Ah, Sweet Music

The long-awaited-highly-anticipated-easy-listening-album-of-the-year-that-you-didn’t-even-know-about is finally here! And no, I’m not talking about some well known artist making a greatest hits album, nor am I following an ‘up and coming’ musician that will start new waves in the music world. I’m talking about a personal music project I just completed to help the women of my church with their mission projects.

Back in the spring I was trying to think of ways I could do more for my church. I am so delighted with my new church family that I constantly want to give something back. With caring for my mother being a second full-time job, I don’t have the freedom to participate in church events, join small study groups or be part of the United Methodist Women. I am so astounded at what this small church is accomplishing, and every time I hear about a new mission the UMW is taking on, I am overwhelmed with the desire to help.

Well, I may be house-bound in the evenings and on weekends, but that doesn’t stop me from plucking around on a keyboard. So that’s what I decided to do. (Now you’re scratching your head and wondering where I am going with this.) I made several trips this summer to Fort Worth/Dallas for my visual issues. While there, I spent hours of fun in my son-in-law’s office plugged in to Mac’s Garage Band program. With Ryan’s help, I produced a little CD of easy listening piano music. I chose simple love ballads that were old favorites. I took children’s music from my years of teaching and dressed them up a little. I spared no expense on the production - I plied Ryan with his favorite foods at all his favorite restaurants. Oh, and I bought a sharpie marker from the dollar store! [Instead of printing a nice CD label, I scribbled my name on each one.] Yup, you guessed it, this was a cheap production. Ryan did the cover art and I did my own back cover. I dubbed several hundred copies and stacked them on a table at church. I made one for each household to take if they wanted one as my Christmas gift to them.

But, I told them there was a catch. Ah, yes, there’s that old “How’s that gonna help the UMW?” you might be asking. Well, if they LIKED the album and wanted to give one to a sister, a sweetheart, a mother, a secretary or the old grouch down the street who just needed to chill out - for a DONATION of $5.00 (per CD) I told them to take as many as they wanted and give the money to the UMW for their mission work. If they decided they DIDN’T like it – it was a free coaster! The first introduction at a UMW function netted over $100. We couldn’t believe it. I hope they fly out the door. What a gift to the UMW this would be if the project is successful.

A Little Bit Of Musical History
Back when I was singing with Wings of Eagles in the late 80’s and early 90’s we recorded two albums. Man, has technology really changed things. This piano album was a breeze compared to the old days of tape. Back then, if you made a mistake, it had to be redone in sections or as a whole. We didn’t have the ability to record each of the four voices and a piano and instruments on individual tracks. If one of us messed up, we all started over. I know we spent almost 15 hours on four songs in one day alone. Multiply that by the total on the album – you’ll get an idea of the exhaustion involved. But today, a single mistake can be corrected with the click of a mouse. I was like a kid in a candy store with the variety of sounds you can generate with the computer and a keyboard.

This was the first time in a very long time I have looked forward to something and felt a sense of accomplishment. It has put a new perspective on life that I thought I lost. I have allowed caring for my mother to dampen so much in my life, simply because I had to set aside so many activities that used my talents. When I first started caring for mother she would drop whatever she was doing to come into the room to listen to me play the piano or practice something I was scheduled to sing for church. Music meant so much to her before this recent stage of Alzheimer’s. Music was so important to mom she sacrificed so I could take piano lessons as a child. I remember her taking in ironing and sweating over the ironing board in a house without air conditioning – all because she loved music and the talent that was denied her manifested itself in me.

Now, she doesn’t even notice the music in the next room. It is just one more thing I thought we lost – until I took her to church one Sunday. I had actually chosen “Jesus Loves Me” for one of the hymns that day. All the other music brushed past her ears with no registration at all. We started the verse and her head turned toward me as I directed. When the chorus of “Yes, Jesus loves me” started, she began to mouth the words. A flicker of a smile lit her eyes each time we sang the chorus. I almost cried in front of everyone. It was the first time in a long while that showed music could still reach her.

Music is one of the most beautiful things of our world. Whether it helps provide a family with Christmas gifts and warm clothes through the UMW mission projects, or if it reaches out to tug at the heartstrings, rest assured that it will touch someone profoundly in ways you can never fathom. Of all the fancy arrangements I have played and sang, “Jesus Loves Me” will be the most poignant melody I will hold in my memory – for there was a fleeting glimpse of the mother I used to know in those few short moments in time.