I don't think I can say these really changed my life, as much as shaped it. One of my earliest memories, of being consciously aware of a commercially produced song was Disney's "When you wish upon a star". I later came to know that Walt himself belonged to a metaphysical org. that I also belong to and I enjoyed a great discussion with other members about the hidden and also out front meanings in the song, mainly being the hopefulness and faith to believe in something better for yourself.

Since music of all kinds has been so much a part f my life from birth, it is hard for me to think of just one which might have changed my life. I guess you could say the Chieftains did somewhat, as their tapes inspired me to learn even more about Irish music, even though I already knew some about it before I bought their stuff. I can easily trasnport myself, in my mnd, back to the first days of our tiems in new England, when I put on one of their tapes, because theirs were the first music tapes I bought when we moved back there in 1983. The music always evoke those feelings of neweness and excitment that we all had at starting out new in a land so steeped in our country's history.

When we moved to Northampton, Massachusetts, I became acquainted with women's music, esp. feminist and lesbian (oh Ferron! oh, Holly! Be still my beating heart!**BG**)and I think it helped me to further define myself and also helped to empower me as a woman. I will always be grateful for that.

Through all of that ran the threads of my mom and dad's folk and cowboy and dance music, along with my brother's classical compositions, my own piano and violin, as well as the singing and playing of my sisters. Even today, when I really want to get in a cleaning mood, all I have to do it put on Oklahoma, Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver, or any number of musicals and there I go, just like Saturday mornings when growing up.

Thanks for asking, Uilleand. Not sure if this qualifies as an answer, but I had fun!

katlaughing