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she plays by ear.

you might recall that a few weeks ago my parents came to visit for the day.

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on friday afternoon while we waited for tripp to get home, my dad was reading and my mom was playing the piano.

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i never get tired of hearing her play some of her favorite, old-school gospel songs like how great thou art, amazing grace, old rugged cross. 

for the most part my mom is self-taught and plays by ear.  which is utterly amazing to me i might add.  then sometimes she’ll remember a song, and without a lick of music, first she’ll pick out the melody with her right hand then fill in with the chords with her left.

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in complete contrast, a few years ago i decided that i wanted to learn how to play piano.  so i bought a book.  then took lessons.  then every night i would practice scales and memorize the notes off the base cleff.  committing the basics of music theory to memory. 

it’s funny how she and i do things differently sometimes.  but yet, it’s the same basic desire to play music.  i love that.

i love that my mom gives me the freedom to be me.  to let me play by my own rules.  but i also love how she has inspired me to not be afraid of doing things differently.  to color outside the lines of life a little. to play it by ear when i feel like it.

Instagram media by kellyish - dinner with my parents tonight at pf changs. celebrating my mom's birthday (which is tomorrow). also note: my dad ate two lettuce wraps...pigs are flying in hell which is frozen over.

today is my mom’s birthday.  and i am so thankful to have a mother who has taught me what it means to play with heart.

happy birthday mom!  i love you so much.

kelly

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Comments

  1. Cathy says

    March 25, 2014 at 5:42 pm

    Happy birthday Kelly’s mom! What a wonderful tribute to her amazing talent. I love that first photo, your dad reading, the dog sitting there, you mother at the piano. So good.

    Reply
  2. Carol Albers says

    March 25, 2014 at 6:05 pm

    Beautiful post! So glad you are grateful for her!
    I used to be able to read the right hand, and play the noted guitar chords for the left. But I need the music!
    When my dad was a teenager, he went up into Harlem on the train to see jazz musicians, and they taught him three unbelievable songs on the piano. They are really dense with notes , and to hear him play one, you would never guess that he really can’t play, and can’t read a note of music. But he could still play them a few years ago.

    Happy birthday to your Mom-she’s obviously a great Mom cuz she made our Kelly!

    Reply
  3. Dotti says

    March 25, 2014 at 6:27 pm

    What a sweet post about you and your mom! Happy Birthday to her.

    I had an aunt who could play anything by ear, too. It always amazed me because I have always been tied to the music … and still couldn’t hold a candle to her. She played the organ at our wedding. Gosh, Kelly! I hadn’t thought about her in years! Thanks for prompting the memory bank! xo

    Reply
  4. Susan says

    March 26, 2014 at 5:00 pm

    Happy birthday to your beautiful mom!

    Reply

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