This is about the age we were when we sang for our first funeral
Cal and I were joking a little about where we really got our start in music, and I think we could honestly say we started out as "funeral singers". The first funeral I can remember singing at was for my Great Grandma Nield and us grand kids got together and sang "Grandmothers Pearls". My memory of it is so vivid because I got kicked out of rehearsal for fartin' off and not giving proper attention to the music leader (my mother;)
Back in the day singing for a funeral was a different thing than it is now. For one thing, we almost always sang with our guitars and we usually sang a country song that was popular at the time, or maybe an older song. When my Grandpa Byron died from complications of polio when my Mom was just 17, they sang "Somewhere My Love" from Dr. Zhivago. Cal and I have sung "Wind Beneath My Wings" more than once. We changed the lyrics to "Daddy's Hands" and sang it at my grandma's funeral, and sang "Grandpa" at my Grandpa's funeral.
Things are tightened up quite a bit (which is not a bad thing) and we are usually asked to sing a sacred hymn, but sometimes the family makes a special request for one of those good old songs, and if they can't be sung in the chapel, we sing it just for the family at the graveside. "Springtime In the Rockies", "Twilight on the Trail", "Just Can't See Him From the Road", and our song "The Ride" have accompanied many loved ones last journey on this earth.
Being the "Funeral Singers" is not a claim to fame in the worlds mind, but to us, it's an honor. Music has such power to say what words cannot, and since Cal and I are often at a loss for words (though I will not say the same for our Jaker;) We're grateful for the chance to offer comfort to our friends and loved ones through song.
I informed Cal that he would be singing at my funeral and he said, "Heck I will, I'm not gonna be around for your funeral." So, I guess that will be one more thing to argue about and only time will tell who will have to sing at who's funeral. If I go first Cal, start working on "Consider the Lilie's." ;) Pause George Strait a minute to "Consider the Lilies".
Cal and I were joking a little about where we really got our start in music, and I think we could honestly say we started out as "funeral singers". The first funeral I can remember singing at was for my Great Grandma Nield and us grand kids got together and sang "Grandmothers Pearls". My memory of it is so vivid because I got kicked out of rehearsal for fartin' off and not giving proper attention to the music leader (my mother;)
Back in the day singing for a funeral was a different thing than it is now. For one thing, we almost always sang with our guitars and we usually sang a country song that was popular at the time, or maybe an older song. When my Grandpa Byron died from complications of polio when my Mom was just 17, they sang "Somewhere My Love" from Dr. Zhivago. Cal and I have sung "Wind Beneath My Wings" more than once. We changed the lyrics to "Daddy's Hands" and sang it at my grandma's funeral, and sang "Grandpa" at my Grandpa's funeral.
Things are tightened up quite a bit (which is not a bad thing) and we are usually asked to sing a sacred hymn, but sometimes the family makes a special request for one of those good old songs, and if they can't be sung in the chapel, we sing it just for the family at the graveside. "Springtime In the Rockies", "Twilight on the Trail", "Just Can't See Him From the Road", and our song "The Ride" have accompanied many loved ones last journey on this earth.
Being the "Funeral Singers" is not a claim to fame in the worlds mind, but to us, it's an honor. Music has such power to say what words cannot, and since Cal and I are often at a loss for words (though I will not say the same for our Jaker;) We're grateful for the chance to offer comfort to our friends and loved ones through song.
I informed Cal that he would be singing at my funeral and he said, "Heck I will, I'm not gonna be around for your funeral." So, I guess that will be one more thing to argue about and only time will tell who will have to sing at who's funeral. If I go first Cal, start working on "Consider the Lilie's." ;) Pause George Strait a minute to "Consider the Lilies".
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