I’m typing this as I’m recovering from a big headache brought on by, you know, the stress…
My parents/now mom live about an hour away, and over the years driving back and forth and dealing with the psychological grinder , like a lot of you I’ve used the privacy of my car to cry a lot. Sometimes scream. And always sing along to the radio at the top of my lungs no matter WHAT comes on. All the parts to Bohemian Rhapsody, you name it. Free therapy! I’m amazed the windshield hasn’t cracked.
7 yrs into this elder care arg and I was thinking I really need to step out. Cue stumbling into an add on a neighborhood app ( I was just looking for a vacuum cleaner ) from a music jam group looking for a horn player, backup and lead female singer. Something in me truly snapped and I realized I was terrified to sing publically but also don’t give a flying *#%^ any more. Asked if they could use a rusty horn player - I did that for years - and MAYBE sing.
Really lovely people, I show up to the first jam and with total nervousness sing a couple songs.
THEM: oh my goodness! You’re a blues singer!
ME: WHAT
THEM: You haven’t sung in public before?! Try this song. And this. How about this. Keep belting.
ME: Whaaaaaat??!
Now I could almost image singing ‘old-timey’ songs and other things, but never in a zillion years could I imagine belting?! Turns out that after hours and hours and HOURS of hollering in my car during this grueling situation, something unusual was created.
Our apex of ‘gigs’ are band member birthdays and the occasional garden party, the other week I sang at a garden party for the first time. Belting! Into a microphone! It was terrifying but also a victory of sorts.
For all of you caregivers who also use your car as a safe expressive space…..KEEP HOLLERING! Let it loose! It might led to something very unexpected and fun :)
Cheers and blessings to everybody going through these difficult situations
Yes we just had another small garden party, and in the roster now is Joplin’s version of Piece of My Heart. The organizer wants to learn the guitar parts. I protested, “ There’s NO WAY I can sing this, “ and he said, ( we rotate singers according to style ) “ You’re the only one of us who can do it..” Hahahaha well I didn’t way we were good
Family situation is not improved, but now to and fro mom stuff I can practice Janis Joplin screaming…windows rolled up, but we have a lot of traffic so Mayday’s suggestion of windows rolled down might be a good one…
Then after banshee hollering in the car I walk over to mom like a calm ray of sunshine, could be the vocal exhaustion lol
Keep up the car hollering therapy, everybody!
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I can’t whistle. I loved hearing my dad whistle. I never could.
Didn’t they whistle on the theme song of Andy Griffith show? I think they did.
This nun rocked out! I will never forget the huge smile on her face as she played her piano.
We didn’t sing hymns. She said that was for church. LOL 😆 We learned songs from every hit broadway show. She was into patriotic songs , folk music, etc. Anyway, she was one of my favorite teachers.
Even after I graduated school, I would occasionally visit her at the convent. She was still smiling and very happy to see me.
Wish I could hold a tune..
Maybe I should sing more loud with the windows down!! That’ll clear the roads..
Well honestly , my rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody is more of a passionate attempt , hahaha…
Another time I was hollering along to my car radio, right when I was turning into the driveway to mom’s, the station started playing ACDC’s “ I’m On a Highway to He**” and I burst out laughing. Then sang along while I parked my car of course!
These situations are so long going and stressful, we gotta take what we can get!
Mercury was magnificent. One of a kind!
I played brass for many years and always felt exposed- never thought about piccolo being that way too but it makes a lot of sense!
I do visual arts too but have had to tone down the art festivals because traveling is logistically difficult now. Meanwhile today I’m driving for Mom Stuff again so that means more impassioned car practice!
Shoutout to everyone, and all you car musicians :)
This past year I accepted a piccolo position with a local orchestra. I had forgotten how terrifying it is sometimes since there is nowhere to hide (and how difficult it is to keep it in tune). But it's exhilarating at the same time. And it is good for my soul to be able to express myself through music.
Congrats on finding an outlet that will allow you to be creative and expressive!
Go for it! What a wonderful, creative outlet for you!
Another great bonus to the jam band is we meet only one evening a week, and there’s too many of us to all show up at once. So it’s just 2-3 eves a month as members rotate in and out. This makes it all so doable .
Lemonade toast to everyone!
I hope that you have many, many more happy gigs.
Blues is perfect for you! I live in New Orleans and I can’t tell you how many songwriters here that I know that say, “A divorce or other heartbreak is always a guarantee for material to write a couple of good songs.”
You’re may be doing cover songs now, but who knows, you may start writing your own songs.
Best of luck to you!