As you know my family are avid Music Lovers. David and I grew up on Motown and we’ve share it with Charlie. As I was going through who passed away in August I wanted to share a Motown Singer I discovered while looking back at August’s lost music.

For my family we used to study these people when Charlie was #Homeschooling and sometimes when we spend a month remembering musicians who have died, something unexpected happens.

My family ends up not just remembering the people. We rediscover the music. That’s what happened to me while looking back at the musicians we lost during August. I came across Ruby Andrews and her song “You Made a Believer (Out of Me)”. And I immediately knew it.

That’s when I started thinking about how much music from earlier generations can get lost as the years pass. There are singers our parents knew. Artists we knew when we were younger. Songs that played on the radio while we were growing up.

And then our children grow up listening to completely different music. Charlie may know songs that I have never heard. And there are songs I know that he may have never heard. That’s why I want to change that. I want to sit down and listen again.

Not because I need to prove that every song from my younger years was better. It wasn’t. And Charlie’s music isn’t necessarily better or worse than mine. It’s just different. But music is one of those wonderful bridges between generations.

I can say, “Listen to this.” And Charlie can say, “Mom, what is this?” And then we have something to talk about. That’s one reason I love this journey through the musicians we’ve lost.

Every name isn’t necessarily someone I knew intimately. Every song isn’t necessarily one that I can sing from beginning to end. But sometimes a name leads me to a song. And a song leads me to a memory. And a memory leads me to another conversation with my family.

That’s exactly what happened with Ruby Andrews. Her music reminded me that there are still so many songs from the soul, Motown and R&B eras that deserve another listen. So that’s what I’m going to do.

I’m going to go back. I’m going to listen. And I’m going to let the music take me wherever it takes me. And maybe I’ll get Charlie or David to listen with me. If not that is okay as well because there the one’s missing out. Not me. Buttercup.

Introducing our children to the music we grew up with isn’t about making them like everything we liked. It’s about giving them another piece of our story. And who knows? Maybe we’ll find a song we can both enjoy.

Although I already know one thing. If I start singing along… Charlie is probably going to tell me: “No more singing.” And I’ll probably tell him the same thing I’ve already decided: Why not? That’s what makes life better. Buttercup.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates