Thanks Mom!!!

I love music and I have to thank my mother for that. Growing up mom always had the radio on in the car (she still does and now listens to a lot of XM radio) and at home played the stereo everyday. Mom likes soundtracks, musicals, and oldies. I can sing almost all the songs from Camelot, Sound of Music, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Cabaret. I know a lot of songs from the Mama's and the Papa's, Cher, The Four Seasons, and The Lettermen. Now you might think that my musical taste is like hers but it is most certainly not. I love the hairbands of the 80's and rock.

When I was in 7th grade mom let me go to my first concert. It was Shaun Cassidy. In 8th grade she let me go to my second concert which was Andy Gibb. It was my third concert the following year that did me (or her) in. Mom let me go see Queen on their News of the World tour. I was hooked after that. In high school I still only got to see about one concert a year. For my 18th birthday my best friend gave me tickets to see my favorite band, Def Leppard. They were fairly new and were an opening act for Billy Squire. I was not disappointed. For the next 10 years I went to concerts anytime I could. It was not unusual for me to go to a concert one night and then get up the next morning and buy tickets to another one. I've gone to AC/DC, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Tesla, Poison, Motley Crue, Ozzy, Ratt, and Deep Purple when they got back together. I went to so many that the place that sold tickets in town new me. They always gave me center stage and within the first six rows.

I still go to concerts when I can. In the last two years I've gotten some of my coworkers to go see AC/DC, Bon Jovi (they had such a good time last time we've gotten tickets to see him again), Cheap Trick, Poison, and Def Leppard. I also went and saw Billy Squire again at a casino. He never sounded so good. It was a treat since the place was small and intimate.

So mom, you may not like what I listen to but thank you for letting me develop my own taste and encouraging me to listen to all types.