Musical Parents

[justmund]

Anyone here have musical parents? Interested to hear peoples stories: Sometimes you get great musos from musical parents (Dweezil, Norah Jones etc), sometimes people get music "forced" on them, sometimes musical genius comes out of nowhere...

My dad is a singer, played in lots of cover bands in the 70s and 80s. Being Tasmania I still come across guys that know my dad or used to go see him play. He's got a great voice, something I wish I inherited. I sing a few songs in our band, but yeah, I'm not quite as good as my dad.

Here's a link to a myspace page one of his old band members set up - http://www.myspace.com/dctenz/

He got me into playing guitar when I was about 12, and I guess I was fortunate that my parents were able to provide for me and buy me a guitar and amp. Strangely I started on electric, and didn't play much acoustic until later on in life. I didn't have music lessons and I still know little theory, which is something I intend to change... one day...

I intend to give my children the same opportunity, if they're interested in music I will provide instrument/s for them and teach them as much as I can.

How about you?

 

[László]

My parents were good piano players, both sight-readers, and my mother did community musical theater. She was a good singer/actress for a non-professional. She'd majored in theater in college, and performed on radio programs in Detroit during WWII. There was always music in the house, and little impromptu family "jams" when I was a kid. We had both a grand piano and a Hammond organ in the living room.

My brothers played instruments also.

All three of my kids were musical in one way or another, all did musical shows in high school, took music lessons, and my son was always the singer/guitar player in original music bands; one of his high school bands played Warped Tour. He majored in music in college where he did lots of recording, film scoring (won some awards) and even created pieces for the dance students. He's also toured opening for 30 Seconds to Mars, done shows playing with the band The Academy Is, and produced some really good recordings.

Right now he's working on the upcoming 30 Seconds to Mars record, which he's having a great time doing. He really digs the guys in the band as well as the producer. He's engineering the project.

Whether it's nature or nurture I don't know, but it does seem to run in families.

 

[Solocaller]

My mom used to play an acoustic before I was born, but she sold it when times got tough. I just found out that she played about two months ago. She's never brought it up and I can't get her to play, but she's just happy sitting and listening to me play. My dad can play the jews harp....thats about it. He can sing some and I inherited that from him. Music hasn't really run in my family, but thats something I intend to change.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

nope.

 

[gush]

My dad talks about when he was in high school, he and his brothers played a little bit. Grandpa played organ mostly but used to play harmonica and guitar. saturday night dad and his friends would show up with guitars and amps and just jam. Grandpa and grandma would get up, he would fire up the hammond and she would start cooking food. Grandpa always said they never knew how many kids would be there in the morning. Kind of neat.

 

[Herr Squid]

I've got music all over my family.

My mother's father was a jazz musician and supported his family of six on it for a while, before starting an insurance business. My mother plays piano and woodwinds, and is part time organist at her church. My father plays tuba and piano, sings in church choir. My brother plays brass (mainly trumpet) and a little piano, and got me hooked on guitar. His wife played sax, his oldest son plays sax and just marched in the Inaugural parade in DC. His youngest son plays bass violin. My wife plays a little harp, and is far better than she thinks she is. I play guitar and keys, used to know how to operate a sax, directed my high school marching band, and every once in a while I get enough gumption together to play in a cover band. Whew...!

 

[Albrecht Smuten]

My father was a pianist and used to shout the hell out of me to make me practise. He was a huge person and had a really strong voice. I hated it and quit when I was eleven.

 

[Boogie]

Nope. Dad was infamous for loud shower sonatas and mom played clarinet in high school, but neither pursued anything musical...even as a hobby. They did promote and support my musical expansion, for sure. I took that lead to expose and support my kids' musical endeavors as much as possible. The results are very satisfying since they're both accomplished on multiple instruments and one is an audio engineer.

 

[sleary]

My mother and father both played guitar as well as a little accordion . My two aunts play piano, uncle plays drums,guitar and three cousins play guitar as well. One cousin actually tours a lot and has a couple cd's out.

 

[Steve59]

My mom sang in high school but that's about it. I started band in grade 5 and stayed with it through college. My major was engineering and all my electives were in music theory. I started guitar about 15 years ago and have been hooked ever since. On the other side, my youngest son is an avid guitar player. I've studied with multiple instructors and taken voice to improve my performing. He just practices, studies the internet and gets better all the time.

 

[JMintzer]

Nope, tone deaf, both of them...

I'm the only one in the family with any musical ability (and that is quite limited...)

Now my youngest daughter is a wonderful violin player, in her H.S. Orchestra...


Jamie

 

[WEDGE]

My father played flamenco guitar and played the albums/tapes constantly. I rememeber when I was around 5, late sixties, he went to Madrid and came back with several Paulino Bernabe flamenco guitars and sold all but one to pay for the trip and his keeper. Fantastic guitar which I wish I still had.

A peculiarity worth mentioning about music and my family.....my parents had a son when they were like 15 and gave him up for adoption, I did not find out until I was in my thirties. When I met him I found out he also played guitar, very well, and had a beautiful PRS Custom 24 sunburst. Not sure which year but this was around 89 or so so it might have been a very early one. We have since lost touch for family drama reasons so I cant find out now but I wonder if he had a first year, was a very nice playing and sounding guitar.

My daughter who is ten has a wonderful voice and sings in her school chorus and audition acapella group and plays piano and trumpet. My wife plays piano and sings and was the arranger for her college acapella group the NH Notables. Me I hack away on the guitar, I like to joke that my wife is a musician, I just play guitar

 

[Albrecht Smuten]

A peculiarity worth mentioning about music and my family.....my parents had a son when they were like 15 and gave him up for adoption, I did not find out until I was in my thirties. When I met him I found out he also played guitar, very well, and had a beautiful PRS Custom 24 sunburst. Not sure which year but this was around 89 or so so it might have been a very early one. We have since lost touch for family drama reasons so I cant find out now but I wonder if he had a first year, was a very nice playing and sounding guitar.

What are the odds of him being on this forum?

 

[DISTORT6]

Not musical, just REALLY cool about music.
They had(have) an extensive music collection. From opera to Zeppelin and everywhere in-between, it's in there.
I could listen and purchase any music I wanted. In fact, my mother bought me the Kiss- Destroyer album for me when I was in the 4th grade. (THANKS MOM!)

 

[WEDGE]

What are the odds of him being on this forum?

Slim......last I heard he is a bluegrass nut, if this was the Martin forum then maybe.....

 

[mad monk]

My Grandmother had a lesson or 2 on piano, then took off on her own. She could sit at the church organ and play both 'boards and the bass pedals; singing all the while. I'd love to hear that again.
No one else in my family can carry a tune in a bucket. I'm a mediocre guitarist. And that's being generous.

 

[alantig]

My mother started taking guitar lessons after I did and eventually taught at the studio where we took lessons (I taught there a bit). She still plays a fair bit in church, and I record backing tracks for her. Surprisingly there are no backward masked messages in the tracks, and they apparently still play in the church, even though I recorded them!

 

[rocguitar]

My Grandfather played mandolin and guitar for over 60 years, my Dad played guitar for over 70 years, I've been playing guitar for almost 50 years, and my Son is now the fourth generation guitar player!

 

[tiboy]

Neither of my parents had a musical bone in their bodies. I inherited their lack of musical aptitude.

 

[clcwarlock]

My uncle used to be friends with Tony Bennett and he used to travel to New York all the time for Gigs. My brother is a great singer and he has been in bands since I was in JR high so I have been around music all my life.