"but music was his life it was not his livelihood..."

I love music. It has made a real difference in my life.

The chorus in Harry Chapin’s Mr. Tanner goes:

“but music was his life, it was not his livelihood,and it made him feel so happy and it made him feel so good.And he sang from his heart and he sang from his soul.He did not know how well he sang; It just made him whole”

When my boys were little, we sang all the time. I started playing the guitar when I was about 13 or 14, after some ukulele experimentation, and I liked it! I played and sang most of my life, and during high school and some of college, I had friends to play with.

I know I never was very good, but it has been a great way to amuse myself, and have fun with friends. It has been a great avocation. Often people have said, “He does such a nice job playing with him self!” (OK, this dour theme is allowed to have a joke or two!)

Since then, my oldest son has gone on to be a musician, at least as a part time career move (when he’s not being a lawyer) playing guitar and singing with one of Washington’s best cover bands, the Dial Tones. Both of my other boys continued, at least for a while, to play the guitar.

My oldest daughter is majoring in music and my youngest plays the piano. The problem, however, lies with my daughters.

My musical career started with my mother’s desire to get me out of being a shy kid, and offering singing lessons to me as a way out of my shyness. It worked! My enjoyment for music, all forms, continues to this day and I still sing and play and go to concerts and musical events. In the past year we’ve seen Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen and the Who, plus tons of other musical events.

My daughters are embarrassed by my singing, even if it’s just along with the radio. They hate it if I sing and screw up the words, and they hate it if I know the words. They are always embarrassed by my actions anyway, and most of the time I laugh with them although it does bother me,

I know I am not a great singer, but I’m always a showman! I can do bits, make great and funny songs up, and for years entertained my son’s friends. I used to get requests just for some fun things long beyond their high school years. The girls get angry if I dance around, keep a beat with my hands or my feet and scornfully look at me if I acknowledge and musical activity by moving in any way possible.

I basically hate it! I don’t mind if they don’t like my choice in music, I allow them the right of the radio control in the cars; I just need to be a happy camper in musicville once in a while.

As I quoted at the beginning:

“but music was his life, it was not his livelihood,and it made him feel so happy and it made him feel so good.And he sang from his heart and he sang from his soul.He did not know how well he sang; It just made him whole”