Made with love.

I grew up in a house full of music. My dad played the trumpet, taught lessons in our living room and played in the Topeka Civic Symphony for over 40 years and also played in the Topeka Jazz Workshop and various other bands in the area. My mother was the more professional of the two. She was a soprano soloist and quite well known. Back in the day when funeral homes had their own musicians, my mother claims to have sung at 4,000 funerals. I can remember her taking me along with her while she sang. I sat under the piano and played, listened and basically behaved. I have memories of her leaving the house to sing at many places. She dressed in formal gowns to sing on Wednesday nights at the Christian Science church, Saturday nights were at the synagogue (she could sing in Hebrew), and Sundays were spent at churches of all faiths. Then there were civic choruses, theatre productions, and everything in between.

My mother had a regular accompanist. Her name was Ferris Akey (isn’t that a great name?). Akey’s Bakery served the best nut rolls ever. Unfortunately the recipe went into the ground when Mr. Akey died. I would go along with my mother while they rehearsed. Ferris had the largest Steinway grand piano you can buy that took up almost her entire living room. There was room only for two chairs flanking her fireplace. They were upholstered in chintz, white background with beautiful flowers in bright colors. I had never seen anything so beautiful and have loved chintz ever since.