Tuesday, February 24, 2009

CLOSE HARMONY LIVED OUT

Thus I learned to play, by ear, gospel piano, and it became my life to play and sing with the "big boys and girls" even at the grand old age of seven/eight years old. One of my favorite uncles had a wonderful tenor voice and over the years he taught and nudged me along to learn. I distinctly recall, as though it were yesterday, his holding me on his lap on the back porch of the "big house" and teaching me a newly published song "Where the Roses Never Fade." This was to be the last song I would learn from him. The time was during World War II and he left soon after that to go off to war and was killed shortly after. Gospel music remains a part of my life today and nothing gives me joy that is more pure. I've never done anything that remotely approaches professionalism, but oh, the joy I've found in playing and singing Southern Gospel with my mother, my sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and my friends.

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