Musical Inclination...You Gots To Have It!

I've been singing since I was old enough to do so. My dad introduced us to music at an early age. For as long as I can remember music was a part of my life. I enjoy listening to it as much as performing it. My taste in music is so diverse...from Country to Rap and everything in between. But the majority of my experience has been with singing in choirs. Shows like "The Sing Off" get me excited.

I was not always a good singer. I've heard on many occasions that I should keep my day job. I was on the choir in middle school. I loved it, so I took choir as a class in high school. Every morning for four years my first class of the day was Select Choir. Our director was the best. Our choir won national awards. We only traveled to nationals every other year, so that other schools had a chance to win. Seriously, it was an amazing experience.

I started off as an alto my freshman year. And I was still not developed as a singer, so I was not too good. By Senior year I was the #3 alto. I even sang a solo at one of our awards dinners: Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me". I was hella nervous and prolly struggled through a few parts, but I survived. Whenever it's solo time, I hear all the voices of those who told me I could not sing and I get shook. I prefer to sing blended with others rather than solo any day.

After high school, I attended the University of Delaware and joined the Gospel Choir. I had never experienced singing on this level before. It was not as technical as the Concert Choir in high school, but the emotion and energy it took out of me was amazing. Pretty soon I joined a church and their choirs (Adult, Women's and Praise Team) where I was told to stop being a lazy alto and step it up to soprano. I loved being involved with music on this level. It wasn't long before I was directing the choir. I was so into Gospel and Contemporary Christian music that I began hosting my own radio program at the college.

It was through the radio program and my home church that I was introduced to my current choir (Russell Delegation). Back then, they had a hot debut CD out and we were singing their songs at the college and at the church. I wanted to sing with them then, but I had a family to take care of and they were on tour. Their sophomore project "What Would Russel Do?" got rave reviews and made me covet a spot on their roster even more. So when I had the chance in 2007 I joined. We have been working on the next project and hope to have a single ready in time for our anniversary concert coming up in March. (**SN: singing with a professional choir does not make you a professional singer. I will never claim that I am the ish now simply because of who I sing with. It takes work!!)

I don't know where I would be without music. The hardest times in my life, I survived because of music. When someone was going through a bad time, I would make them a mix CD of inspirational songs to make them feel better. I am sure once I finish my Counseling degree and have my own practice, music will be part of my therapy.

I do have a problem with some music though. The current generation is making garbage compared to previous generations. I know I prolly sound like an old head complaining about music, but I can see why that tradition runs deeply. When I was a kid there were several songs that I loved that were mere remakes of ones my parents grew up listening to. And they weren't done any better than the originals. Technology today allows ANYONE to put out an album. You don't even have to be signed to a record label. Don't get me wrong, I've jammed to Lil Wayne (don't judge me!) and sang along with Amerie. But that's only when I listen to the radio. I honestly haven't bought a CD since Dewayne Woods (2007). And even when I do like an artist with skill, I can just find it on Limewire for free.

And it's not only secular music that is suffering; Gospel music can be a mess sometimes too. I might be mean, but I think it's terrible to encourage someone who is butchering a song unto the Lord. The Bible says to make a joyful noise and some folk are just making noise, wanting to be heard.

Sigh...at any rate...music is my life and if you are a part of my life, you are well aware of this fact.