Having a father who was a musician, was awesome.
Too bad I was a too much of spoiled brat to have known it at the time.
That's the problem with kids, they have no idea how good they have it, until they don't.
Anyways, my dad was great at bringing me into the fold.
Introducing me into his world.
He allowed me to sit in one too many recording studios watching him work his magic (I say that with pride, he was way too humble to have said the same.)
The privileges I was able to be apart of, too abundant to recount.
On bring your daughter to work day?
One of them...he decided to bring me to the Late Night Studios and...
I got to sit in David Letterman's chair, and then went on to hang out in the control room because my Dad had connections and used them to benefit me.
He took me to meet meet the Vienna Boys Choir when he was working on a Michael J Fox Pepsi commercial.
Dinner parties with the likes of legends likes Clark Terry.
To watch him conduct the music he composed in Carnegie Hall?
Awesome.
To see him share a stage with Stevie Wonder?
Eric Clapton?
Beyonce?
Whitney Houston?
Amazing.
Epic.
When he passed away, Nancy Regan wrote my mother a personal letter thanking her for my father writing the musical theme of "Ronnie's" 1984 Presidential campaign, perhaps more famously known as, "Morning in America."
I had no idea.
I saw a guy who would wear shorts, socks up to his knees, with boat shoes, timing me at my swim meets.
A man who would call me Principessa, and say, 'a kiss and a peck, and a hug around the neck' before putting me to bed.
A man who would pick me up from hanging out with friends, and in front of my friends, proudly declare, "Your chariot awaits."
The first Broadway play, I saw at 4 years old, Annie,well he knew guys in the pit and made sure to get me backstage passes.
I got to meet the cast, the musicians,see the stage, it was epic.
I will never forget that.
That will never be lost on me.
I came from a solid set of parents.
Each great in their own way.
And I took it for granted.
Don't you make the same mistake.
Hug your parents tight.
And may we pass the good memories forward.
That is how the next generation remembers, and hopefully becomes better than what came before.
I was able to share the stage with my father.
Because he wanted me too.
He made a place for me next to him.
He was a legend, but he allowed me to think that I was too.
He invited me,and made sure I had a place.
I will never forget that.
That is not going to be lost on me.
I will not let the memories of my parents be lost on my children.
Because I will never stop recounting and regaling stories about them.
And the wonders and awesomeness that they were.
Hell, they still are.
That is why I will never stop telling their stories.
They have some great ones, and then some.
Man I miss them.
Don't let the beddy bugs bite. (My mothers saying.)
Xoxo,
C.
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