Category: Music Memory

Chris Sheard – A Childhood Music Memory

Chris Sheard recalls going on car rides with the family and only having one cassette tape to listen to, over and over again!

In this childhood music memory, New Orleans musician Chris Sheard (Mr. Chris!) recalls going on car rides with the family and only having one cassette tape to listen to, over and over again. One side featured Marvin Gaye, and the other featured Sam Cooke.

The family would flip the tape over and over, and Chris learned every single word to every song by heart.

Chris ponders how children today have infinite options of music to listen to on demand, via Spotify and other internet apps. While there is amazing access to music for today, has something been lost in the overwhelming options?

Chris doesn’t comment on which time he thinks is better — then or now? But he is grateful for his own experiences. He will always recall those long road trips and deeply listening to Marvin and Sam singing.

Thank you, Mr. Chris, for sharing your memory with Confetti Park.

Christopher Sheard is a New Orleans-based musician and teacher with years in the field of early childhood music. He is the founder of Blue House Music, a direct-to-family early learning music program that serves children under five and their caregivers. He currently serves as the lower school music teacher at The McGehee School for Girls and Little Gate in uptown New Orleans.

Confetti Park is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and Music Rising at Tulane University.
Clarinetist Doreen Ketchens – a Childhood Music Memory

In this episode of Confetti Park, Doreen Ketchens, one of New Orleans’ most beloved street buskers, shares a childhood memory… one about how music changed her life one unforgettable day at school.

Walking down Royal Street on a sunny afternoon, you are very likely to find Doreen Ketchens wailing on her clarinet, leading an enthusiastic band and delighting passersby with her vibrant personality and bold, joyful sound.

Doreen has been called “Queen Clarinet,” “the female Louis Armstrong,” and “Lady Louie.” She has a quick smile, an easygoing laugh and is always ready to entertain. She also has a dedication to promoting New Orleans culture and music.

Doreen and her family (including husband Lawrence, a tuba, trombone and piano player) have traveled the world and performed for numerous U.S. presidents. Their daughter Dorian is already a world-traveled jazz drummer.

“The teacher would ask one question. If you knew it, you passed, if you didn’t you failed…. I was destined for failure. I looked to the sky and said, ‘Oh God, if you get me out of this, I will do anything.’

About two minutes later the principal came on the loudspeaker and she said, ‘Anyone interested in joining the band, report to the band room immediately! And there I went!”

Confetti Park is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and Music Rising at Tulane University.
Louis Michot – A Childhood Music Memory

The Cajun fiddler and singer for Lost Bayou Ramblers recalls learning to dance with his cousins while the family band played

Louis Michot, a talented fiddler and singer with the Grammy award winning Cajun band Lost Bayou Ramblers, shared a sweet childhood music memory with Confetti Park.

Growing up, Louis would often join his father and uncles’ band, Les Frères Michot, in the vibrant dance halls and restaurants of Lafayette. (Randalls, Mulates, Prejeans, etc.) It was there, amidst joyous community gatherings, that Louis learned to dance. He was only six or seven!

“I remember taking my cousins’ arms, Effie and Rebecca, and we’d switch off…..It was kind of magic. We’d stay on the dance floor all night.”

The spontaneous magic of dancing lively two-steps, waltzes and jitterbugs to the family band’s music left a lasting impression on Louis. It remains a fond memory that continues to inspire his love for music and performance today.

Thank you, Louis, for sharing this childhood music memory!

You can hear Les Frères Michot perform one of the songs Louis recalls from that time, “Two Step De Pilette,” in this interview.

Confetti Park is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and Music Rising at Tulane University.
Imagination Mover Scott Durbin – A Childhood Music Memory

Music can carry powerful memories and emotions through generations, as Scott Durbin of the Imagination Movers shares with us.

Scott, whose grandmother was Native American, recalls participating in powwows at a very young age. His family’s tribe would come together to honor their cultural traditions, and music with drumming and dancing was a central component.

“I remember being very young, dressed in garb and doing a powwow, and as much as a six year old can intuit a spiritual elevation because of the music and the beat, I knew this was amazing.”

Through experiencing the resonating drum circles and participating in the spirituality of his ancestral heritage alongside his grandmother and family, he came to know the power of music early. Scott believes this may be his first clear memory of music unlocking a moment of revelation.

Thank you for sharing this special memory with Confetti Park, Scott!
Charlie Bush recalls the earliest days of his lifelong relationship with music

Charlie Bush is a guitar player, drummer, and a retired chef from Shreveport, Louisiana. His childhood was imbued with music, as he had an incredibly wonderfully large musical family, with all the siblings having particular instruments they played and a personal repertoire of songs they were known for singing in their family ranks.

Charlie’s brother Bill Bush is a Louisiana legend who led a musical combo for fifty years. (Learn about the Bill Bush Combo) He operated a club in Shreveport called the Moulin Rouge, where members of the family honed their performance chops. Eventually, Charlie and his sister Rebecca toured New Zealand as a duo singing folk and rock songs.

