The Musical Italians

My son is getting married in two weeks. He's a drummer (by night - computer something or other during the day) - has been since he was 10 and I bought him a set of drums through the Sears catalogue!! His fiance is a singer (dental hygienist by day) and they met when they both were in the same band. So, for their wedding, they're having a three-tier cake shaped like a drum set! Probably with a frosting microphone on top. I think the cake will look something like this.A lot of people in my family are musical (me excluded!). This is one of my favorite photos of my maternal grandparents and their ukelele and guitar circa 1930. Along with an uncle who apparently had desires to be a hula girl (when there are 16 kids in a family there's bound to be an odd duck or two!!).

My dad played (around with) the clarinet. We also had a piano and he and I would play Heart and Soul at every family function. Dad on the melody, me on the background chords. It's one of the best memories of my childhood - sitting on that piano bench playing songs with my dad. When my brother was a teenager, he learned to play The Entertainer on the piano. After several years of being asked to play his one song anytime the family was together and there was a piano in the room, he finally told us all that he forgot how! None of us believed him!

My paternal grandparents had their mandolin and my maternal grandfather still had his a guitar after the ukelele phase passed.
My dad tried his hand at the guitar - seen here seranading his sister, brother-in-law, and me - about a month before I had my twins! I imagine my Dad's musical extravaganza gave my kids some second thoughts about making an appearance in this family! Luckily they didn't really have a choice!
My grandaughter, Vika, loves to sing and both she and her brother, Eamon, like to dance. So the family tradition will continue.