Always Music

Always there was music, always.

My Dad played the harmonica, which he called the Jew’s Harp. He also played the violin and the mandolin. He couldn’t read music, he played by ear.

The radio was on with the news, weather, and out in our neck of the prairie the only radio station we could get on a regular basis was KMON out of Great Falls, Montana.

Yes we lived in the sticks and this was Country, before Country was cool.

My earliest recollection was listening to Hank Williams. My Dad sang right along with him, he could have done karaoke if there had been such a thing then. No my ma didn’t sing, as she said she couldn’t carry a tune in a wash basin.

Old Hank and your “Cheating Heart”, Ernest Tubb, Eddy Arnold, Patsy Cline I remember the radio always playing them. Of course Ma took me to the Baptist Church in town and the hymns I grew up with are here in my mind. “In the Garden”, “Closer Walk with Thee”, and “The Old Rugged Cross.”

My older sister had the radio on when I was a youngster in the late 50’s so I heard all the early rock n roll. Chuck Berry, Elvis, The Kingston Trio, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and many others. After she left home I was kinda in a music vacuum for awhile.

I remember in 1965 or 66 I was at a Junior High dance, dancing with my friend Nancy S.. She started asking me if I liked the Beatles. I figured right then and there if you were gonna talk to the girls you had to know about these things.

Nancy had the advantage of older sisters who kept her up on the latest music. I became an instant fan of the Beatles. I can remember watching them on the Ed Sullivan show and the gals all screaming.

I listened to the Beach Boys, but the Brits took over. Gerry and the Pacemakers, Rolling Stones, Eric Burton and the Animals, Cream, then came our Monkees, and the Doors. Many, many others like Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Box Tops and on and on..

The 70’s came with the Bee Gee’s, Firefall, Little River Band, Fleetwood Mac, and the Eagles. Abba, Cat Stevens and more.

The 80’s showed up with my older kids listening to MTV and Duran Duran, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and Wham.. I remember having a discussion with my daughter about Duran Duran, she said they would be bigger than the Beatles and last many times longer. Sorry Nikki they weren’t hungry enough like a wolf I guess.

The 90’s brought me back to Country. Sammy Kershaw, Travis Tritt, Mary Stuart, back with Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, and Alan Jackson.

Ok now I’m at full circle, I enjoy all of the above including re-runs of the Lawrence Welk Show with the Lennon Sisters and Myron Floren. My last show I listened to was a PBS show about the Doo-Wop Groups.

I’ve come full circle how about you? Yes I cry when I hear “Amazing Grace.”

Thank the Good Lord for music.