Music Field Study

For this field study, I interviewed my mom. I think a few important things that I should tell you (since yes, it does affect some of her answers) are the following: my grandmother was very ill when my mom was growing up (she had diabetes and lupus, and consequently several other health issues), my mother grew up during Vietnam and her brother served two tours of duty in Vietnam and was MIA for part of his second tour, and my grandfather was part German (yes, this is also important…both to some responses and the fact that my mother suffered through school for years with the last name “Linkenhoger“).
　
Me: What kind of music did you listen to as a child?

Mom: Oh, wow. I listened to basically anything. There was always some form music being played in the house growing up, it always helped my mother when she was sick. I think that mostly I listened to the soundtrack of Mary Poppins, The Beatles, and The Supremes. Basically, I listened to whatever was on. If it counts, I use to run home from my bus everyday after school just so I wouldn’t miss the intro theme to Batman…it just wasn’t the same if you missed that opening theme.

Me: How did you listen to the music (technology)?

Mom: Well, clearly we didn’t have Cds or anything like that. I mostly listened to the radio player or a record player, and then cassette tapes. I still have all of my records, and I still listen to them every now and then. Some songs seem better with the somewhat “crackling” sound of the record player needle.

Me: When you listened to music, was there any dancing involved? Where did you go to listen to and enjoy the music?

Mom: Of course there was dancing, except in church of course. Two places that I can really remember going to when I was a teenager and listening to and dancing to the music were the Peppermint Beach Club and the Pungo Beach Club. At the Peppermint Beach Club they would open the doors and you could actually dance on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. At the Pungo Beach Club there was an area at the very top of the building, out on the roof, where you could see the beach and dance to the music. I use to love these places. Also, every Friday night at the local Roller-skating rink we would go and “roller-dance” to all of the music, that was always a blast.

Me: How did your parents or teachers feel about your choice of music?

Mom: Well, my parents and teachers really didn’t seem to care about my choice of music. For my mom and I that was a way that we could bond since she was often in the hospital. I would take a small black radio with me and we would scan through the radio stations stopping to listen to things I liked and then things she liked.

Me: I think I already know the answer to this question, but, did you play an instrument or sing yourself? How was that for you? What was the environment like?

Mom: Haha. Of course you already know the answer to this. I did not, and still can’t sing…your dad could though. I did, however, play the guitar when I was little…at least as good as my six to seven year old self could. I received the guitar for Christmas that year. As it turned out, I really didn’t like to play the guitar, I could never get it to sound right, so I’m pretty sure that I decided then that I was more of a “music-listening” type of person.

Me: Why did you listen to music?

Mom: Because I liked it.

Me: Well, a lot of people just “like” music. Were there any other reasons, like did some music mean more to you than other music?

Mom: Well, I guess so. I always listened to my mothers favorite Elvis Presley song every night before bed, even when she wasn’t in the hospital. I think this made me feel more comfortable. Later when my brother was in Vietnam, there were always songs that I would listen to and think of him.

Me: During that time, did you ever find that in some songs the lyrics were more important to you, whereas in other songs the music was all that you needed?

Mom: Definitely. Growing up during the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam, and having a brother pulling two tours of duty and being MIA for part of the second tour really changed some of my musical preferences. There were some songs about things like the death of JFK, and MLK Jr. where the lyrics just said everything that we were all feeling. I think one of the songs had lyrics something like “Did you hear of my old friend John…”, I could be wrong about that though. There were songs that were supporting the soldiers overseas, and often, even if I didn’t like the music, I still listened simply because of the lyrics. I can’t really think of any exact songs where I only liked the music. For the most part, I didn’t like any of the lyrics that were downgrading the soldiers, but it was in songs like this that I loved the music only.

Me: Were you ever exposed to music outside of your own culture?

Mom: Oh yes. When I was growing up we would take summer vacations to visit the Cherokee Reservations and I was always exposed to the Native American heritage and culture. I love the Native American Flute and the drumming. Does being exposed to the Blues count?

Me: Yes, I think so. We had a class on the Blues, I guess maybe it depends.

Mom: Well, my neighbor use to always sit on his front porch and play and sing the Blues. Once my dad even sat and played the Harmonica with him. It was the first time I realized that my dad could play a instrument. When I was growing up we would also go to the Appalachian Mountains and I would hear the “mountain music”, or Bluegrass. To this day I still love the sound of a Bluegrass band.

Me: Where and who was your first concert that you went to on your own, with your dad, and with your mom?

Mom: The Guess Who. That was the very first concert that I went to on my own. It was something about their music that really drew me in. The first “performance” or concert-like place I went with my dad was to an Opera. I was around eight or nine years old, so I didn’t really like it. I loved the costumes, but I couldn’t understand anything. Of course my dad would take me to a German Opera! The first concert or event I went to with my mom was something for Elvis Pressley. I remember that I loved this event, I mean, who doesn’t love Elvis?

Me: What do you think about the music being produced now?

Mom: Um, well, there are some great things being produced, but a lot of it just doesn’t seem to have a true meaning. Or at least a meaning that I can relate to.

Me: Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Mom: Not really. I guess I just have to point out that music has really always been a part of my life. When y’all were growing up, I tried to expose y’all to anything that I could. I never knew where any of y’all would end up, but I did know that there would always be one constant in life, and that’s music. I mean it’s used everywhere and can happen anywhere.