It’s Good for the Whole Family

Over Memorial weekend, my husband and I went to a 3-day bluegrass festival at Salmon Lake in Grapeland, TX. What I noticed was that many of the performing groups were all family members. Then we left there to go to Larry Bruce Gardens for a Sunday buffet after church. While everyone was enjoying the delicious meal, there was live music being played for us. And everyone on the stage was a family member.

I was overjoyed to get to see Margaret Wright again, who has been our friend for at least 35 years. To my surprise, instead of playing her mountain dulcimer, she was playing the upright bass! Her son, Lloyd Wright, played a variety of instruments as did his brother Hollis. Margaret’s grandson, Elijah, recently won 3rd place in the Texas state dulcimer competition, and he also took a turn on the upright bass. Lloyd’s wife, April, played guitar, and her father, Larry Bruce, played the fiddle. They all sang and what a wonderful show they put on.

Music has been a staple of that family’s activities for as long as I have known all of them. And it made me wonder … are you the only person in your household playing an instrument? It’s such a fun activity, I bet sometimes you wish your whole family would join in with you. But they may have a long list of excuses for why they can’t or won’t.

• I’ve got a tin ear.
• I don’t have time.
• I have fat … stiff … uncoordinated fingers.
• I’m too old to start.
• I have no sense of rhythm.
• You got all the talent in this family.

I want to encourage you to encourage them to just try. Making music together strengthens the family bonds. It creates shared memories and a sense of togetherness. It allows family members to express their emotions in a supportive environment. It fosters collaboration and communication as you work together towards a common goal.

And besides all that … it’s a lot of FUN!

Happy dulcimering,

Linda Ratcliff

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