Singing

Some of my first childhood memories are about singing.  When I was 5 years old my favorite songs to sing were, "The Tennessee Waltz," "How Much is That Doggie in the Window?" and "Rudolf the Red Nosed Raindeer."

When I was a young child, I sang solos in church.  I was proud of myself.  In fifth grade, I sang in front of the school class.  I sang, "The Wayward Wind" and The Banana Boat Song."  The kids really liked it.  One girl said that I was as good as Elvis.

Singing runs in my family.  My dad had a beautiful voice.  Her sang for church socials and funerals all his life.  On his eightieth birthday party, he sang "Stay As Sweet As You Are" to my mother.

When my brother, Bill, was a teenager, he sang in a quartet on a local radio station.  I told my friend at school that my brother sang on the radio in a group called The Four Pegs  She thought I was talking about The Four Preps.  When The Four Preps appeared on American Bandstand, she called me, anxious to know which one was my brother.  I had to tell her that he wasn't in The Four Preps.  I was embarrassed.

I always like to sing in the bathroom.  The accoustics are good in there.  One time I was in the bathroom at school, singing my heart out, one song after another, really belting them out.  A little girl came in and told me that the teacher sent her in to tell me that I was disturbing the class next door.

As a teenager, my sister Jan and I sang duets.  We usually sang "Young and Foolish."  We sang at church dinners and parties.   In church meetings, we usually sang, "I'll Walk With God."  Jan pursued her singing and became a proffesional opera singer.  She worked hard to train her voice and her singing is remarkable.

I learned to play the guitar in college.  I used to love to play and sing, but I hardly ever pick it up anymore.  I don't remember very many songs.  I tried to write my own songs, but the songs I wrote we not good at all.

I still like music.  I still sing in the shower, but I don't think anybody hears me.  It's just as well.