Thank You For the Music...by Angie Terry

Amazing how music can bring so much from the past to your mind. I was listening to my Pandora radio the other day and reliving parts of my life that were the most fun to remember. I called my sister Gina and told her how much I realized I love music and how much joy it gives me. The words from the song “More than a feeling” from Boston I heard for the first time and took it in:

“ I looked out this morning and the sun was gone

   Turned on some music to start my day

   I lost myself in a familiar song

   I closed my eyes and I slipped away

   Its more than a feeling

   When I hear that old song they used to play

   I begin dreaming

   Til I see Marianne walking away

    I see my Marianne walking away

   So many people have come and gone

   Their faces fade as the years go by

   Yet I still recall as I wander on

    As clear as the sun in the summer sky

   Its more than a feeling

   When I hear that old song they used to play

    I begin dreaming

    Til I see Marianne walking away

    I see my Marianne walking away

   When I’m tired and thinking cold

   I hide in my music, forget the day

   And dream of a girl I used to know

   I close my eyes and she slipped away

   She slipped away……….."

Ok, I wasn't thinking about a girl I lost, but the song did say what music does for me! I escape in my music to forget the day and close my eyes, and I am there in my memory of whatever that song takes me too.

I remember my first experience with music was the theme of "Batman." I loved that show but most of all I loved the theme song and I remember being asked by many family members to do the batman jig to the theme song. I could shake my shoulders and move better than most people my age and in my mind I was Cat Woman. I moved from batman to the Monkeys and as I stated in one of my previous posts, Davy Jones was one of my biggest crushes when he sang, "Day Dream Believer!" I can sing that and move like Davy with the best of them.  As my teen years arrived it lead to so much more music , Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Bad company, Johnny Cash, Elvis , Styx. And of course JOURNEY...in my mind, they are the best band ever!

All this love for music lead me to want to sing and I wanted that more than anything I have ever wanted in my life! I tried out for Chorus in Jr High and I made it into the girl’s choir. Mr. Rich was the director and he had the love for music that made my desire grow stronger.  I remember listening to "The Bonnevaires" from Bonneville High School in Idaho Falls and the sound coming from that choir was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. I knew then, I was going to do everything I could to be in that group. I took voice lessons and everyday I practiced in my beautiful pink and red bedroom. I practiced so much my brothers and sisters left me alone to do so. Soon I was done with Jr.High and ready for High School and the try outs for the Bonnevaires were at hand. I was so nervous only 40 students had the opportunity to be in the choir and very rarely did a sophomore make it into the group. I sang my heart out and waited for the list to be posted on the choir doors which had the names of the students that made it into the Bonnevaires.  I read the list and did not find my name...I was devastated. I made it into another girls group that year but did not give up!

With the help of my mother, she encouraged me to keep practicing and signed me up with another voice teacher. I worked so hard on my voice and I sang things that I still can’t believe I did. The next year tryouts came and went and once again, I was not named on the "Bonnevaires" list. That summer, after tryouts And not making it for the second time, I was ready to quit and I cried for what seemed the entire summer. About a week before the school year started I got a phone call from the director of the Bonnevaries and she said one of the students was moving that was chosen for the group and my name was the next one on the list. She asked me if I still wanted to be part of the Choir. To this day that was one of the happiest days of my life. I sang with the choir for two years and it was a dream come true for me!  I also joined a jazz choir my Senior year and that music was really up my alley. I set many goals high throughout High School and after I made Bonnevaires I decided the next challenge for me would be to sing in front of a large audience .

I tried out for "The Miss Bonneville Pageant" my senior year and my intention was to make it to the top 10 so I could sing for a huge audience. The talent segment was heavily rated for this pageant. I sang my heart out once again and to my surprise I did make it in the top 10 and the night of the pageant I sang “The Rose” Bette Milder style.  I sang the best I could have and the lights on the stage and music filled my soul!   I received the talent award that night and reached my goal. I couldn't believe I got the talent award , I was so happy and I remember my mom coming back stage and she still had tracks of tears on her cheeks because she was so proud. I hugged her and then told her that I was never competing in another beauty pageant but would sing for anything  and everything I could. I then asked her to take me to Burger King as I was sick of starving for the pageant and I felt as if my stomach was hitting my back.

I did continue to sing everyday!   I sang for weddings, and church, and Christmas parties, and dances. I have since worn out 2 Karaoke machines!  Music is my first love and always will be. I have to tell you of my Christmas gift I received this last year. My dear friends, Cricket and Jim, went to my home when I was working this past December to deliver my Christmas gift. I continued my busy day at the salon and drove to my home at the end of the day.  As I drove up to my house all the lights were on and I could hear Christmas music playing. It was the most spectacular moment as I opened my door and in my living room was the best sound system all hooked up to my TV with Christmas music playing. I was overwhelmed with emotion. MY love of music has never been heard better in my life.  I just stood there and took it all in with tears of joy and so much love for my friends!  They had given me the best gift ever.  

I end my blog with the words from a musical I was in, in which a solo I sang contained these words... “ I say thank you for the music,  the songs I'm singing.  Thanks for all the joy they're bringing. Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty? What would life be? Without a song or dance what are we?  So I say thank you for the music for giving it to me!”