If my big sister hadn't been out with her new boyfriend, we might be Mormons now. Two cute missionaries from Nebraska showed up at our door bearing bibles, pamphlets and a guitar.* My mom was thrilled to have English-speaking visitors, and I was happy to get an introduction to folk singing and guitar chords. My family had moved to Argentina, I was 11, and those visitors, along with my sister Wendy's influence----even when she wasn't there!!---launched me on a performing career.
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| Wendy at my son's recent wedding |
We went from Nat King Cole, Bud & Travis, and Eydie Gorme records to the Beatles' when we returned home. Weeks before this new band was to make its appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, Wendy talked of nothing else. The rest of the family had no idea what the big deal was, but it was obviously Very Important to her, so all five of us gathered around the set that night. The TV was upstairs, in the parents' domain. I remember as if it were last week, joining millions around the country in being mesmerized by that British Invasion. I've continued to join in by doing covers of their songs ever since.
In the background, our ears were always filled with my sister's vinyl collection of Astrud Gilberto, Stan Getz, Juan Carlos Jobim, Barbra S., Miles Davis, the Beach Boys and her boogie-woogie piano playing. With my trusty guitar, a fellow singer and a growing song list, she talked me into participating in our school's music nights, called 'hootenannies' I discovered how fun and rewarding it could be to perform for a live audience. .
.My big sister was my first fan. I'm grateful for every ounce of her influence and encouragement along the way.
*
Why Mormons? If she'd been there, she might have fallen for one--or both--of them, and I'm sure they would have loved her!
