Kat's fun music geneaology

Kat posed these fun music genealogy questions today. Check them out here

1. What was the first album you remember buying?

The first album I ever bought was Tommy by the Who. I promise I had no idea as a fourth grader what I was singing when I memorized all the songs- especially the nasty Tina Turner song about sexual healing and the one about the perverted Uncle. Sheesh! What exactly were my parent's thinking when they let me buy that?

My first concert ever in junior high was Rick Springfield, who appeared and performed recently on Oprah. Yawn.

The first eight track, oh my goodness, yes, eight track, I listened to was my step father's Sweet Baby James by James Taylor. I still love that music.

2. Who were the significant artists/songs/albums during your childhood/high school/college years?

In junior high, I dug Styx. Owned all their albums. The commercials with Mr. Roboto now crack me up.

In high school, I became a huge guitar ballad fan through guitar playing fools who favored Dan Fogelburg, James Taylor, Billy Joel, REM. We hung out on weekends, cooked spaghetti, and endlessly sang "The Reach", "Fire and Rain", "Sadness or Euphoria","Locomotive 8" until we were perfectly hoarse. One of these high school hang out buddies is still a musician while also holding the respectable job as head of the French Department at a major university, Ritt Deitz. He still writes and sings his own tuneage too.

I was also in on the ground floor of Contemporary Christian music. Try not to laugh, but Evie and Jim Neighbors were my first two Christian albums. Next came the 77's, Russ Taff, Joni Erikson (did you know she recorded an album?), and Petra. Bless all their 80's hearts. My friend Rhea and I joined a Christian music club to score these magical tunes, but I think Rhea ended up paying for the tapes. You couldn't pay me to listen to any of that now. Thank God for David Crowder, Charlie Hall, Tim Hughes, and Matt Redman.

As for college, I feel head over heals for Peter Gabriel's lyrics after attending his So concert. Ricky Lee Jones enchanted me. The Cure and New Order introduced me to great dance music. Then there was my husband's crazy band.

3. What are the connections between the various artists in your musical geneology?
My favorite songs are still long slow guitar ballads like "It's been a While" Stained, "Everything" Lifehouse, "Higher" and "Hold Me Now" Creed, "Breathing the Breath" Matt Redman, "All I Can Say" David Crowder, "Gone" John Mayer. I attribute my particular affinity for men and guitars to the influence of all those hours of misspent youth with my high school friends.