earsucker

While I love the instrument and can’t think of much I’d trade my playing ability for, I have to say my best memory was the day my mom told me I didn’t have to take piano lessons anymore.

I started lessons at 4 and loved them. But two moves and three teachers later I was not quite so enamored. Partially because I was about 12 years old and could think of better things to do than pound out scales and triads and mid-level songs. But mainly because my latest teacher whom I’d had the ‘joy’ of sticking with for the last three years was likely getting old and senile, but translated to my young mind as “mean.”

I like to think I had some talent at piano, but she kept me in the same level lesson books, sometimes regressing, for years. She would often tell me that I was playing something wrong and then show me how it was played…which was exactly what I’d been playing. She once stopped a kid at a recital whom she was playing a duet with announcing that the kid had screwed up and needed to start over when it was actually she who had messed up.

I had begged my mom to let me quit and she always refused, assuring me that I just making a big deal out of nothing and should be able to stick it out. It couldn’t be as bad as I said.

My mom also plays and that last year she was going to play a duet with me in the final recital, meaning we BOTH needed to be at a practice session with my teacher. To this day I can’t remember what was said, why my mom must have felt challenged or insulted or probably a mixture of both.

I just remember getting in the car after the lesson where she turns to me and says “I’m sorry. I think I told you it ‘couldn’t be that bad?’ I was wrong, it was worse! And you never have to go back there again.”

(**And there’s a happy ending since the following year I found my best teacher yet, who I stuck with for the rest of my piano education)

My favorite musical moment is watching my oldest son play drums and my youngest play the trumpet, together at the annual Flag Day ceremonies at their school.

My life has been one great musical memory after another, it seems. I’ll throw out some highlights for fun, though…cuz I think this is a great idea for a contest.

1. First time I played a song on the guitar (1968 or so). It was Ray Stevens’ “Everything is Beautiful”. I loved being able to play a song I knew and loved on an instrument I could carry with me (I’d already had a few years of piano under my belt by that point anyway). I think it was about 10 years before I laid that guitar down again. ;-)

2. Writing my first song ever (1970). I did it as a requirement for completion of a Boy Scout merit badge in Music. It was an instrumental…a sad one…called Judgment Day. Many years later, I recorded the song on my first piano album.

3. Learning to love listening to lead guitar. Phil Keaggy was one of the great ones for me (not to mention meeting him at his house in 1975)…check him out on YouTube. But there are so many great lead soloists and solos. Larry Carlton, Russ Freeman, Clapton. I never learned how to play lead seriously…but was able to play a solo that I really love on my most recent piano album (you can listen to it in the background of this video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9-ApK9UdBfg ). I find it terribly sad that truly great lead guitar doesn’t happen much anymore.

4. Playing music for people as a radio DJ. I was in radio for many years, and loved sharing songs that I loved with listeners…and having them call and tell me how much they appreciated it.

I’ll stop there…but suffice it to say that my life (and probably the lives of most of us) would be much poorer without music.

