Your musical family

[Tig***]

Do you have any other musicians in your family?
What about you kids, parents, grandparents?

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Eric***]

My mom and sister both play the piano casually, and my dad and sister both played french horn in high school -- my sister continues to play in some wind ensembles at present. My dad has sung in choirs for long stretches of time, but he says my mom "can't carry a tune in a bucket."

Most of my wife's extended family can sing pretty well, though I've never heard them do anything serious.

Popular music is nearly nonexistent within my immediate or extended family. They listen to it on the radio, but have next to no knowledge of it. Because of that, I've mostly been on my own when it comes to rock 'n' roll and the guitar therein. I frequently wish I had some sort of grounding in that stuff, as it would have accelerated the growth curve and discovery considerably, but I suppose I should count myself lucky for having any sort of musical background/support from my family.

[Tig***]

My older brother has always been into music, especially classical and movie scores, which are today's version of classical. He played woodwinds in high school, then brass in University of Houston's marching band. Sadly, he has always hated electric guitars, but I forgive him.

My Dad's world revolves around music. He started singing as soon as he could talk! He and his piano playing buddy were the only white people they knew of who liked rhythm and blues back in the late 40's/early 50's, before Elvis showed up. They sang in all the high schools in Houston and even in a house of prostitution in Galveston when they were teens (he never got paid in the way he wanted!). The Korean war interrupted the singing, but afterward, he attended U of H and starred in a few Broadway style singing plays. He also started singing in clubs, which lead to a short recording career. Unfortunately, someone else with a very similar voice was already making it big... Andy Williams. They owned a night club for a few years but the buddy drank up most of the meager profits. Then my older brother showed up, so Dad had to work for a living, and his musical dreams were left behind. Dad still loves music, and hasn't lost his voice too much.

My Dad's love of music came from his dad, who sang opera, and his grandmother, who played piano in churches and for silent movies. We had several albums of my grandfather's operas, but they were destroyed in a fire.
Here's a photo we found promoting one of his opera performances.

I remember my Dad, grandfather, and great grandmother all singing around the piano whenever we visited. I think those moments were the best ever for them. Music kept them together and happy.

So, while I'm not the most accomplished musician of the family, at least I share their love of music, and that's a priceless gift!

[sunvalleylaw]

My Dad is an accomplished sax player, both alto and bari. He also can play piano by ear. His twin brother (my uncle) played trumpet with him in a swing jazz band back in the day. My uncle's family has a couple good musicians in it, one who is pretty awesome, and whose daughter is now a recording and performing folk artist, having come from high end chorale music at Stanford University.

My oldest boy is taking guitar lessons and learning, and my second son is playing piano pretty darn well. My daughter is trying to play guitar, but having just turned 7, gets frustrated with trying to fret notes and chords on the guitar. She tells me it might be easier to learn piano first. She will likely start lessons of her choosing as she enters second grade. My wife also played piano as a kid, and was taking lessons again recently until we both quit our lessons for a while.

[Tig***]

My daughter is trying to play guitar, but having just turned 7, gets frustrated with trying to fret notes and chords on the guitar.

Very cool Dad ya got there. I played also sax for just 6th grade, but wasn't cut out for it. My Dad brought me into a bunch of clubs to listen to the great jazz and blues players before they passed on.

I was just reading an interview with Derek Trucks, and he mentioned that as a 9 year old kid, he started using a slide as it was easier to reach notes with smaller hands. That might be something fun for your daughter, just to keep the interest up.

My 14 and 9 year old boys like music, but haven't shown much interest in making it. A good keyboard might be worth investing in.

[Katastrophe]

My mom and grandmother used to play piano. My sister and I were exposed to piano lessons, but neither of us stuck with it.

I played trombone in 6th grade, but didn't make the Jr. High band. By that time I knew I wanted to play guitar, and have stuck with it ever since!

My stepdaughter made honors choir this year in school, and has a beautiful voice.

Mrs. Kat used to play drums in high school (and was a member of the drill team).

[Eric***]

A good keyboard might be worth investing in.

Want to buy mine??

[markb]

Just a piano playing grandmother. Salvationist - hymns only.

