52 Ancestors Week 13: Music

 From Amy Johnson Crow: The birds are singing, so what better time for the theme of "Music." Any musicians in the family? How about someone who loved music and dancing? What about someone who makes you think of a song?

If you close your eyes and let the music play....

    Life is full of irony. I have hearing aids and I am almost completely deaf. Despite that I have grown up around music of all types and genres. My father would play songs from the 1950s and 1960s on the way to and from the marina where we spent most weekends in the summer. My mother, in turn, played contemporary music in her car. I've grown to appreciate music from many genres provided it isn't too loud and I can actually HEAR what's being sung by the artist. I can't tell you how much I've been turned off by certain artists because of how he or she sounds to me. When someone asks me to name my favorite artist, I have a tough time answering. You should see my Spotify. It's full of songs from the '80s, '90s and today. How did it get this way? Well...,

John Philip Sousa

    Music has been a part of my family from almost the beginning. Both sides of my family have been making music for as long as I can remember. My grandfather, Bob, loved the work of John Philip Sousa. In fact, he had so many records that when he passed away they had to be separated and spread out amongst anyone who wanted them. 

    Several of Sousa's songs were even played at his funeral. My grandfather was a big fan of his music and to this day every time I hear any one of his songs, I think of my grandfather. He'd even have it on whenever we visited. Since he knew my brother was into music, they would talk about it all the time.

    It didn't stop there. My uncle Bob has been known to sing and he even dropped a CD. I am so not kidding. It made for the most hilarious Christmas present ever. I should have gotten his autograph. I wonder how much it would be worth!

    My grandfather loved music. I even once caught him listening to my iTunes back in the day. I was never sure what to make of his thoughts on contemporary music. Though, he did comment on how loud "Uptown Funk" was at my cousin's wedding. I wonder if he ever heard her brother play as he was on the DJ scene in New Hampshire.

    Yeah sufficed it to say that music permeated the soul (Heh) of everyone on my mother's side of the family. Who do we have to blame? Well, it's hard to say. John Sargent Fisher, my fourth great-grandfather, was a musician. We have no idea what he played. However, censuses did list him as such. Perhaps some of his musical talent was passed down through the generations? It's hard to say.

Vincenzo Ferraiolo

    My father's side has also had some amazing musical talent as well. Today, I even watched a live Facebook performance put on by a second cousin. I will say this. Paolo's great-grandson has some serious skills. That isn't to say his brother, Vincenzo didn't. Vincenzo would sing to my mother in Italian and according to her, he did a pretty good job. I was never sure if she was just saying that. I am inclined to believe what she said about my great-grandfather. It's not like I have easy access to a time machine.

    His musical skill would later pass on to my father who was actually in a band with his cousins on his mother's side of the family. Joe ended up becoming a music instructor and has even taught me a few basic songs on the keyboard. I don't know if I was any good. But, Joe didn't wince in horror when I did "Chopsticks". Then again,  how do you mess that up?!  The answer might surprise you. 

    It's a shame I never got a chance to hear Vincenzo sing a song. I have heard my father play saxophone, though. If you look at him, I doubt he was singing like Pavarotti. It's all good. I can definitely imagine the songs he sang instead.

    As you can see, music came at me from both sides of the family. From classic rock to classical to the hits of today music filled our lives for generations and it's likely never going to stop as my brother has been teaching his kids how to play piano and everything. Musical talent, in my case, may have skipped a generation as I can only do "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero" on easy mode. =) Hey! At least I have heart and...can play "Stairway to Heaven".

    It's hard for me to pick just one ancestor to talk about when it comes to music. They all influenced my taste in ways large and small. I will say this, though, if I had to pick a song that makes me think of everyone, it would have to be the title song from the 2017 Disney-Pixar movie "Coco". I am of course talking about "Remember Me". In the movie it is a lullaby. But, it struck a chord with me because it fits my family so well. Like the Riveras in the movie, music had an important role to play in their lives and in the end there is an important message here. As long as you keep the music playing, keep their love alive and  your ancestors will never fade away. Talk about the ultimate genealogy song to put on your genealogy playlist! And yes, WikiTree has one on Spotify. 

See ya next time!

 

    

Keep our love alive, I'll never fade way.