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Post by YesterdayOnceMore on Sept 27, 2007 10:28:56 GMT -5
I thought this might give us a different, and interesting topic to discuss here in Tim's corner. What groups, or vocalists did YOUR parents listen to? What sort of music did they gravitate towards? Did you listen to a lot of music when you were a child? I heard Queen Latifah (one of my favorites as I think she is so versatile and talented) talking this morning about her new album, on which she is doing some light pop ("Poetry Man") and some wonderful jazz selections, like one from Sarah Vaughan...I forgot the name. Anyway, Latifah (Dana Owens is her given name) was talking about WHY she did Poetry Man on this album. It seems her mother used to play this selection EVERY SATURDAY, and several times too, while she was cleaning up the house. Queen Latifah asked her mom what she thought of her doing a cover of this song....her mom told her she was going to really have to step up to the plate, because it was an intricate melody, and Phoebe Snow did it so well with that voice that was so different from everyone else. That music is still stuck in my head. I keep singing Poetry Man today. Not a bad song to have stuck, as songs go, I suppose. That NPR conversation this morning got me to thinking, and I came up with this thread. My parents were big band fans. They used to get to go to hear the big bands, and the singers, in person. Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan....they got to listen (and dance) to all of them. These groups would appear either here in Springfield, Kansas City or in St. Louis, and the folks that attended would DANCE...not just sit and listen. I heard story after story about these shows and dances, and mom had several autographs of some of the aforementioned. They were all on business cards, in pencil! How odd. But, they remain today, and I'm getting ready to put them on my music studio wall. They also listened to the Carpenters. My folks both loved to listen to Carpenters. Each time I'd get a new LP, they would want me to put it on their stereo, so they could see what sort of innovative stuff Carpenters had done on this one. My mother, who was a very good alto, used to sing We've Only Just Begun around the house as she was cleaning, ironing, or cooking - which it seems she did a lot of. She thought, as I did, that the harmonies done by Karen and Richard were impecably done, and so, so awesome. All of us certainly know this to be true. What about you? What did you grow up listening to? What did YOUR parents listen to? Who did they "dig"? I wish you all the best from here in my corner, Tim
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Post by wisejester7 on Sept 27, 2007 18:30:12 GMT -5
Good topic, T.
Although I can't really name one particular name, group, or band, I can tell you some of the genres they listened to. Of course, they listened to the music of their day which included Big Bands, Glenn Miller, Doris Day, Latin Rhythm music, classical, Judy Garland, etc. There is a box of old 78's around somewhere. I remember this is where I first heard "Caravan". Later ... much later, I heard the Carpenters version of the same song. That was a fun discovery for me!
My Mom was especially into music. She had such an open mind when it came to music and she followed the trends of my growing days through the Herman Hermits, Beatles, Monkees, Partridge Family, John Denver and the Carpenters. That is not to say she especially liked Partridge Family, but she knew of them and what the music was all about. Maybe the Shirley Jones/Broadway/Movie connection helped there??
We also heard church music, Barbra Streisand, Rolling Stones, the Supremes, Elvis (you couldn't really escape what was going on there),Louis Armstrong, Sousa Marches, Stephan Foster, Cat Stevens, etc. Plus, there was a little smattering of country/cowboy type music.
Pretty much if it was music that was popular in America, then they listened enough to know what it was about. Both of my parents were open minded and interested in what was going on around them and later us kids. That was one of the really cool things about them. They didn't notice their age difference - it was all about the music.
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Post by Rick Henry on Sept 27, 2007 19:59:24 GMT -5
My mom liked Nat King Cole, Bill Haley, Ricky Nelson, Dixie Cups and The Shirelles. My dad was big into Donovan, Bob Dylan, Trini Lopez and the Kingston Trio. Dad was a bit of a rebel sort and mom just liked having fun. I got both of those personality traits from them. By the way they are still married to this day. In the 70's dad did not like Carpenters - but loved Creedence Clearwater Revival and Three Dog Night. Mom loved Elton John and John Lennon. My mom always liked John Lennon's voice. My musical tastes came from outside the home - mainly from the record store I used to hang out at after school.
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Post by smoothie2 on Nov 15, 2007 0:55:18 GMT -5
We had a big old RCA record player for a long time at home. I don't know if my folks actually had any records of their own, since mostly we had that player there and going all the time especially when both my older brother and sister lived at home. Thinking of music my parents enjoyed, I think their favorite was always old gospel like the singer/actor/comedian Tennessee Ernie Ford (very deep tremendous voice). We had a gospel record of his. Also The Chuck Wagon Gang. My folks were young married people in the 40's and so I know they enjoyed also the Big band sounds. They also loved old country and western.... SATURDAY NITES>>>dad lies often in the floor by the big old tv, flipping one minute to Hee Haw and then the next L. Welk. I found I enjoyed a little of both also. We had all kinds of music going on, my sister had a lot of 45's.. which varied from Nat K. Cole, Bobby Vinton, Elvis, and Dave Clark Five. Brother>>...his tastes...N. Diamond, HERB ALPERT, AND more Herb ..we all loved Herb...and a similar group The Ventures, Beach Boys, Beatles. I tended to like the rock sounds a bit more than country, but I was the first to really "dig" the Carpenters and J. Denver. and more J. Denver. My folks really liked them both though too. and Andy Williams, Dean Martin. So, we all enjoyed a large variety in sounds. Sure am glad. I don't recall my folks ever complaining about any of the rock sounds back in those days. Many parents these days really put limits on what the kids listen to or watch on tv or computer because "anything goes" so much of the time violence, explicit ads and etc. I know my folks would be doing the very same thing if music was that way today. ???I really enjoy these thoughts of those days Tim...glad you brought 'em up.
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