Great American Songbook

We watched most of the funeral on Sat. for Whitney Houston. Hoping to see some of the good in her and not the usual tearing down of a pop star that our media does so well and has done all week about her life. We build these people up and delight in the fact that sometimes they lose their way. She may have lost her way for a time, but she never forgot her family, friends, people who worked for her and certainly not her God. You could tell by her music that she had a deep faith that never left her. Seeing where she grew up and the "Church" background...I knew that deep inside she was a good person. I have always loved her music...my favorite song of hers..."I Wanna Dance With Somebody"Last night we watched "The Bodyguard" I said to Joe, "I wonder how many people are watching this movie right now?" He has an extensive movie collection in tapes and when I asked...I knew that he would have this one. It was so enjoyable seeing her in her prime with co-star Kevin Costner.He spoke at the funeral and told about his relationship with her. They both had a Baptist upbringing and he told of similarities in their Church life. Funny at times but very sincere. They televised the funeral from the back of the Church, so you couldn't see any of the "stars" that were there. I liked the way they did this. As the Pastor said..."We are at Church, the whole world watching is at Church today."

We woke early this morning and turned on the TV in the bedroom. I had just found out, before we left for Mass last night...that Michael Feinstein's American Songbook was on PBS. I recorded it for watching later on. We watched the two parts of the mini-series early this morning.

Joe and I found that we knew all the words to so many songs back in the day. How is it that we remember those? Were they played over and over on our radios, or did we hear family members singing them? When we grew up, most everyone had a piano in their family. I know that I did. My Mom was a pretty good piano player and Grandma too. I've told before about family gatherings where we would all hang around the piano, after a meal, and sing songs. Mostly hymns, being that my grandma and aunt sang in the Church choir for years. Another aunt had an organ, later in life, and she and her family played this for us. My cousin, Bob, played the organ for a nursing home, where my Grandma was a resident. I guess our whole family on my Mom's side did this, but not the later generation...the one where TV consumed their lives.

Michael Feinstein told about growing up like this. He said that in those days there was no TV...and not much money to spend on entertainment...we were home...so the family piano got a workout. The programs went from the 20's to the saloon singers of the later years. I learned so much from this show. Stories about Ethyl Waters, the Gershwins, "Pops" Whiteman, and even Milton Berle. This is the second season in a mini series. I am trying to find out if we can watch season one somewhere.

Sadly our piano was given away when we moved and we bought a TV that took the place of the piano. Mom didn't play again...I don't think that my little brother ever heard her play. Dad heard of a Church in Algonquin that didn't have a piano...so he gave it and all our sheet music to them. It didn't stop my love for music from the early war years. I have so many memories of a happy family...with my Mom at the piano with her Mom and her sisters. I guess you could say that our family had the great American songbook right in our home.

Balisha