Well where do I begin? My whole life has always been filled with music,From birth till the age of 8 I lived country music because of my Mom,I don’t mean top pop country I mean outlaw country like Willie, Waylan and the boys, Johnny Cash,Hank Williams and JR., Patsy Cline etc. Then at the ripe old age of 8 or so I had a step sister that totally changed my world.She introduced me to AC/DC, Def Leppard, Van Halen and some others. Well my mom cool as hell went and bought me my first LP’s You know Records The first ones I had were Van halens 1984, Quiet Riot’s Metal Health, Motley Crue’s Shout at the devil, Def Leppards Pyromania and Twisted Sisters Stay Hungry,AC/DC’s Back in Black and a compilation called Masters of Metal!! I was hooked!! As time went on I discovered the first Crue album other AC/DC albums Etc.etc Then in 5th grade or so I heard My very first Anthrax and fell in love all over again,Also about that time I heard M.O.D., S.O.D. Metallica, And the all mighty SLAYER!! Thrash Metal stole my heart! I couldn’t believe how heavy it was I couldn’t get enough!! Also around that time Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Ozzy/Sabbath graced my ears & I loved it all! My step brother Around that time was turning me on to the classics like The Doobie Bros., Clapton, Styx, Little Feat etc.He also took me to 2 of my first concerts which was Tom Petty with The legendary Bob Dylan very cool and Little Feat which I happened to catch a drum stick that broke in half my first Momento!!! Then One day I stumbled upon Sepultura’s Beneath the Remains!!!! OH MY GOD!!!It was the heaviest music I had ever heard! Once again I fell in love!!! My life has always revolved around music the heavier the better.My first heavy metal show was The Clash of the Titans with SLAYER,Megadeth and Anthrax and some unknown band from Seattle called Alice in Chains I was 15!!! Countless shows have followed. I’ve been to shows from Phoenix AZ. to Memphis Tenn.
While living in Phoenix Az I worked at Pizza Hut and one day while the store was empty mid afternoon It was Me my Roommate and our manager the only ones there and This Guy walked in with his girlfriend to eat lunch. Now mind you SLAYER is my all time fav. band Well this guy sat down and when I looked at him I froze! He sure looked like Kerry King from Slayer!!I went and told my roommate and he came out to see what I was freaking out about and sure as Hell it was Kerry King in my Pizza Hut!!!!! After I composed myself I very calmly went up to his table and asked ” You’re Kerry King HUH!” Kind of suprised he said Yeah and all I could say was DUDE SLAYER!!!! and then I asked him for his autograph,I appologized for interupting his lunch which he didn’t seem to mind and that was my first autograph from him! Also around that time I joined my first band! We were awfull but we had fun Istarted playing drums first then discovered I could Growl and scream better than I could play drums then Last but not least I started playing guitar!! Now in my adult years Music is still as much a part of my life as ever!! I have been to countless concerts and Most of them I usually somehow get back stage and meet the bands I’ve got picks autographs drum sticks Posters shirts most of all of them are autographed! I saw Pantera In Little Rock where I had the Honor and Pleasure of meeting Dimebag Darrell Abbott (R.I.P) He was being rushed along by an assistant Who kept saying NO MORE AUTOGRAPHS DIMES GOT TO GO and I ran up and asked him Hey man I know you gotta go but can I get a quick autograph and true to character Dimebag stopped ignored his assistant and said Sure Man NO PROBLEM he asked if we enjoyed the show Of course we did and Shook our hands and then said I GUESS I ‘ve GoTTA GO Later dudes!!VERY VERY COOL DUDE!! Then in Memphis we went to see Damage Plan and Hate Breed but There was an emergency with Dime bags family so Damage Plan didn’t play but Hate breed stepped up and covered for them and after that show we were hanging out out behind the club when we saw Sean Martin Guitar player for HateBreed I asked if he wanted to partake in some extra ciricular activities and he said sure and told us to come with him and took us behind the scenes he said we couldn’t go on the bus but that was ok so we hung out with him for quite a while another very cool dude!!! There are so many stories I could tell about all the Musicians I’ve had the pleasure to meet and hang out with briefly and talk to I could go on forever! Now I have a daughter She’s 8 years old and loves music too! She already knows how to keep a beat on the drums she can sing pretty good but getting better she plays piano by ear and next she wants to learn guitar!! Very cool!!! I love it!! Sorry this was so long but it’s not easy taking a life time of memories and trying to sum them up in a couple of paragraphs any ways hope you enjoyed my story!!!! Thanks alot Jason

Slumber parties as a kid and staying up all night singing the songs to Grease.

My favorites memories are singing in my church choir and also the school choral program where I was picked to sing with the the city choir

Neil and Pegi Young together playing outside, under the redwoods in Big Sur last year. Sitting on the grass with a few people, under the stars.

it would have to be my first dance in junior high. a boy i had a crush on asked me to dance and he sang me a song. it was a sweet young memory.

jamming with friends, and acting like we were rocking a BIG gig.

My favorite musical memory is from my time in high school. We had band camp every summer which was a lot of fun. I also enjoyed playing at the football games, basketball games and the competitions we went to through out the year.

I kept busy playing in the orchestra and choir as well. They were more low key then playing in the band.

My whole 4 years in high school was filled with music and we had a blast.

I wrote about your contest on my blog and stumbled your post.

My best musical memory was when I attended 3 concerts in the same week from my 3 favorite artists all in different locations in FL.

my best musical memory was when I turned out for choir and tghe music teacher told me the best thing I could do for the choir was to turn out for football. He was right! I got a scholarship for football and the girl I was trying to impress by turning out for the choir got a scholarship for music. We went to college together and got married. we were all winners.

he were one i am going to win

My best musical memory is 2nd grade when I sang and played the autoharp in front of my school.

my best musical memory would have to eb the day I finally got my own electic guitar

Best memory was hearing the Beatles for the first time and the British Invasion that followed.

My best musical memory is when my grandma was alive and would play the piano. now she was a pack rat and her couch was in front of the piano and she would kneel on the couch and play a song called 10 little indians and shake her big behind. I would laugh so hard at her. she was the best grandma anyone could ask for!

The first amazing music memory I had was going to an Air Supply concert. Ok I’m telling my age and looking back now they did sing some cheesy love songs, but at that moment I knew I wanted to be a live concert participant! The Music got better and the bands I have seen were amazing since then. Every chance I get I go to a live concert!

My best music experiences when my daughter sang at talent shows , at church,4 h share the fun,ball games, graduations, etc.

The Aerosmith Concert… on Guitar hero; lol

Listening to ACDC IN a van with no shocks, with all my friends heading to parties.

I attended a Yanni concert a few years back in a reserved box— complete with food, friends, great music. A fantastic music experience — and one that makes regular tickets to anything a little disappointing.

Musical Memory would be growing up playing the organ and signing with my grandfather (at the same time… LOL). I miss those days. I always wanted to learn to play piano but never have learned… bummer. My hubby plays guitar tho!

My favorite music memory is being a little girl and my mom turning up the radio while cooking and cleaning. This was the 80′s and I remember her singing to Tina Turner and Patti Labelle and always singing the lyrics before the singer sang them. It was so annoying at the time but when I remember those times I remember how good it felt being a little girl and thinking my mom was the most beautiful woman in the world.

listening to old records in my bedroom as a kid i would dig through my moms 45s all day long and sing and dance in my room