The radio was always on while i was growing up.

Radio 2.

Mum would come in and wake us in the morning and we would come downstairs to the smell of breakfast cooking, french omlette was my favourite, and the dulcet tones of Terry Wogan on the breakfast show. 76 Trombones, and Simon Smith and his amazing dancing bear were the most memorable!

Then after school we’d settle down to do our homework with Jimmy Young and a host of other tunes that you’ve never heard of but that still stick in my mind to this day; Puff the magic Dragon, Lily the Pink (my brothers favourite) and so many others!!

At primary school I learned to play the recorder but what i really loved was to sing. For my 13th birthday I was given a tape recorder/radio and an Abba tape. I carried this with me everywhere, listening to the top 20 every Sunday evening, and thats when i started collecting music from my favourite bands. ELO (electric light orchestra for those of you who don’t know) was one of my favourites, they had such a unique sound and eventually I had all their albums.I just loved the different genres and diversity of the sounds from that special time. The seventies was time of expression and freedom that seems to be lost now and gave birth to so many bands that have long since disappeared.

At secondary school I joined the choir and my love of singing developed, encouraging me to join the Church coir as well. We travelled across the region to sing in competition with other choirs and i spent a lot of my time in church and at school after hours and during lunch breaks practicing, and learning new songs.

I only recently learned that my Mum was in the church choir when she was younger. I wasn’t as close to her as i would have liked but I am beginning to realise that we had nmore in common than i believed was possible.

Through the years, my music has got me through some tough times. I would blast my favourites really loudly and sing along at the top of my voice to relieve the stresses and frustrations of life. I still love all my old favourites, although i dont play them much any more, but i do occasionally find something new that I like, and add it to my library. The beauty of music is that it recreates your past and takes you back to happier times, rekindling those special memories and reminding us of things forgotten.

John Miles’ 70’’s classic had a very special meaning to me back then and still says it all for me, so i will leave you to ponder his words:

“Music was my first love and it will be my last

Music of the future, and music of the past

To be without my music would be impossible to do

For in this world of trouble my music pulls me through”