My grandpa starred in many community productions of the Music Man with his own barbershop quartet.
I have always grown up with a love of music (and movies but that's not what this blog is about is it?). I would go around singing in the house when I didn't know the lyrics (like any five-year-old knows any lyrics). I would also dance around a lot too, but it would mostly consist of jumping up and down like an idiot. But I can't talk about my love of music without talking about my grandpa...
Prepare for it to get a bit sappy now
My grandpa, everywhere he went, formed many barbershop quartets. He had barbershop quartets with family and others. He even formed a barbershop quartet on a ship to France when he was in the military (he couldn't be in combat due to an arm injury he got being a young boy on the farm).
He was a tenor because he was told if he was a tenor, he would never run out of quartets to sing with.
Every time we would visit him, he would play over and over these barbershop DVDs of the international barbershop competition. It was repetitive, yeah, but I was glad to be there because he was always so excited by a good harmonizing chord. His love of music was absolutely contagious. Always sitting down in his big brown recliner, it seemed as if the music never ended.
He played this one quite a bit. I remember that he really liked it because they were Scandinavian (Swedish Scandinavians to be more specific). My grandpa, being a descendent of Norwegian immigrants, always was happy to see Scandinavians doing their thing.
My grandpa passed away a year ago today, but I owe the music in my life to him. Whether my love of music is nature or nurture, it doesn't matter because he brought so much joy, music, and kindness to so many people.
So, if you have the time, thank the people who gave you the music in your life. Teacher, parent, friend, colleague, celebrity, whoever it is, they will be glad to hear some appreciation.
Thank you for the music!