Growing up, there was nothing to have musicians in and out of my home during the day - and some pretty famous ones too. They were either stopping by to prep for the night or dropping off backstage passes, as my brother and I were teenagers.
I remember dancing on stage at night, when I was around my children's age, and helping my dad hang posters during the day. I had a desk in my bedroom and would "practice" talking on the phone to band members and prepare my calendar for the events.
I wanted so desperately to be in the music scene and be in a band. I wanted to sing vocals like Joan Jett and play an electric guitar too. And I was lucky enough to be born into a very musically inclined family. Growing up, my grandparents and uncles always sat around a table in someone's home, laughing and strummed the guitar to Johnny Cash songs. They all learned how to play by sound, never having a lesson in their lives. My uncle's were also in bands and one of them still sounds strikingly similar to Bob Dylan.
Although, my dad wasn't ever in a band, he did have a gift of finding talent. He created a successful empire of managing rock and roll bands, when he was only in his early 20's.
So, at a young age, I always thought that would be me. But the times changed and bands faded out and DJs became the new "it" thing. And music unanimously moved into rap and grunge came and went, in the blink of an eye...
And also, sadly, I didn't inherit any musical talent. I do however, have a talent of being able to identify a known song by only a single chord, but that isn't going to win me any medals. And my singing ability kind of sounds like cats are being held under water and even if I learned the guitar, I don't have the ear to blend the chords.
So by my teen years, my dreams of being a famous rock and roll star and living the glitzy life, quickly dissipated and I just enjoyed watching them instead...
Fast forward to 2017, which seems to be the rebirth of rock bands... And in our area, bands are making a come back. Some past members my dad used to manage in the 80's, now have formed new bands and are playing at local venues.
And being that they still fondly remember my father, it's like a section of time has been hollowed out and replaced with my children...
Since my daughter was old enough to talk, which her first word was spoken at 5 months old, she has wanted to sing. Early on, she had the innate ability to memorize full length songs at only 2 years old. And the best part is, she can actually sing. Like, really good. And the older she gets, her voice becomes more full and she can hit the highest notes, like Elsa's voice in Let It Go, without cracking once.
Her newest talent is showing off at public places by singing, Alicia Key's Girl on Fire, almost identically. And strangers are shocked that she's only 6 years old.
But the fun times begin when we go to local restaurants to watch our favorite bands play and they invite her on stage to sing. Or, have her dance next to the lead singer. Or even, announce her name to make her feel like she's on top of the world.
Just this past weekend, we were at a family member's graduation party and my parents, of course, knew the band. And the lead singer was a woman and my daughter was completely enamored by her. Mostly because, she walked with a wireless microphone and held it close to my daughter so she could also sing... and they even did a duet of, Shut up and Dance together. Which ended in a standing ovation from the crowd.
At 35 years old, music is still my 'go to.' When I need a pick me up, I throw on my favorite songs and when I need to zone out and reflect, I throw on some more songs... I have a vintage record player and my parent's original albums, that I love having on in the background. Vinyl will always be my favorite tune. And The Beatles Rubber Soul album will always be my favorite.
So, when I hear my daughter jamming out to her favorite songs, I love it and encourage it, no matter how loud she gets. It reminds me of my youth. When I danced around my room with the infamous hair brush microphone and put my heart into every note - only, she sounds better. Much better...
And when I see her sitting quietly at her desk, jotting down lyrics to songs she created, I feel so incredibly proud of her. That at only 6 years old, she has the discipline to stay focused and practice versus and edit and reedit, again and again.
The musical community is a special one and thanks to the team effort of my parents, I have a lot of awesome memories from my younger years. And now, it went full circle. Although, my daughter may not have the memories of her grandparents and uncles strumming away to their favorite songs. Instead, she has the memories of singing and dancing on stage to her favorite songs, with some pretty rad individuals.
And, I love that she knows all the words to songs from artists like, Guns and Roses, White snake, CCR, Poison, etc...
And if her future is music, then I'm glad she has a pretty solid foundation of a generation-gifted family, before she ventures out. And I would be one proud mama cheering behind her and encouraging her to reach beyond the stars for whatever she wants...
*And whenever I feel comfortable enough, one of these days, I might put up a video of her singing...
