Music in the Blood

"How much like my brothers, do my brothers wanna be?

Does a broken home become another broken family?

Or will we be there for each other, like nobody ever could?

Will it wash out in the water, or is it always in the blood?"

From "In the Blood", by John Mayer. Click the photo for a lyric video.

Between Mother's Day and Father's Day in the U.S.A. is family month. So I've been reminiscing on my departed parents, and putting together a list of songs that are by and about family. Hope you enjoy my playlist and please send me songs to add to it.

There are so many talented singers and musicians who are family. I've had crushes on both Michael Jackson and Donny Osmond, and come to think of it, Karen Carpenter as well. I had the pleasure of singing with one such musical family in Jamaica for a time: the Davis family. Mrs. Davis taught at the school I went to, and I was closest in age to Hugh Davis. He wasn't in my class, but Hugh also played organ at my church, and was the choir director for the second service for a time (and I sang with the choir). So we got to know each other. He's a math genius. Got top marks in the annual national math competition thereby winning a scholarship for college. That's how I remember it.

I later met the rest of the family, and for a short time joined a small gospel chorale composed mostly of immediate Davis family members, called Golden Horizon. We wore silky bright yellow shirts and black pants or skirts. Hugh was great at classical piano and it seemed to me he could play any hymn in any key. He's now a pastor and motivational speaker (in Mississippi) as well as a music educator. His brother Harold plays pop and jazz (well) by ear. In 2014 he released an album called "Something Special." He's also a career engineer, working for the Jamaican government. they are both "bright like stadium light," as they say in Jamaica. Their sister Hope was also a brilliant piano (and even more amazing, organ) player. Hugh and Hope both achieved doctorates in music. Hope is now a Professor of Music at Imperial Valley College in California. When we sang together I was happy as a lark, being--at least while the music was playing--a member of a glorious, golden, choir, related by harmony and bound together by the love of music.