Are you from a musical family?

[Tupac]

Unlike everyone else I know good at an instrument, I'm literally the only serious musician as far back as I know of. Probably why my timing is inherently atrocious, I don't have the genes for this!

[SquierJazz72]

I had several musicians in my family. Most notably, my great aunt and uncle, who started me out and gave me my first guitar, played all the local country/western and bluegrass festivals for many years. He played banjo and 4 string tenor guitar. She played 6 and 12 string acoustics. I played with them from time to time.

[NightTripper]

Only my brother and myself, as far as I know. I play mandolin, and obviously bass. Thinking about getting a guitar soon as well. My brother is a Worship Arts Pastor at a church in New England, he plays guitar, keyboard, and vocals.

[Johnny Crab]

Yes. My Mom(piano/pipe organ at churches), my oldest sister(piano/pipe organ at churches, PHd in music, prof at a college), brother(GIT grad), younger sister(piano). Dad mostly LOVED music and exposed us to all kinds(a lot of jazz, R&B). He also got me a bass and amp for my 10th birthday in 1965. Originally from New Orleans helps too.

Fortunately, I'm in a band with my brother again.

[agent77]

One big NO! I wanted to play drums since I was a little kid, but to my dad it would just have been a waste of time and money, or as he would say, "Goddamn foolishness!" My dad was the only person I've ever met that hated music. I never even seen him turn on a radio (no, he was not a crazy religious freak). I still haven't figured him out.

Anyway, I got into my head that I would never be able to play drums. Then at 33 years old I told my guitarist friend about how I had always wanted to play drums. He said, "Hey that's cool, you should do it." That's when it hit me: I should do it. 4 months later I had a drumset and I was taking lessons. A few years later that same friend encouraged me to take up bass so I could be in his band. I've never been happier than I am now as a (very mediocre) musician.

Interesting that this thread came up 20 years to the day of my father's death. I'll bet he's rolling over in his grave because of all the money I've "wasted" on gear.

[PWRL]

Somewhat.

[Jay2U]

Originally Posted by Tupac

Unlike everyone else I know good at an instrument, I'm literally the only serious musician as far back as I know of. Probably why my timing is inherently atrocious, I don't have the genes for this!

Timing is just a matter of time, bro... ( > > > > > > )

[rtslinger]

Yes Father and Mother played guitar, older Brother drums and guitar, younger brother drums, sister keys Number of Aunts and Uncles played instruments including the accordion (Italians)

[Kmonk]

My family wasn't musical in the sense of playing an instrument. I am the only musician in the family but music was always being played in the house. My musical influences stem from several factors. I am the oldest of 4 boys. My mother was always listening to music. She had me when she was 18 and my parents divorced when I was 8. Music became and escape for me. I remember getting a record player when I was about 9 years old and playing records all the time. I really though that I was going to be a disc jockey. My mother listened to many different types of music. She had everything from Big Bands, to The Beatles, to Elvis, to Motown, to Black Sabbath and many others. In 1972, she saw Frank Sinatra, Elvis and Alice Cooper in the same month. She went to see The Rolling Stones during the Steel Wheels Tour.
My father's side of the family always listened to country music so at an early age I was exposed to Hank Williams, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, etc. My father did some management and promotional work for Merle Haggard.

There was also a lot of music on television in the 1960s and 70s. Ed Sullivan and other variety shows were very popular. Daytime talk shows also featured many bands. American Bandstand and Soul Train were always on. Night time talk shows had musical acts and there were live performance shows such as The Midnight Special, In Concert and Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. Some bands also had their own variety tv shows. The Monkees, The Jacksons, The Osmonds, and so on. Music was always on.

As I got older I started getting into Led Zeppelin, The Who, Aerosmith, Bad Company and other bands and started playing.

[Bugsbass]

Grandfather came from Santiago de Cuba via Puerto Rico in the late 30's (a trombonist/bassist). While playing the Royal Theatre in Baltimore (a staple of the famed "Chitlin' Curcuit" similar to New York's world famous Apollo),he met my grandmother who was singing and playing piano for Billy Eckstein, one of the great crooners of the day.

My mom was the understudy for the Legendary songstress Melba Moore in the 60's Broadway smash "Hair". She was widely known in the Baltimore area as an operatic soprano and pianist, and local choir director. My Dad had a voice that many likened to Frank Sinatra (his favorite singer) which was strikingly entertaining seeing as he was a fair skinned African American man built more like an inside linebacker than a singer.

Me, I'm the only full-time pro in the family (bass, vocals, trumpet), although my younger brother is a rapper (which doesn't count as a musician) but also a capable guitarist, and a seasoned producer.

[Phalex]

My father worked his way through college playing sax and clarinet in a swing band among other things back in the 40's.

My mother could play piano.

My sister played flute in highschool, but gave it up long ago.

My brother is a fantastic drummer.

I do OK on bass.


I guess the answer is yes. I am from a musical family.

[Tony Flow MMMM]

My dad tourd the country in a cover band for 10 years before he met my mom in Florida. I have heard far too many groupie and std and you probably have a sibling here here here it here.
He was lead singer and guitarist

My oldest sister was a singer. She sang at plenty of competitions, school gatherings, even the state capital.

