My mom has always been my biggest musical influence. Some of my earliest memories are of her singing as she did various tasks around the house. We always sang as we took car rides. Because my mom loved to sing, I loved to sing. Music is my greatest joy in life. Although my mom had no formal music training, she had fond memories of the nuns who taught music. Later in life, she decided to take up the mountain dulcimer. She and I went to some week-long events in Bardstown Kentucky called "Kentucky Music Week". We took some classes together with Aubrey Atwater, Susan Trump, and Lloyd Wright. My father attended with us and was our most ardent supporter. Until recently, my mom and I would play through some of the tunes in her tune book. My dad shouts out the name of a song he wants us to sing and play. Mom mostly read the tablature, and I'd struggle along as I tried to play by ear. But now my mom's Alzheimer's disease steals her memory of knowing how to play. Her ability to play is fragile. Sometimes she can play along; other times she stares in disbelief that she could ever play such an instrument. What I love, is that I can put the harp in front of my mom and she feels the freedom to strum across the strings and create simple melodies. Occasionally she looks up at me and says, "Is this the harp that you flew all across the country to get? I didn't know if I would ever see you again!" This persistent memory of me flying to Atlanta and then to Houston during one Spring Break 8 years ago may resurface several times as Mom plays. Keep that memory, Mom. Remember...
