A Lifetime Of Singing

Tonight I attended the annual Spring concert given by the Venice Gondoliers Barbershoppers Chorus. My dad is a member and has been since he and my mother retired to Florida in 1982. He enjoys singing and has been singing most of his life. He used to sing occasionally on the radio during the 1930's as a teenager. He sang what he refers to as "cowboy songs" on a local program on radio station KLPM in Minot, North Dakota. He went on to serve in the ministry for over forty years and led the congregation during the hymn singing. Whenever we as a family went camping in the state parks of Minnesota, he was called upon to lead the evening campfire singing. I was so proud of him. I used to walk around the camp ground during the day and tell everyone who would listen that it was MY dad who would be leading the singing that evening and I hoped they would come and enjoy the music. The memories of him standing in front of the campfire circle are vivid. So tonight I watched my father sing again. He is 90 years old now. He is no longer standing as he sings. He was seated along with three or four other singers in the front row as the other singers were standing behind them. But he was enjoying himself. He was singing his heart out. Rock on, Dad!!