to that thing?). Would sing me Bobby Vinton songs. He really taught me how to listen to music. I learned how to play guitar from an old one passed through two of Mom's sisters, then to her, then me. I passed it to my brother, who subsequently destroyed it. (He now plays the radio). Both parents had influence....I have his "ear" and can read music as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: GUEST,Celtic Soul
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 01:54 PM

CarolC...

Yup, 'tis I, the "little turd" :::snicker!!!:::

And no, I am not chasing you. I read the threads I want, I post when and where the whim takes me, and sometimes, you happen to be there. :D

I was too little in RI to remember Moms "Mack the Knife" days, but her Scott Joplin days are vivid.

......Ya big Turd. Now don't go sicking your buds on me, I have been nothing but polite. ;D

Besides, you outted yourself as my sister, so for good or for ill, everyone knows it now. ;P

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 02:07 PM

Neither of my parents was musical. My sister used to play on the linoleum....

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: GUEST,Jerry B
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 03:46 PM

Mom has a beautiful voice but never picked up an instrument; she performs in church and in local shows and once did some summer stock.

Dad has the soul of a folk musician. He learned barrelhouse piano from a fraternity brother in college, kept a big Lowery organ in a corner of the living room for years, and brought the ukelele, guitar and banjo into the house (though he never did too much with them). It was the stringed instruments that hooked me...

I have pictures of him performing in blackface in the 60's at minstrel shows the faculty of the high school where he taught put on. He still loves what he calls "slam-bang" music, and when he and my brother and I are all together he'll take the piano, my brother gets out his bass, and I'll switch between guitar and baritone uke and we drive the rest of the family out. San Francisco Bay Blues, Five Foot Two, Darktown Strutters' Ball, Alabamy Bound -- dozens of old songs played fast and loud.

Home-made music is balm for the soul.

JB

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 10:23 PM

I come out of the Wisconsin German tradition -- EVERYBODY played an instrument and sang. We sang in the car, we sang at home, we sang in church (Lutheran -- all that Bach!).

My mother played piano (still plays) and trombone in the high school band, Dad played clarinet and sax in a dance band in Taylor and Clark Counties during the war. (WWII) The band was Frankie Dessel and his Melodeons -- Frankie played German concertina.

I took clarinet and guitar lessons. My brother plays cornet and my sister plays piano. I had a problem with the music lessons. When I was learning accordian (age 6) every time I'd get it out to practice, my mother would grab it and start playing. When I was learning clarinet, I said the same problem with my father grabbing the horn and playing. (Well, it's a good excuse, isn't it?)

We all sang, of course.I sang in the junior choir at church, singing solos and duets with my next door neighbor Judy Miller. Sang at funerals, too. Didn't realize until I met up with Curmudgeon that I knew how to sing harmony, but I guess I learned by osmosis.

There never was a time without music.

Bat Goddess

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 11:39 PM

No.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 11:43 PM

My father played some piano and some cello, though not very well...mostly 40's tunes. My mother played piano from sheet music, reasonably well. They liked the folk music of the late 50's & early 60's, and that certainly influenced me in a big way.

They didn't write songs, and for me that was the main thing...inspired mostly by Bob Dylan and Buffy Sainte-Marie.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Cappuccino
Date: 20 Oct 01 - 09:32 AM

My dad played Beethoven so much I grew up hating it, and only realised much later than the guy (Ludwig) was a genius.

But try this...

When my dad was about 60-odd, he was asked by a church, I can't remember which denomination but it was one of those very strange and strict ones, to play for their services. he wasn't an active Cheristian, but enjoyed the opportunity. The rule was that he played set hymns, but had the freedom before and after the service, and during the collection, to play whatever he liked, under the following rules - no pops, no dance music, no show music.

He spent many happy weeks improvising things like "Judy Garland's greatest hits in the style of Mozart" - and nobody ever found him out!!!

- IanB

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: Mooh
Date: 20 Oct 01 - 11:20 AM

The folks always sang in choirs (Mom still does), and both played piano with passing competence. Dad composed church music and other things (like tunes for kids to sing) and one tune appears in the current United Church of Canada hymn book (though we're all Anglicans). After my Dad's funeral, Mom gave everyone in the family copies of his musical works, some of which I had been unaware existed.

I can't imagine a life without music, but save your own, your kids will cherish it.

Peace. Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: vindelis
Date: 20 Oct 01 - 12:22 PM

Mother still plays the piano, Brian, my dad, played the guitar. They sang together, and ran a folk club for a number of years.

Subject: RE: BS: Did your parents play music?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 20 Oct 01 - 02:15 PM

My mother was always singing something or other when I was small but my Father could "pick out a tune" on almost anything. He once pissed me off mightily by playing along with Bo Diddley's "I'm a Man" on my brand new Brian Jones type harmonica. I surely wish we'd played together more.