Music Calms My Soul

If you have been following my blog postings for any period of time, you know music is a HUGE part of my life. It really doesn't matter what type of music it is. I've been doing an interactive type thing on my Facebook page talking about the music of my life.  

I grew up with a music loving dad. There was always music playing and often Dad would be singing to it. Some days, he's pull out his guitar and strum a few chords. He was no Randy Rhoads or George Strait, but I will never forget his face as he played. It was one of the only times when I could see his soul was at peace.
I learned to sing simply by listening to Dad. He'd put Tanya Tucker in the 8-track (yes, 8-track) and I'd sing along. At my grandma's house, I would listen to Anne Murray and Nat King Cole. I learned to love all types of music very early on.

I'm not saying I'm  Grammy material, but I don't sound like a cat in heat either :) I've sang in choirs. I've sang duets with my best friend. I'd get sick about 20 minutes before we'd perform, but I'd still sing. Now, I sing as I wash dishes or drive back and forth to school. Yes, I'm the crazy woman who is tapping her hands on the steering wheel and singing along with the radio :)

My music collection is filled with all sorts of unexpected twists. I have Celtic Thunder, Celtic Woman, Alice Cooper, and Rob Zombie all on the same playlist. I could blame my characters who dictate what I am listening to most of the time, but I had this music long before I began writing. Pink mingles with Reba. Toby Keith dances with Frank Sinatra. I'm a woman of many tastes.

Each book has it's own soundtrack. Right now, I'm working on 4 different stories. Book 4 in the Cedar River series is my Southern rock obsession. Witch Lake: Book 1 is Sinatra, Botti, and Buble. The erotic romances needing my attention are Nickelback on Pandora radio. My mermaid series doesn't have a playlist yet, but I think she is going to take a weird alternative turn. Either that or folk.

So, tell me: Does music play a huge role in your life? Or is it simply there?