Our Family Music

I was raised with good music.

Differing styles and tastes.

But all good music.

Let me tell you about it . . .

When Mom got up in the morning to start breakfast, the first thing she turned on was the radio.

Her music of choice?

Country.

I grew up on the sounds of Jim Reeves, Hank Snow, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Sr. and The Carter Family, interspersed with the daily beef market prices.

Did you know that the rhythm of nearly all of their music suggested riding a horse?

And that you could wear out the patch of carpet between Dad's armchair and the end table in pretending you were riding?

In perfect time.

Well, you could.

And I did.

I did a lot of riding to music.

When I wasn't actually on a horse.

Dad's music of choice was classical.

Oh, and some nonsense.

We'll go with the classical.

On Sunday mornings, we would inevitably be awakened by the beautiful strains of strings and horns, perfectly, hauntingly played.

His stereo could hold a large stack of LP's. One by one, they would drop and play.

The working mechanism in his stereo was shaped like a snake.

It would settle slowly over the next record, never taking its white, staring eyes off us kids.

True story.

My little sister enjoyed her little children's albums.

And Christmas music.

Both of which began to be played on the first day of school in the fall.

Ad infinitum. Ad nauseum.

My older siblings and myself preferred rock and roll.

The Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly gave way to The Beatles, CCR and The Who.

Oh, and the Monkees were in there somewhere, though their album suffered a rather tragic end.

Moving on . . .

My little brother, who was sandwiched between my little sister and myself, had no say.

Because.

To say our home was filled with music would be an understatement.

It was crammed full.

Moving ahead many years . . .

We raised our family in the same way.

Country, Classical, Rock and Roll, and even some Celtic and Folk.

I can hear the stereo going now.

Summersong by The Lettermen was followed by Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. An all-female Celtic group is now singing, “A Place for Us.”

Husby has obviously put in his usual mix.

Let the music roll.