Monday, February 23, 2009

HARMONIOUS MUSIC FOR HARMONIOUS FAMILY

My grandmother's side of the family were all musicians and singers. Sons, daughters, aunts, uncles and cousins all sang and made beautiful music on guitars, mandolins, banjos, piano. Any time the family came together there was a gospel music fest. Such beautiful harmony you've never heard and we children carried on the tradition. We would go to bed and "make harmony" late into the night. My uncles thought I could do anything they wanted me to and they would sit me down to the old pump organ and sing a tune and I would pick out the notes. This is how I learned to play – listen to them sing, pick up the harmony. Of course all this "practicing" elicited many an "Es – get off that organ!" yell from Grandpa when he'd had all he could stand. But when the family got together and made harmony, Grandpa sat close by, rocking in his chair and patting his foot.

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