[marnold***]

We were always big singers--it's a Lutheran thing. We'll four-part-harmony you into next Tuesday! Anyway, My sister and aunt both play organ and piano. My other sister plays flute and piano. Two of my sons are now taking piano and my other son is taking trumpet. I'm trying to teach the eldest guitar too. Here he is playing is recital piece:

[Spudman***]

Neither of my parents were musical or artistic. My moms parents had a piano in their house and my grandmother played. Both me and my brother are musicians. Maybe it just what you get exposed to while growing up that is the impetus?

[Jimi75]

My great-grandparents of my father's side were wandering gypsys that emigrated to Sicily in Italy. My grandmother told me that my grand-greatfather played the violine and his brother was a very talented guitar player. Surprisingly though, the interest in music skipped some generations until my brother and I started making music.

[MichaelE]

My mother used to play the piano quite well but hasn't in years.

I had a Great Uncle by marriage that was quite an accomplished piano player. Learned a lot of the Tin Pan Alley stuff from the '20's and '30's when he was young, and then a lot of the Big Band numbers when he was older. He's actually the family member that sparked my interest in learning the piano. He was also a very good ragtime player.

My father couldn't carry a tune in a bag and didn't play any instruments. My sister started playing clarinet in grade school and gave that up. I started playing it for awhile, but I don't like reed instruments. Took up trumpet instead.

[mainestratman]

No one on my Dad's side is musically inclined... having grown up in remote Northern Maine way back in the day, there was no time for music.. only survival.

My mother's side is a different story. While I don't recall my grandfather being overly musical, he had perfect pitch and tuned pianos by ear. He would test out his tuning by banging out something... My grandmother was incredible on piano, playing solely by ear and a ton of improvisation (the skills I got that my sister didn't)... I grew up listening to a lot of ragtime.. even after the doxology or whatnot at church when she would throw in some Beer Barrel Polka or end her set with the last measures of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during Red Sox season...

My aunts and uncles all play guitar... strumming folky tunes around a campfire stuff (they're all hippies.. lol).. one of my aunts just recently picked up accordion. All my cousins on that side are musically talented in some way.. and a couple of them are paying rent with their music.

My younger sister is one of the most phenomenal pianists you'd ever care to hear.. and yes, I'm bragging. :-) She kept going with piano lessons long after I quit, and has made her career out of sharing her knowledge and love for music with others. My older sister has started with guitar lessons as well.

[Tig***]

Interesting to see how many relatives sing, play piano or guitar.
I wish I took piano lessons as a kid, though I'm sure I would have hated it back then!

I just remembered something about my Dad's recording days. In the local studio, he hung out with a young singer who later changed his style and music from rock and jazz to country, and become famous... Kenny Rogers.

[hubberjub***]

Both my parents were high school music teachers right out of college. My father is a trumpet player and my mother is a singer.

[Bloozcat]

My father used to play the trombone and the baritone when he was young, my sister tried playing guitar briefly, many years ago but gave it up. My wife plays piano, but never seems to play much of anything beyond the church hymns she learned years ago. It's a pity because she reads music and could learn to play anything she set her mind to. She just doesn't seem to have the desire. I found her a deal on a piano about eight years ago. She started taking lessons again briefly, but gave it up. We've since sold the piano.

I played the trumpet and baritone in band from elementary school into my freshman year in high school before giving that up to concentrate on guitar. I played some drums years ago and got good enough to sub for a drummer in a friends band in jr. high. I was never really good, but I could keep a beat and cover for the main drummer at practices, mainly.

No one in the family sings, either, which is unfortunate...especially for me!

[guitarhack]

My Dad's family loves singing, mostly gospel and hymns. His brother and one of my cousins are song leaders in their respective churches. My grandmother was and Dad's other brother is a fine piano player. Dad was a wonderful singer but didn't perform much that I remember exept in church or around a campfire. He could play piano by ear.

My Mom's family aren't musical that way although they love listening to music and exposed me to all kinds of pop, big band, country and jazz.

I also have two sisters, neither of whom play an instrument.

My two daughters played clarinet and flute in high school band, but haven't played since then, but they each have a child interested in music! My grandson loves drumming, while my oldest granddaughter has shown a little interest in guitar and singing, so there may be a chance for a family ensemble yet!

[SuperSwede]

My dad plays the double bass. One of my brothers plays the cello and the other one plays violin and guitar.

[Tone2TheBone]

My youngest daughter plays with the Albuquerque Youth Symphony. She's first violin. My oldest plays piano when she's not being a young adult and not playing Starcraft.