An Eclectic Collection

Music has always been a part of my life. Growing up I always loved the nights when my dad would take out his guitar and play. I thought he was the greatest singer. No matter what I was doing I would drop it to go listen to him. As a teenager I rushed to listen too. I would be walking in the door after running around with my friends and catch the strum of the guitar then I’d rush up the steps to sit and listen. The occasions when he brought out the fiddle were even more special. I had my parents old 8 track/record player in my bedroom, along with my own CD player. I would put on music while I studied or wrote.

I still have music on a lot. While driving, reading, cleaning, writing, working, exercising there is music playing. The type of music mostly depends on my mood or what I am doing. If I’m exercising I like something with a good tempo. I have been known to exercise to the Rocky soundtrack. Veggie Tales can often be heard from the toy room. Humming or soft singing from the older kids’ rooms; they don’t have tvs or radios in their rooms so they often sing. If the radio in the car is a little staticky I’ll switch it off and the kids and I will sing.

When I write I look for music that helps me get in the right mindset. When writing Magnolia I listened to a 10 hour set of Celtic music on YouTube. Every time I sat down to write I would find that video and hit play. While writing Love Overcomes I had an array of music from Bing Crosby to Lorenna McKinnet. Each story gets its own set of songs that I listen to though some songs find themselves on more than one book list. I do not have a method for picking out music, it all comes down to how it makes me feel.

When it comes to music I’ve been told my collection is eclectic. I have The Statler Brothers, The Beach Boys, and Hank Williams are favorites from the days when I rescued the old 8 track player from gathering dust. I was the only teen I knew who had one. Bing Crosby comes from my adoration of older movies. Loreena McKinnet is a shared favorite. I first discovered her when I would raid my older sister’s room looking for new cds, since she’s nine years older and she was working and buying her own music long before I could. My music ranges from Jewel to Little Texas to Soul Asylum to Reba to Bill Withers.

What’s in your collection?