My younger sister has the potential but is just too weird.

I picked up the guitar around 14 and switched to bass around 16. I came out with s very strange raspy voice.. Never attemptd to use it

[Tituscrow]

I started playing after picking up my dads acoustic at 10 years old. He received it as a gift but it had been gathering dust to be honest. Sibling rivalry inspired my two younger brothers to start...both of whom, 30 years later, are still stuck with the six-string!

The middle brother is an absolute knockout on the guitar and spent a year in LA at the MI (?), taking one to one lessons from the likes of Paul Gilbert.

The younger brother, like me, is entirely self-taught and my bandmate of 20 years.

No other musicians in the entire family, apart from a cousin who plays upright in a jazz band.

[kreider204]

Originally Posted by agent77

One big NO! I wanted to play drums since I was a little kid, but to my dad it would just have been a waste of time and money, or as he would say, "Goddamn foolishness!" My dad was the only person I've ever met that hated music.

I can't even wrap my head around that. I have trouble even understanding people who aren't into music, much less those that hate it. I think they're born missing the relevant part of the brain ...

[Sni77]

No one in my family ever played any instrument in front of me. My grandfather apparently played the accordion, but I never heard him play. My Dad loves music, has a huge record collection and introduced me to so many different types of music, but he can't play anything.
When I was a kid my parents gave me drum lessons, but I didn't like it. When I was 16 I wanted to learn guitar, got a cheap one from my parents and lost interest.
Then three years ago (I was 27) a friend of mine send me an e-mail with the subject line "Your new best friend" that only contained a link to a red precision copy for about a 100€. Have been playing since...

[backup]

im definitely from a musica l family
my father is classical composer arranger and pianist my mother is choral conductor and piano teacher. my grandmother is piano teacher my grandfather was an orchestral conducter, multi instrumentalist and composer. all studied classical music. my uncle is professional drummer and a lot of other family members are hobby musicians.

[Danno1985]

Musical family here for sure. My mom has a Master's in organ performance, and is an excellent pianist and choir director as well. Cliché as it may be, I think a big part of my appreciation for bass lines comes from being introduced by osmosis to all those great Bach organ parts as a kid. My dad has played acoustic guitar for years and is a great folk player. When I was a kid, we always had 6 string, 12 string, nylon-string guitars, an autoharp, accordion, piano, pump organ - you name it - around the house to play around on. At the moment I have an undergrad degree in guitar performance and composition, and I was actually majoring on violin before I made the commitment to guitar. My brother is in the Master's program for string bass at IU, another brother teaches English in Spain but has great jazz piano chops, another brother plays drums really well, my sister is a very good vocalist, and my youngest brother is just picking up classical guitar, and seems to have a knack for it, when he puts down the video games, haha. So yeah. I'm always grateful we had so much good music around the house, and were encouraged to pick up whatever instruments we felt like. I do have a few cousins who are great musicians too. It's cool that whenever we're all home for holidays or whatever, we can play together.

[Roscoe East]

My mother's side of the family always encouraged musical endeavors, and my Mom sang in a lot of groups as a kid and in college, played a little piano as a kid. My cousin on that side of the family is a classically-trained singer & pianist, so no doubt her Mom (my Mom's sister) passed down some of the same aesthetic. (And ten years ago, when my parents retired, my Mom started studying clarinet.)

My Dad's side of the family wasn't nearly so musically-inclined, although my Dad did play bongos in an informal latin-jazz combo when he was in college.

Mostly though they're dancers: Both Mom & Dad were heavily involved in musical theater (they met doing a show in college), and my Mom spent much of her life working as a professional choreographer and dance teacher.

They were very supportive of any of my (or my sister's) musical endeavors. I was given a practice pad and a pair of drumsticks when I was six years old, and after being introduced to the flute by my Dad's old college roommate when I was eight they bought me one so I could start taking lessons with the elementary school band. When I wanted to play guitar at age 12 they bought me a $50 Yamaha acoustic and hooked me up with some guitar lessons offered through our school district's summer program. When I formed my first band they allowed us to rehearse in the basement (although once the novelty of that wore off they forced us to practice in the garage...or, preferably, at the drummer's house!) When I was 15 or 16 they bought a piano for the living room, which everyone poked at a little.

So while my parents weren't musicians, I do consider it a "musical family"

[charliefreak]

I come from a family of music lovers, which is tough as a musician because I generally have a passive view of genres etc..

The old man is a radio personality and has been all of my life. Which was cool to check out music at a young age. My mom played guitar with an instructor-produced road band back in the 70's. My brother is also a guitar player and song-writer.

I have another bro thats a kareoke jockey... but mostly an alcoholic. My sister played flute in high school I think..

My family definitely has a knack for playing and they're great influences on my style and career.

[bkirk]

My mom was a skillful pianist but only played in the living room and occasionally at church.
My dad's side of the family had a fair number of musicians. Various of his aunts and uncles had a family band in the late 1800s and early 1900s. My cousins all played instruments and one was a high school band director for many years.
My brother is easily the most accomplished. Masters and Ph.D in musicology specializing in Early Music. He has directed many ensembles and concertized world wide for years.
Got to give a nod to Passinwind. That's some strong genes.