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