Charlie’s mom Ruby had a big impact on his appreciation of music (and that of his siblings).

“It started out with my mom, who was a piano player, and played for all my talent shows growing up,” says Charlie.

Ruby is still living at 99 years young and regularly performs for her fellow residents at a nursing home in the Dallas area!

See video

Charlie took ukulele lessons when he was seven years old at the Shreveport Memorial Library. (Aren’t public libraries WONDERFUL??) Soon after, he started taking guitar lessons.

“My first song was John Denver, ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads,’” recalls Charlie. “Then I learned 27 Jimmy Buffet songs because they were all three and four chords. Easy to learn…. and I just went on from there!”

And that’s how it’s done, kids. Find an instrument you like, learn some popular songs you really love. Start with the easy ones. Once you learn just a few chords, the world of musical performance opens up to you!

Thank you Charlie Bush for sharing your childhood music memories with Confetti Park.
Charlotte Hunter recalls working for a radio station to buy her first guitar

Enjoy this music memory from Charlotte Hunter, who lives in Caddo Parish near Caddo Lake.

Charlotte recalls how much she wanted a Gibson guitar when she was a teenager.

“The first job I ever had was on a little radio station in Minden. I was fifteen. The guy told me if I would do a spot for him, every afternoon, that he buy that guitar for me….I had that radio show until I got my Gibson guitar….. we did mostly USO tours and airbases and things like that when we did gigs.”

Charlotte recalls that as a child, her home was filled with music. He dad played the fiddle, and her mom played the guitar and bass.
Trombonist David Phy recalls turning sheet music for the church organist–his dad

Dr. David Phy plays trombone

In this episode of Confetti Park, New Orleans-based trombonist Dr. David Phy shares early music memories of learning how to read sheet music with his dad.

David is a professional musician who has performed with national acts and jazz artists such as The 4 Tops, The Temptations, Bonerama, Delfeyo Marsalis, The Yin Yang Twins, Chip McNeil, Louis Belson, Lena Prima, Louis Prima Jr., Charo, and the Dukes of Dixieland. He has taught at Tulane University, University of New Orleans and Delgado Community College in New Orleans.

David grew up in a musical household. His father was a professional pianist, organist, and teacher. His role as church organist led to David’ earliest interactions with written music.

Says David: “Growing up, my father was the church organist. At the end of church, there is always the postlude, where there’s a nice big organ fanfare piece, as people are supposed to go out into the world and carry on the philosophy of the sermon.

I remember I used to run up the stairs to the church loft where he would be playing organ, and he would need me to turn pages for him.

As he said ‘Turn the page,’ I knew that he would be starting at the top…so though I couldn’t read music…I kind of started following along.

I would play a game with myself, to think, ‘I bet, as I’m following along with my eyes, I can guess roughly when he needs me to turn the page….’ That was one of my earliest moments with music.”

David explains how these early experiences led him to playing in high school, college, cruise ships, Vegas, and now, New Orleans!

Isn’t it wonderful how these childhood musical interactions with his father led to a full, lifelong career in music? Thanks for sharing your memory, Dr. Dave!

Learn more about David Phy
“Go for it!” Crystal Thomas shares a funny childhood music memory about gumption

Crystal Thomas is a singer and a trombonist in Shreveport

Crystal Thomas is a Shreveport-based songwriter, singer and trombonist who regularly performs around Louisiana. A performer of the blues and gospel, you can find her (if not in churches) at various clubs like Southern Soul Lounge and at the venerated Monday Night Blues Jam at Lee’s in Shreveport.

In this episode of Confetti Park, Crystal shares a delightful story about how her desire to perform overcame her lack of musical know-how when she was just a child.

“I was in the third grade and we had a Mother’s Day Program and they wanted everyone to participate. Being a music lover, I was like, ‘Well I’ll play the piano!’

‘I couldn’t play the piano….didn’t know how to play the piano! But my love for music…prompted me to getup to the piano, sit down and play. And everyone loved it. I think they applauded more because I had the gumption, the nerve…..I basically made up a song on the spot, in front of the entire school.’”

Crystal goes on to explain that she believes her music memory can serve as an example for children to not be afraid to dream big.

“Never be afraid to push and follow your dreams,” says Crystal. “Shoot for the stars, and wherever hard work takes you, apply yourself. You can achieve and accomplish anything.”
Validating a child’s talent can set them on a lifelong musical journey

Judy Caplan Ginsburgh has been performing children’s music since 1981.

In this episode of Confetti Park, we hear a special childhood memory from Judy Caplan Ginsburgh of Alexandria, Louisiana, an internationally recognized and multi-award winning performer, recording artist and educator.

