I recorded my first original song at five years old.
It sounds a bit crazy, but it’s true, and I still have it on tape today. My father and I used to sing together into his old cassette recorder, anything from Christmas carols to favorites like I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)… songs that to this day still leave me with bittersweet pangs of nostalgia. The most exciting part was, of course, rewinding the tape and hearing our voices play back. I was so amazed that we could do that! Sometimes, I still am.
My first original song, however, was a clever little number entitled, I Lost My Pet. The stirring melody and lyrics came straight from the top of my head to the tip of my tongue, telling the poignant story of a young girl who, well…lost her pet. The follow-up to that, I Like My Swingset, was equally as riveting.
Who knew that almost three decades later, I would still find the same wonder and amazement in making music, and all thanks to my dad. My father had a wonderful singing voice, and with him there was always music, dancing and celebration in the house. I probably took a little of that for granted at the time, but fortunately, I have our recordings to listen to and cherish now. His soothing vocals were the perfect balance to the distinct whine of my five-year-old voice, and although I was quite off-key most of the time, together, we seemed to sing in perfect harmony.
All my songs -- and my entire musical journey -- are dedicated to him, my guardian angel.
Love and peace,
Lori
