“Where are we going Grandma ?”, as we stepped onto the 12th Street bus which ran in front of our house. “We’re going to buy you a piano.” I was seven years old at the time and had no idea that my parents and Grandma had discussed the possibility of me and my brother taking piano lessons. It’s been so long ago since Grandma and I walked into this quaint little church and there sitting in a corner was an old Upright piano that Grandma bought for $25 upon sight. Back during that time $25 was a lot of money for Grandma for she only received twenty dollars a month on her pension check. She had been laying aside a little amount each month until the time was right to take her grand-daughter to buy her a piano. My father owned a truckline during this time so the piano was soon picked up and delivered to our house and set in the dining room. That would not be the only piano Grandma helped in purchasing for me for a few years later she helped my parents by giving a little each month to buy a new spinet piano to continue my lessons. That piano went with me everywhere I moved until I parted with it last year when I purchased another new piano.
My teacher, Mrs. Moss, would come every Wednesday at 4:00 o’clock to give me and my brother our piano lessions. If I remember correctly it cost 75 cents each at the time. She would take a bus to our house and be waiting for us as soon as we got home from school. My brother didn’t last long since baseball etc. was more important than practicing piano lessions. Mrs. Moss was so embarrassed when she had to inform my mother that the lessons would have to be increased to $1.25 since the expense of her traveling on the bus.
I started playing the piano for Junior Church at the age of nine and progressed to the “big peoples” service about three years later. I remember my first hymns were “Stand Up Stand Up for Jesus and Onward Christian Soldiers”. This was also about the time I had auditioned to sing in the Messiah Choir. I was eleven years old and had to sing in front of the director and conductor of this event. I was given the opportunity to sing in this 200 member choir. I also was the youngest member of the choir. I sung in this choir until I was 18 years of age and loved every minute of it. I joined the Junior School Band at 5th grade as the main pianist but as time approached High School age my love for singing took the place of the piano. I was in two choirs and did a lot of solo work. My parents then sent me to take vocal lessons. Hopping on the bus at school and riding to downtown Kansas City was my adventure to Jenkins Music Co. for vocal lessons. This was pursued for four years until I graduated from High School.
I went directly to School of Nursing after graduation and was not active in my music at that time. My Grandma had passed my first year in nursing and this was a very big void for me. She was my room-mate, my best friend, favorite cook, and most of all a Grandmother who loved me very much. After graduating from Nursing I was married to Sherman D. Brady Jr. and started my new life. We were blessed with two very sweet children Dale and Danelle.
Most of my life has been sharing the gift of music. I have been a Music Director for several congregations. I also played the organ for most of the services. (Yes organ lessons were also part of my music repertoire.). Very few churches used piano for their musical instrument. I have also been a Youth Choir Director and had a marvelous experience with children. We performed several operetta’s which included, ‘It’s Cool in The Furnace’(story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego), A Tale of a Whale (Jonah’s story being swollowed by a whale), Zach Jr. (son of Zacchaeus), A Christmas Story, and My House (story
of a mother teaching morals and right and wrong to her children and their friends).
So, here I am returning to the roots that started 60 years ago. A Grandmother and her grand-daughter took a bus ride to find her first piano. Never did I realize where this journey would take me.
This Song’s for you GRANDMA!!!
