There are things that obviously change our lives: marriage, children, graduation, death, moving. And then there are things that at the time seem small, but later you realize caused you to turn a corner and set you on a whole new path. Slipping back into the silk of Ella's voice recently, reminded me of those twists and turns.
The first time I listened to Ella Fitzgerald I was babysitting. I glanced through the CD's on the shelf and put Best of the Songbooks in the player. (Thank you Bousquets wherever you are!) I was hooked immediately. Before that moment, I knew nothing of jazz. The impulse to play that album started a love of a whole genre of music. I became a student of Mary Alice Brown and sang with her at the Paper Moon more times than I can count. For a short time, I had a duo with a friend and we played every week at a lovely spot. I was taken out of the mold of singing only in church or school and starting exploring what else I could do.
The day I walked into the Roadhouse Theatre and auditioned for Picasso at the Lapin Agile I had no idea I had found a home of sorts. Dear Scott gave me a small role and finally I wasn't sitting in the audience wishing and dreaming and trying to keep my heart from jumping out of my chest, I was on the stage!!! I made so many friends there I wouldn't want to live without and at last had a place to belong. I've been in lots of shows since then and hope to be in many more.
From there I realized how thankful I am for those unexpected blessings. Knowing that some ordinary decision on an ordinary day might take me to places I've never known is one of the things that gets me out of bed in the morning.