Judy sings as a cantorial soloist and travels throughout North America presenting concerts, residencies, educational keynotes and workshops. Judy works actively in both Jewish and non-Jewish settings and she has developed a number of interactive, educational performances and arts-in-education residencies for school-age children. She has been creating children’s music since 1981!

Judy shares how important the validation of adults can be when it comes to nurturing a child’s natural talents and interests, and how an experience that happened when she was just eight years old set her on a career in music!

Says Judy: “We had a music teacher who came to our school maybe every other week, and she would do music with all the children in the school.

At one point our local symphony here in Rapides parish needed a children’s chorus… and they auditioned people at our elementary school.

I remember a gentleman coming, he listened to all of us, and we sang, I think, “Happy Birthday.” And we sang in groups of like five. And he walked in front of us and listened to us, and picked certain people to be in this children’s chorus.

I was one of those that was picked, when I was about 8 years old, and at that moment, I knew that I was good. That my voice was good. Someone had validated me…..

I’m still in touch with this gentleman, by the way, and I always tell him that he’s responsible for making sure that I went into music as my career.”

Thank you, Judy, for sharing your childhood music memory with Confetti Park!

Learn more about Judy at http://www.judymusic.com/ and check out this more in depth interview with Judy.
How the Jackson 5 brought two different people together in Shreveport

In this episode of Confetti Park, we hear a music memory from Jeff Campbell, founder of Hungry for Music, a nonprofit organization distributes musical instruments to children in need.

Jeff, originally from Shreveport, established Hungry for Music in 1994 in Washington D.C. Since then, the nonprofit has donated over 8,000 instruments to children in 27 states and 14 countries.

Jeff was ten years old in 1972 when he attended his first concert—the Jackson 5. And while the music was powerful, the experience was made more so by a connection he forged with a woman in the audience.

Jeff shares the memory: “My first concert was the Jackson 5 at Hirsch Coliseum in Shreveport. I remember…a black woman had the same ticket as me. So she said, ‘You can sit in my lap.’ She offered me gum, and it was just very nice. And knowing what I know about the racial division there, that was something very powerful. It had a really powerful effect on me. Not only the music, but the gesture she made toward me that has an impact today.”

Learn more about Hungry for Music and the good work Jeff has been doing for the past two decades. You can listen to a more in depth interview with Confetti Park, as well.

Thank you, Jeff, for sharing your memory with Confetti Park!
Jimmy Caskey’s lifelong fascination with recorded music

It’s a music memory brought to you by Confetti Park!

Jimmy Caskey lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he and his wife Jacques own and operate a beloved lunchtime restaurant called Jacquelyn’s Cafe. Jimmy has been playing guitar all his life, and has performed in several different bands around north Louisiana.

Whenever people go to Jacquelyn’s Cafe, in addition to enjoying the shrimp salad and Monte Cristo sandwiches, bowls of gumbo and red beans and rice, they’re getting a musical education (whether they know it or not!). Jim Caskey is the deejay, and he lovingly shares his large and eclectic recording collection with everyone who steps through the doors. He will talk music with anyone who is interested in learning about what they’re hearing.

Jimmy’s love for music is lifelong. In this music memory, Jimmy discusses discovering his parents’ turntable and records when he was small child:

“I was around 5 or 6 in Mississippi, I remember my folks had albums and a turntable. And I remember sitting there listening to the albums and was fascinated by music. And I’ve been fascinated ever since then by recorded music…..And when I was 13 I started playing guitar, and I don’t know why I can’t explain it, but I was always infected and amazed by music of all sorts. Except for heavy metal.”

Thank you, Jimmy, for sharing your childhood music memory with Confetti Park!
Thanksgiving playlists make beautiful music memories for Rich Collins

Rich Collins

It’s a childhood music memory from Rich Collins, a founder and front man for one of the most popular children’s music groups in the world, the Imagination Movers. Rich also has a burgeoning solo career, with a new album of songs geared toward adults. (Scroll down for music videos!)

In this music memory, Rich talks about the music he associates with large family gatherings at Thanksgiving:

“My family up in DC was large and we would all gather for all the major holidays, and the holiday that was at our house every year was Thanksgiving. And we had a very fun family, so basically the way every one of these gatherings ended was with all the tables and chairs being pushed aside, and we would put on records and start dancing.”

Rich talks about how his father curated the albums that became the basis for Thanksgiving memories: “The soundtrack to my youth, and to these parties, and to these great family memories, was the Beatles, Creedence, and Otis Redding.”

Today, the tradition lives on for Rich and his family.

“Every other year here in New Orleans (where I’ve been for 25 years), I host Thanksgiving. And I have a Pandora channel with those three artists on it and I put it on and it’s playing the whole time that I’m gathered with my sisters and my mom and the next generation…”

Thanks, Rich, for sharing this wonderful family tradition with Confetti Park. Listen to this extended interview with Rich Collins, all about the music of the Imagination Movers.