How Sad Am I

I have many things to thank my parents for and though it's taken me half my life to realize my appreciations, I will take this time to thank them for making music the fabric of my life. I know they would have loved if I'd stuck with piano lessons or pursued the French horn into my adult life, but as I jokingly say to people who ask me if I play an instrument, "I play the stereo quite well" and for that, I have my parents to thank. While I may not have any refined musical skills, I can appreciate a good piece of music with the best of them.

This is why I am sad at the passing of Odetta. My parents had her records and I practiced my music appreciation skills hunkered down in my father's study listening to Odetta belt out and softly hum folk songs through the large headphones my father kept by the stereo. I listened to others as well -- Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Judy Collins -- but Odetta felt more like home than any other singer in my parents' record collection.

I've spent this morning reading her obituary in a variety of newspapers and listening to any interviews and performances I could find on the internet (NYT has the best). Even in her 70s she could sing beautifully -- not as strongly, but still there was a raw honesty to her performances in the last years of her life.

Now I must begin my day, but I didn't want to head out to my chores and errands and work assignments without a tip of my hat to my parents... and to Odetta, of course. May you find the promised land you sang about your entire life.