On a rainy Saturday evening, I am seated with my family in the auditorium at the University of Texas at Tyler's Cowan Center, full of anticipation. My sister, Elaine, is singing with the East Texas Symphony Chorus, and tonight marks their first appearance with the full orchestra.
Elaine
Left to right: Gayle, Elaine, Shelaine (Elaine's daughter), & me.
Suddenly, the maestro enters. As the lights dim, he lowers the baton, filling the room with the harmony of angels. While the voices rise and fall to the swell of the instruments, I close my eyes and feel the day’s worries melting away. I'm reminded once again of the remarkable power that music has to soothe the soul and refresh the human spirit.
I come from a long line of musicians and singers. My mother’s photo albums are filled with pictures of my ancestors holding musical instruments. I never remember a home without music.
My dad, second from right, with relatives.
In the early 40's, my dad and his brother joined up with friends to form The Mississippi Ramblers. They sang and played on WCBI in Columbus, Mississippi, and appeared at store openings, and made a few school appearances, as well. It was over the airwaves that Daddy sang his first solo, and apparently made a big hit with the listeners; the letters poured in asking, “Where’s Archie been?” That story still brings a smile to his face, all these years later. He would eventually use his gifts for the glory of God.
The Mississippi Ramblers
L-R: O. C. Byrd, Hansel Allen (my uncle), Junior Melton, Archie Allen (my dad)
My dad, with steel guitar (right) and his brother, Hansel (left) and friend, Junior Melton.
My father played steel guitar with The Mississippi Ramblers, but can play just about any kind of guitar you can name. My mother plays keyboards, as does Elaine. Although Mother can read music, she plays mostly the way my father and sister do: strictly by ear.
My parents singing in church, 1959.
In the early years, my mom and dad sang together; music is what brought them together as a couple. After Elaine was born, they formed a trio and made an album. Following Elaine's marriage, my father sang solo and recorded five solo albums in the years thereafter.
My parents and sister recorded this album in 1964.
My dad's first solo project, early 70's.
When my
twin sister and I were born, most people assumed we would follow in the musical footsteps of those before us. But Gayle and I tend to walk to the beat of a different drum. It was years before either of us took any interest in singing or playing music.
But the day came when we both stopped burying what talents we possessed. I well remember the first time I sat down at the piano to give it a try. It wasn’t long before I was picking out simple one-finger melodies. Then I discovered how to add the second finger, producing a touch of harmony.
The first time I made a chord, using three fingers, it created quite a stir. “Hey!” I yelled to my mother in the kitchen, “I think I made something! Come see!” Scurrying over to the piano, Mother interpreted whatever chord I had discovered and proceeded to show me others.
Soon I was making full chords in almost every key on the scale. That is not to say I could play; there is a world of difference in knowing how to form chords, and knowing how to play a song.
But with time and patience, my abilities increased. Soon enough, I was playing fairly well, and all by ear. Eventually, I taught myself how to read notes, but playing by ear came more natural, and was a lot more fun. In time, my two sisters and I formed a trio and sang not only in local churches, but in surrounding states, as well. Music was in our blood.
I was 16 when Elaine married and moved away, leaving a deep void in our family. She also left us with no pianist at church. My mother could have filled the job, but she already played the organ, so my father, the pastor of the church, put out a “help wanted” call across the congregation. When nobody came forward, he encouraged me to step in and “make a joyful noise unto the Lord.”
The first few weeks I had the “noise” part down pat. I could only hope the “joyful” would soon follow. After church, I’d often trudge home, frustrated and discouraged. I remember getting on my knees before bedtime, praying for God to “help me play better.”
Call it a coincidence if you will, but, in time, that is precisely what happened. The more I played, the better I played. I learned how to duplicate just about anything, simply from hearing it on a tape.
Through the years, my God-given talent has served me well. You name it, and I’ve played for it. Church. Choirs. Weddings. Parties. Funerals. And on dismal days, I’ve sat at the piano and played away my blues. Without question, the sound of music always brings a certain amount of comfort and stability to my world.
Finding solace in music is not a new thing. In the Old Testament, David played his harp to help King Saul escape his demons. Historians say that Alexander the Great was restored to sanity by the music of a lyre.
I remember one night, years ago, when a storm blew into our area. Torrential rains pounded the windows, lightening exploding in jagged fingers across the dark sky. Suddenly, the lights went out, filling the house with blackness, and frightening my little daughter, a toddler at the time.
When she began to cry, I wrapped her in my arms and started singing softly. In a few minutes, I got distracted by a noise outside and stopped momentarily to listen. That’s when she touched my face and said, “Sing, Mama.”
Thoreau wrote: “When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe.”
As for me, I can’t imagine a world without it. Like food to the body, music feeds my soul.
If you’d like to tap into the healing powers of music, try the following:
Sing. Whether you’re on or off key, singing is one of life’s simple pleasures. Sing in the shower, in the car, around the house. When you’re singing, you can’t feel despondent for very long.
Whistle—or hum. I’ve been told that whistling relieves stress. I can’t whistle, so I don’t know for sure, but I do know that humming has the same effect. The next time you’re facing a list of unpleasant tasks, trying humming through them and watch your mood improve. You simply can’t remain gloomy while humming.
Learn to play an instrument. Playing an instrument—even if you hit an occasional sour note—can help keep your senses sharp. In a Psychology Today interview, Norman M. Weinberger, Ph.D., professor of neurobiology and behavior at the University of California at Irvine, explained it this way: “Playing an instrument involves vision, hearing, touch, motor planning, emotion, symbol interpretation—all of which activate different brain systems. This may be why some Alzheimer's patients can perform music long after they have forgotten other things.”
Make it classical. To lower stress and increase concentration, many music therapy experts believe the works of composers like Mozart, Brahms, and Bach are the best choices. Psychologist, Dr. Mike Lowis, has spent years researching music stimulation and believes that classical music provides the most “uplifting” sensation, even if you aren’t a fan of such music. “In order to activate both sides of the brain,” he says, “music needs to be complex, so pop music and anything with a heavy beat doesn’t usually work.”
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A version of this essay first appeared in The Dallas Morning News.
Click on the image to read how music is being used in the medical field. All rights reserved.
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