Doing What I Like Best

It's just after midnight. Wayne, Beau and Percy have gone off to bed for the night. I have the computer to myself. Now what to do with myself?

That's not such a hard question to answer. Load up a data disc of downloaded music that no one wants to listen to but me and play some tunes. Tonight it's some oldies. Music from the 60's. Frank Sinatra, Al Martino, Englebert Humperdink and of course some country. Merle Haggard, Roger Miller, John Conlee, Johnny Cash and a few other country classics of course. Make myself a drink, rye and coke for those who don't know me well, sit back and enjoy.

I value my time alone. After all I was an only child until I was 14. I listen to 'my music' and remember...

I was a little girl when we lived in Mallorytown and Brockville, circa 1958 - 1960, and my parents and their friends would get together and party. If the party wasn't at our house, I was often brought along and being a good girl would curl up on a couch or spare bed and listen to the party - music, laughter, talking and dream about being old enough to be a part of it all.

We moved back to Hamilton in 1962. My mother's family were all around here. I remember parties with Uncle Jack and Auntie Audrey, Sybil and Elmer, Stan and Thelma and my parents. There were others too I'm sure, but these people are the ones I remember. I didn't always get to go along to these parties, but one of Sybil and Elmer's daughters would babysit me and we would watch Hamilton's version of bandstand on TV. It was taped on Friday night at a studio in downtown Hamilton and aired on Saturday night. Sometimes Phyllis or Helen, my babysitters, would have been there and I would look for them on my tv. Other times my cousin Tommy, who I later called John and now Jack, would babysit me. Being 9 years older than I am, he was the closest I had to a brother at that time. I remember he would let me stay up until the cars pulled into our driveway, and then I would have to run upstairs to bed and pretend to be asleep. I still wished I was old enough to join the party though.

My mother's mother Carrie Williams, who I called Gramma Rock and who I named my younges afer, also liked to have a good time. I can remember her with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other dancing to the music at family get togethers. I have a plaque that says 'Your never to old to dance in the kitchen or kiss for no reason' that always makes me think of Gramma.

My parents separated in March of 1968. Mom started dating Carl, a divorced friend of 15 plus years, just before Christmas that same year. Carl loves country music. I got to listen to more of the old tunes as well as some newer ones. I remember when the album Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash was released. It was played over and over again in our house. Of course I'm sure you all remember 'A Boy Named Sue'. Charlie Pride was the best country musician when he came along, as far as mom and Carl were concerned. Nary a Friday or Saturday night went by when they weren't at the Avon Hotel, the Brittania House or one of the other Country bars in our city.

When Art and I married in 1970 mom and Carl hired a band for our wedding reception - Cliff John and the Tennesse River Boys, and of course they were country all the way. Art was just as much of a country fan as I was. Our wedding song was Crystal Chandeliers and I had the honor of being sung to by my new husband at our reception. The song - Please Release Me. That should have told me something then, shouldn't it? It had finally happened. I got to be a part of the party. Not just a listener to the wonderful country music anymore, but actually getting to be a part of it. I think I know how Cinderella felt at the ball.

I spent the next 16 years listening to Country Music and so did my kids. Laurel and Krystal I'm sure you both remember playing pretend and being 'Loretta and Conway'. Krystal I know you remember coming back from Dunville with Russell and singing along to Elvira. Then I know that both my mom and Carl remember going to see Strictly Country. A favorite local band that started out as just one person - Gary Nobes. He later added another guitarest Larry and then Neil. We were loyal fans and on more than one New Years Eve, after the Vienna House, where they played closed at 1:30 am, we would go back to Gary's house for a party. I remember coming home after 9:00 am on New Years Day after partying from 6:00 pm the night before.

I have always had a love of music. Not just country music, but rock and roll, jazz, blues, alternative, International and even classical. I've sang in 3 choirs as a first soprano and nothing is more thrilling to me than hitting a note that I think is above my range. I learned to play piano at 10 and took lessons for 3 years before quitting. I went back for two years with my grandson Yoshi (Josh) and own a 100 year old upright grand piano that I haven't played for over a year. I really must get back to that soon. My record/tape/cd collection is extremely varied and depending on the mood I'm in you could come in to country, gospel, bluegrass, classic rock, folk or heavy metal. I love to sing along with the car radio. In fact that's what I do best when my 20 minute drive home takes 2 hours in a snow storm. When travelling, Wayne and I sing old tv theme songs, old 50's and 60's songs and whatever else we can come up with.

When I hear an old song, it brings back memories. Not just of my childhood, but of my children's growing years as well. Laurel was into Donna Fargo at age 2, Rick Springsteen, Grease, Fame, Michael Jackson, Madonna and many others. Krystal has always shared her sister's love of all kinds of music, but her favorite musician now is her husband Troy. Aubrey is a bigger Beatles fan than I had ever been and can tell you more about them than you probably would ever want to know. Shawn has his faves too, but he keeps them more to himself. Carrie likes to listen to music and so does her husband Craig. We had an 80's hit weekend here over Easter and I don't think there wasn't a song that I heard that didn't bring back a memory of one kind or another.

When my granddaughter Emzee (Emily) was baptized, the anthem we sang was called "I was There to Hear Your Borning Cry". I was and everytime I sing or hear this hymm I cry. The words are beautiful and hold much meaning to me. My friend Dorthy always crys whenever we sing "I, the Lord of Sea and Sky (Here I am Lord)". This hymm was sung at her grandchilds first communion.

I believe that music is a gift from God. Whether we are listening to it or singing it. The bible tells us to lift our voices to the heavens. I hope you will do just that. It doesn't matter what the music is, our gift of appreciation is from God as is the gift of our voices. Go ahead. Sing the songs that you love, the songs you remember and that bring back memories to you.

By the way, I owe this post to Laurel and the song by Belinda Carlisle that she posted today. It made me remember ...

Luv and sing loud so all can hear

Anne