I care for my seven-month-old granddaughter Emily every weekend, and one of her favorite things to do right now is to sing. We are a musical family. We’ll randomly break into song anytime we hear a Broadway lyric or a nursery rhyme. For many years I sang in church choir and have acted in musicals in local theater productions. My middle and youngest participate in the worship teams at their churches. My favorite way to fill up my creative well is to attend live concerts (The Texas Tenors, The High Kings) and enjoy live theater. So, Emily fits right in with her enthusiastic, “La, la, la, la, la.” She’s already starting to be able to carry a tune and she can’t even speak yet.
I usually listen to music while I’m writing and editing. I’ll also create a playlist that fits my themes and characters for a particular novel. I’ve even dedicated a book to my favorite singing group The Texas Tenors—and presented it to them in person, because of course I can’t just fangirl at a distance like normal people.
My cowboy singers with my cowboy book.
Not surprisingly, music often plays a part in my books, as well. In the book I just finished, the hero plays guitar and sings at the pizza café on open mic nights, while the heroine is a serious violinist for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. And she likes to fiddle at family bonfires, something I grew up with, as my grandpa was an avid fiddler.
In a couple of weeks, I’m off on my fourth fan cruise sponsored by The Texas Tenors. It’s been three long years since I’ve seen my guys in person, and I’ll super excited to hear all their new music. I also have lots of dear friends among the fans, and of course I’m really looking forward to spending quality time with MY special guy relaxing on the open ocean.
So, what about you? How does music play into your life? (Do you see what I did there?) Comment below for a chance to win a copy of Opening Her Heart and some Dare to Dream swag (US only).
~~Love Courageously~~ Publisher's Weekly Bestselling, award-winning author of 30 novels, Deb Kastner enjoys writing contemporary inspirational western stories set in small communities. She feels especially blessed to be able to include faith as a natural and genuine part of her characters' lives. Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and a pack of miscreant mutts. She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors are her fav), singing in the church choir, and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
Music has always been an important part of my life. Some of my fondest memories are singing in the car with my mom or watching musicals. Music lifts me up when I am facing good times and bad times. Every time I am in my car I am singing along to the radio.
Your granddaughter is such a cutie!
I love music, I’ve often sung in church choirs and other singing groups, and I love musicals and other music to listen to. I don’t get much time for choirs at the moment with small children but I take my two youngest to a weekly singing group at our local library and the love to sing and dance along.
Please don’t enter me in the giveaway as I’m in the UK.
I like listening to music, and sing along all the time!! There are songs I associate with certain events in my life, and can remember where I was when I first heard the song. So, every time I hear that song, I’m back to when I first heard it. Sometimes that’s good, and other times it’s very sad!! After Daddy passed, the King Center opened in our neighboring city, and Mom and I went to many concerts there. One of our first was Eddie Arnold, and one of our last together was the Oak Ridge Boys. There have been many more concerts there, but they got too expensive for the two of us to go! Still, some great memories made with my Mom!!
I love music, my husband is retired and he is a musician now, he plays the saxophone, clarinet and the flute, he retired from his day job and now he is doing what he loves, and has loved since he was in HS playing his instruments. He plays in restaurants, for weddings and he has also played for funerals and also for parties. He practices every day and I just love listening to him playing. Our now grown adult children were in band in Middle school and all through their HS years, our daughter played the saxophone and our son played the flute and the trumpet. Our granddaughter and our grandson who are in HS have also been in band since they were in Middle school, our grandaughter and our grandson who are our daughters play the saxophone(our grandaughter) and our grandson(who is our daughters) plays the clarinet and the bass clarinet. Our grandson who is our sons is still too young to be in band. So I am very Blessed to be surrounded by beautiful musicians. :) Wow what a love of music you are instilling in your grand daughter, that is so very Special. Have a great day and a great week. God Bless you and your family.
I loved your post, and your granddaughter is darling! Sharing our passions with our grandchildren is one of the best parts about being a grandparent.
I was a music educator for many years including in academia. I love music but my approach is more clinical, I guess you could say. I’ve never done much with music in my books. Our family is musical as well. Your cruise sounds amazing–enjoy!
fun post
I enjoy listening to music. It helps me relax. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.
We don’t listen to music or watch television the only time we listen to music is in the car around Christmas time we will listen to Christmas music but not much.
How could I forget singing in the car? I look like a total doofus when I’m driving.
I haven’t been able to participate in choir since COVID because of having to care for my husband, but someday I hope to get back to it.
Wonderful point! Music often points us to specific memories, doesn’t it?
Wow! What a musical family you have. Amazing!
You ought to consider writing a musical teacher as a hero or heroine!
Thanks!!
I love how music can perk you up or relax you depending on what you need. I use it to amp me up (Irish folk music will do it every time) when I’m writing, but I also relax to it.
Christmas music always puts me in the mood for the season, or when I’m writing Christmas books at whatever time of year.
I have no singing voice, but I love listening to music. Music and dance have a special place in my books. In most books there is a character playing a chords instrument – be it guitar, mandolin or something more specific to his time and place (vihuela, recinto jarocho, cuatro llanero, bouzouki/ tamboura, rotta). Traditional songs are featured too.
I love music! I think music can touch us in ways that nothing else can. I can’t tell you how many times the words of a song or hymn have just made me stop and think about something I’m going through.
I work in the back room at a retail store and I always play Pandora on my phone!
Music has always been a part of my life. My siblings and I all play instruments and there is always music playing in our house. I don’t know what life would be like without music.
I like music, and I’m usually singing some song (in my head!). :)
Music can encourage you when you are down or grieving.
Your grand daughter is adorable!