I grew up in a singing family. My siblings and I were encouraged to sing by our parents. This probably began as we were taken to church at a very young age. Bible songs were taught and caught and shared through VBS programs and other children’s ministry events. Church hymns became a staple of our Sunday morning and evenings. In time, we joined the church choir, which is where I learned to read music and sing the bass line, standing between my dad and big brother.
But singing was not just confined to our church experience. Family gatherings included singing, especially when we went camping and spent evening’s singing around the camp fire circle. Songs from folklore and legend, and all parts of the country came to be part of our repertoire as we learned new ballad’s and tributes at National Park ranger talks and State Park visitor center programs. We even made up our own take-off versions of some of these. For example: The Bear Went Over the Mountain in Cash-land included a parody verse which lyrics stated: He stuck his head in a dark hole, He stuck his head in a dark hole; and all he saw were sparkles. Don’t ask me to explain the logic of that one, but I will tell you it was hilarious when I was about ten years old – and it still makes me smile today. Continue reading
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