Meet my mother, Angela Martin. My mom is 46 years old and is a 6th grade middle school teacher at Gaffney Middle School… she teaches math. Outside of teaching, she is a mother of 3 children and 3 dogs and is trying to find her way in the world as a newly widowed woman. Go mom! She was born and raised in Gaffney, South Carolina and is a die hard Gamecock fan. So besides her life story, where does her relationship with music begin?
In the beginning…
So, back in high school, aka the 90’s, my mom was in choir and she loved to sing and to this day, she still loves to sing. (I will input a very 90’s photo of my mother down below) She would only stay in choir if her choir teacher continued to stay at that school, she loved Mrs. Melanie Cook. So she did choir for 4 years in high school. At this time also, she began to play piano. She played church music and some classical pieces, and apparently (I didn’t know this) played at a few weddings here and there. When my mom got to college, she went to Gardner Webb University. Her major at the time was music education. She traveled with the choir and went to places like Savannah, Georgia and sang classical music until she had to withdraw from school due to money issues. When my mom returned to complete an education, she finished college with a degree in just education, no music. She pretty much quit playing piano and has lost the majority of her ability to play, but can play a few songs that she remembers or old hymns. Fast forward to today… My mom is the children’s choir director at church and she is apart of the praise team that sings every Sunday morning! She constantly listens to music, goes to musical events, or sings at church!
Now let’s get into the interview questions!
When you were in high school what did you listen to?
“ I listened to almost everything” (MOM). In high school, my mom had a lot of different songs and genres she enjoyed, ballads, rock, pop, country. Depending upon the song, she had different reasons as to why she liked the song. She listened to different bands like Guns ‘N Roses, Aerosmith, Journey, or different artists like Shaina Twain, Mariah Carey, Madonna, there wasn’t really a genre she didn’t like. There were even a few hip-hop songs… you could probably guess one. Here is your hint. Vanilla Ice.
Another song she enjoyed that she will often listen to today is …
“I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith.
Me: So why do you like this song?
Mom: I use to listen to this song on my Aerosmith CD that my daddy got me one Christmas. This is such a good song! I just like how the music flows and the lyrics are just romantic, makes me think of me and your daddy. Those lyrics are the best part of that song, it is just a big LOVE song and it is so dramatic.
Me: Gross, glad you like it.
Mom: It’s not gross. You better hush.
Moving On …
Did you have a favorite band or artist? Who was your crush?
“Hmm. I loved the Backstreet Boys and also New Kids on the Block. You don’t remember, but when you were a baby, me and Kristie (my mom’s best friend) went to a Backstreet Boys concert while your daddy kept you” (MOM). So, my mom fangirled over the Backstreet Boys as well as New Kids on the Block, but her overall crush was a guy from a different band… Gary Cherone, but young Gary Cherone. My mom was always really into ballads, she liked a good upbeat pop or country song every now and then, but ballads just really hit the spot. “I will admit young Gary is pretty cute” (ME). “Cute, that man is smexy” (MOM).
That’s just gross … but this song isn’t give it a listen!
“More Than Words” by: Extreme (Gary is singing)
What do you listen to now?
Mom: Now that I have gotten older, I listen to more of my contemporary Christian music, you know I love my Christ Tomlin.
Me: What made you change?
Mom: You know, I am not really sure, I still like listening to those songs from my past every now and then, but I can’t listen to that new stuff, it is vulgar and to auto tuned.
Me: Yeah, I understand that, but why contemporary Christian and not old hymns?
Mom: Hymns are great don’t get me wrong, but the contemporary Christian music is just so much for meaningful to me, I don’t know if it has to do with the added harmonies and instruments, or the lyrics, it just has a better sound.
Me: I am going to regret asking this question, but what is your favorite song, even though I already know the answer.”
Mom: *begins to sing* HOME, where the streets are golden, where my chains are broken, I don’t think that’s the right lyric, but Home by Christ Tomlin! How you know that’s my favorite?
Me: Because you blast it through the house on repeat almost every day and we always holler “QUIT PLAYING THAT AGAIN”.
Mom: Well … I can’t help it.
Lastly, What are some concerts you went to over your lifetime?
Mom: Like I told you earlier, I went to that Backstreet Boys concert, but I haven’t really gone to another actual concert besides the big Chris Tomlin one that we went to a couple of years ago.
Me: Did you go to performances then?
Mom: Yeah, when I went to the Chorale Music Festival a few years ago I got to see Veritas and then Laura Story.
Me: So mostly Christian concerts/performances aside from Backstreet…
Mom: Yes. Every bit of it was fun! Backstreet was just as I remember them, but older, but I felt like a little girl again. I really enjoyed getting to see Laura Story, you remember we sang her song at church and it plays on the radio!
Me: Yes, I know. What was that song again?
Mom: Blessings. Let your class listen to it, it’s good.
Me: Okay, I’ll make sure to put the video on my post.
Mom: Oh! And post that picture off my Facebook page of Laura Story that I took.
Me: If I can find it I will.
Mom: You can find it.
Me: Anything else you want to add before I make dinner and write this thing?
Mom: Nothing much, just that I overall love and appreciate music. My taste overtime has changed, but that is just because I have gotten older, if “Ice Ice Baby” played, I would still bust a move and know every word. I love music, I hate that I quit playing piano, I wish I would’ve kept it up because I have lost so much of it now, but I just didn’t have the time to practice, nor did I have access to a piano for a few years, but I wouldn’t use it today anyways, plus I can still sing. Okay punky (my nickname) I am done, you got it all?
Me: Yes mom.
I thought it was sweet how "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" reminds your mom of your dad. Very wholesome. Your mom seems wholesome in general. My mom like contemporary Christian music too and I think that genre is cool because it's like sacred pop music.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah Beth! This interview was so wholesome and funny enough I also went to Gardner Webb my freshman year of college so maybe I know a thing or two about your moms college years... More Than Words is such a beautiful song and it brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it. My mom also used to listen to a lot of contemporary Christian music when I was a kid but now she just loves her Adele and Hamilton.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I thought that your parents memorable song is really sweet and wholesome. My mom loves contemporary Christian music and it was cool to see those connections. Awesome blog!
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