Musical memories

I am not sure about the (cough, cough ) younger generation, but my favorite and sometime saddest memories involve music. It is rare that a “golden oldie” doesn’t get stuck in my head or evoke some memory or another. I have often wondered how much grey matter is taken up with that radio station in my brain.

My life has always had music even though we weren’t a musical family. I heard tunes over the radio, listened to my parents play their Johnny Mathis or Nat King Cole albums, or my older siblings listening to the Beatles or Dave Clark Five. This was all on a record player that you had to have a coin on the needle arms to help it play!

My very first 45 record was “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love to Town” by Kenny Rogers. I had wanted to buy “2525" by Zager and Evans but they had sold out. See, even 40 odd years later I still remember that. This was the beginning of developing my own varied musical taste and thus my own collection of albums, tapes and now CDs and ipod tunes.

This fall seems to have a bumper crop of musician’s biographies. As a co-worker stated “they can’t afford to tour so they write their biographies to make some money. Here are some I am looking forward to reading.

Music from far and wide : celebrating 40 years of the Juno awards


Between a Heart and a Rock Place: a memoir - Pat Benatar

Put on your Crown : life changing moments on the path to Queendom - Queen Latifah

Patti Lupone: a memoir - Patti Lupone

All of Me - Anne Murray

Now these are the most recent biographies being published. I have read many others in the past and I am curious if you “Dear Reader” can suggest any for all those music lover out there in “blog” world.