Music & Family: The One Where I Talk to my Mom About Music
Anyone who knows me knows that my mom is the closest family member I have in my life. And with my mom being 58 years old, she has experienced a lot in her life. When I found out about this project, I knew she and I could go on and on about music, because she is Italian and will talk for forever.
Without further ado, a normal conversation between me and my mom: the music edition.
*Beginning of conversation*
Me: Hey mom! You wanna help me for a blog for my class? I need you to give me as much information as you can about how music affected your life and how it affects you now.
Mom: Oh let me sit down and I'll help. *groans as she walks to the couch* Oh wait, are you not specifically asking questions?
Me: Nope, I'll only ask questions if I need more information.
Mom: Okie dokie. My earliest recollection of music is elementary school when we had to take normal music classes. I think we had to play recorder in either 3rd or 4th grade. I had a friend who had an electric organ, so my parents bought me one. I would mess around on it, but I quickly lost interest and wasn't that good at it. My dad (my grandfather) was a DJ, so I grew up loving records. We had a phonograph and lots of different albums. My earliest music influences were Olivia Newton John, The Osmonds, and The Jackson 5. As I entered middle school, I tried out for choir, but I definitely wasn't good enough to join *chuckles*. It was at this time that disco music and dance music was becoming popular, for example the soundtrack from the movie Saturday Night Fever. I got really into that type of music because I realized that although I couldn't really sing or play an instrument, I loved dancing. In high school I never took any music classes, and I wasn't as connected to music as I was when I was younger. But I still loved dance music, because my friends and I would go to dance clubs to hang out. That's where I met your dad for God's sake *chuckles*. After graduating high school, I was introduced to smooth jazz, and soulful music with saxophone and bass tones. I also began to like pop music. Anything else you want to know?
Me: That was awesome information. What would you say is your favorite genre or genres?
Mom: I would have to go with smooth jazz. I just love the soulful feeling of it.
Me: Any favorite artists?
Mom: Oh it's gonna be so hard to narrow that down! I'd definitely put Whitney Houston as one of my favorites, also Kenny G, who is a saxophone jazz musician.
Me: Oh I remember when you and I listened to Kenny G in the car years ago! Any specific music or songs that bring back any important memories?
Mom: Well, going back to Kenny G, his song "Silhouette" was our wedding song, so that song is definitely special to me. The band ZZ Top is important because your dad and I went to see them in Blacksburg, VA in either 1991 or 1992. And also I went to Oregon Jam in 1982 before I even met your dad. The bands that played were Loverboy, Moody Blues, Blue Oyster Cult, *goes to ask my dad who the other bands were* Foreigner, Taxxi, and Joan Jett. I'm surprised I remembered Joan Jett performing! *giggles and gets excited*
Me: So I have to ask, what do you think about popular music today?
Mom: I could do without it *chuckles*. But honestly, I do like Bruno Mars, the Jonas Brothers when they all split off to make solo music, Adele, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry. I just like modern music that has a dance energy to it. It doesn't matter what the words are, as long as it has the music to get me dancing.
Me: I think I already know the answer to this, but what do you think of my taste in music?
Mom: Oh, kpop? Some of it is ok, but I can't understand what they are saying. Some of the music has a dance vibe but I don't understand Korean at all.
Me: Yeah I figured you'd say that *laughs*. So I know you messed around on the electric organ, but if you were to have learned an instrument or learn something nowadays, what would you go with?
Mom: I think based on my age and dexterity I would have to go with drums or some kind of easy percussion. What's that one instrument...timpani or something?
Me: Mom, you have to tune it. It's difficult.
Mom: Oh I don't care about the tuning. I just wanna play bongos or something. I would love to play piano or guitar because I'm always impressed by how you play. I just know that I wouldn't have the dexterity to play instruments like that at 58 years old.
Me: Did you listen to music in the car or anything like that?
Mom: Yeah, we usually listened to AM radio, which played calmer music and eventually played 70s music, like disco and pop. I remember your grandfather (who I call Papa) loved that one Canadian artist, Anne Murray. We also listened to American Top 40, especially when my mom (my grandmother who I call Nona) and I would drive to Eugene for shopping trips.
Mom: Our church in the 1970s had services called "folk masses," where the musicians really just played guitar, a little piano, and sang, similarly to the church you and I used to go to. The music had a modern 70s sound, which appealed to younger folks.
Me: Anything else that stood out to you about music?
Mom: Oh! I remember listening to Elton John,
Chicago, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and ABBA! Those were some bands I really loved growing up.
Me: Perfect, thanks for your help!
*End of conversation*
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Your mom has an amazing music taste! I loved reading about her perspectives on music - the fact she loves Blue Oyster Cult and Bruno Mars is really cool to me! I also didn't know your mom was Italian, that's awesome!
ReplyDeleteI knew I was going to enjoy this blog when I saw the “Grease” poster before opening the full blog lol. I love that your mom went from recorder to electric organ but ultimately liked listening to the Saxophone, Jaz, ect.
ReplyDeleteYour mom's music taste sounds exactly like mine! Seeing Loverboy being on there, I had to read your blog more than once! I also enjoy Blue Oyster Cult and listening to people play Saxophone (especially Kenny G)
ReplyDeleteYour mom has great taste in music. I love "Saturday Night Fever" with John Travolta's iconic dancing. I wish I could have lived during the era of Disco. Haha my mom "does without" the modern music too. They're around the same age.
ReplyDeleteAwe, I really love your interview with your mom!! Mothers are truly the best! That's so cool that your mom's the same age like my mother! Haha, that means they must know the same songs and listen to them! I forgot to mention we love Whitney Houston (especially "I Will Always Love You" which I just listened to in the car on the way back home) and Kenny G! :)
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