A Catalyst

I've been getting ready some interview questions for a upcoming interview, and as I was writing them I realized that there was one I wanted to answer myself. The question was about the first time someone had realized they loved music - a specific event that had spurred on their love of music - and I realized that I can almost pinpoint my own. My first catalyst towards music.


I must have been about four, as this is one of my earliest memories. Our family was visiting North Carolina for a fall vacation, and on Sunday we found a congregation of believers to worship with. I'll never forget it. It was an all African American congregation - we didn't see many black people in our area of the coal camps, so it was my first experience with hearing them sing.

And, oh, how they could sing. I won't ever forget the acappela, 4-part singing as long as I live - even though I've sung acappela and 4-part ever since I can remember, there was something unbelievable about the fervor with which these people sang.

"The LORD is with us! And blessed be the ROCK, and let the God of my salvation be EXALTED!"

I was little, but I will never forget the amazement I felt - and this perhaps is the first of many such incidents that spurred me toward my current goals as a solo performer - and of course, 4-part harmony. :)

"I will call upon MY Lord, who is WORTHY to be praised!"

What was it that made it so memorable? It wasn't the song - it wasn't that their voices where perfect, for they certainly were not - it was how they sang it. They sang with total trust - and exultant praise.

As long as I live let me do the same - honor my creator, not with perfection, but with the best I can give.

What about you? Can you pinpoint the first time you realized how important music was to you?