Music and Us

 Music and Family

    The family member that I interviewed was my mom. I would like to think that I know my mom really well and even as I was writing up my interview questions I was thinking that I could 100% answer some of these questions for her. However, there were some answers that did surprise me some. And I also found out that my mother was more musical than I even knew. 

•      The first thing I asked my mom to do was define music in her own words;

"I would say music is something you listen to with certain rhythms and cadences that you like."

•    How important is music to you personally?-

"Very important because it sets my mood. It can make me more relaxed or excited depending on the mood I am going for. Sometimes it can even make me drive too fast when I am listening to certain songs in the car."

•     Did you actually make music yourself?-

"Yes, when I was younger I played the piano. My mother made me take piano lessons, but I did not like them because I hated music theory. I was also in choir all throughout high school and college. I went to school at USC Upstate on a scholarship for singing. Oh and I also sang at my own wedding." 

•     What is your earliest memory of music?-

"I remember in daycare, when I was like two or three, learning songs and singing them to my parents."

•     What is the first album you ever purchased?-

"The first record I ever had my parents bought me. It was a Shawn Cassidy vinyl record. I even had his poster on my wall and I used to draw braces on it because I thought it made him cuter."

•     What kind of music was played in your house growing up?- 

"If I was around my dad it was country. If I was around my mother it was old Baptist hymns. If I was around my sisters it was pop and rock."

•     How, technologically, did you listen to music when you were growing up?-

"My dad had old 8 track tapes that I would use. My sisters and I used the radio and record players and cassettes. Mostly cassette tapes."

•     Were there any music restrictions that you had while growing up?-

"Oh yes, the rock music that I liked to listen to when I was a teenager my dad would take those and throw them away and would tell me I wasn't allowed to listen to that music."

•     Did you rebel against those restrictions?-

"Yeah, I would get them and hide them in my room and in my car."

•     What kind of music were you into when you were my age?-

"I listened to a lot of grunge and pop rock when I was in college. Lots of Kurt Cobain, Hootie and the Blowfish, Cravin Melon, and lots of Pearl Jam."

•     Would you say that music was a big part of your family growing up?-

"Yes, my parents always encouraged us to sing in church and at school and it was always on in the cars and in our home doing everyday things. We used music instead of TV. We even had music on during meals. Oh and my parents loved ballroom dancing and listening to ballroom music so that was always playing because they were always practicing for competitions. They loved it so much that they bought a ballroom. It was called Starlight Ballroom in Greer. I worked there for a while in high school so I heard ballroom music ALL the time. That and my mother was in a family band. Her and her father and siblings would travel around doing concerts singing old church hymns so I heard those a lot growing up."

•     How have your music preferences changed from when you were my age to now?-

"They really haven't changed much cause I still like to listen to the stuff I grew up on. But I still like some of the music from today."

•     What is your all time favorite genre of music?-

"I would say pop rock."

•     Who introduced you to that genre?-

"Probably my sisters. I remember when I was real little, I would sit in their rooms while they were listening to people like ABBA and Xanadu and the Bee Gees."

•     What is your least favorite genre?- 

"Definitely country."

•     Who is your all time favorite artist?-

"Billy Joel definitely, but P!nk is up there too."

•     Who is your least favorite artist?-

"I can't really stand Weird All Yankovic"

•     Have you ever been to a Concert?-

"Yes"

•     Who's and can you remember when?-

" I have seen Elton John and Billy Joel together twice. In, I think 1994 and 1995 or 96. But, I have seen Billy Joel by himself four times. The most recent was I think 2022. Oh and I saw P!nk in 2024 and Jimmy Buffet around 1997ish."

•     Which concert was your favorite?-

"It'd be between Jimmy Buffest or P!nk. Jimmy Buffet was just with a big group of my friends and we all tailgated in Hawaiian shirts and bucket hats. It felt more like a big party than just a concert. But also P!nk's show was just so theatrical and mesmerizing. With all the dancing and singing and acrobatics. So I can't decide between the two."

•     Do you think you or your life would be different today if you did not have music?-

"Yes, it would be a lot more boring."

•     If there was one song you could erase from your memory, what would it be?-

"Probably Old Town Road because I taught 5th grade when that song was popular and that is all I heard."

•     What is your favorite music-related memory?-

"I don't know why this one of all the memories, but I remember going to the beach with my friends with the top down on my little convertible with the music blaring and having the best time."

Finally I asked my mom what were some of her favorite songs from her favorite artists and this is what she gave me;

She told me her all time favorite Billy Joel song is Scenes from An Italian Restaurant. 

 

    Her favorite Jimmy Buffet song she said was Cheeseburger In Paradise.

     And lastly my mom said her favorite P!nk song is Please Don't Leave Me. 

Music and Memory

 This prompt was actually pretty difficult for me simply because I have soooo many songs that bring back core memories for me. But, these are my top three,

    1. My first Music and Memory song is Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne. 

    Anything Avril Lavigne in general brings back so many memories because I looved her when I was younger. So much so that I even convinced my mom to let me dye the tips of my hair red with kooliad when I was in the 5th grade😬. Anyway, this song specifically brings back many memories. Growing up my older cousin lived with us and her favorite artist was Avril Lavigne and her favorite song was Sk8er Boi. This is genuinely one of the first songs I even have memories of. She passed away a couple of years ago so every time I hear this song she is who I think of. It brings back all the good memories. 

    2. The next song is Mr. Brightside by The Killers.

So this song immediately when I hear it I can hear my entire family in my ear singing it. For some reason about five years ago my entire family went on a big beach trip and all stayed in a big house together and this song was played/sung at least 10 times a day no joke. Most of the time it was just one or two people who would start singing it and then everyone would just join in until we were all screaming it at the top of our lungs. And just to make it even better, I don't even know the actual words to the song I just scream whatever sounds right at the time. 

The last song that I picked is, These Are The Days by Lauren Daigle. 

So, if you know anything about me you probably know that I am a big Lauren Daigle fan. Many of her songs are connected to many different memoires but this one is one of my favorites. A couple of years ago I got the opportunity to go to Nashville to be a part of this album release event for the second half of her last album. There was a select group of people that go to go to this event so we all hung out the whole weekend together. A couple of months before this trip Lauren Daigle released the first half of her album and this song was on it. So, this song became like our trip anthem anytime we were all together doing anything. So, now anytime I hear this song I think of the trip and all the lovely people I got to met and all the cool things I got to do. 

Here is a a perfect example. 

also,

Here is a picture of me putting glitter on Lauren Daigle's face at the Blue Bird in Nashville. Probably one of the coolest things I have been to. 

Music and Me

     Hi there! I am Kendall Hughes. I am a Jr. music therapy major here at Converse. I have always been a big music lover, but I did not actually start "making" music in front of people until 2022. I started to teach myself guitar and piano around that time and got involved in leading worship at church kind of by accident and haven't really stopped since then. At that time I was a physical therapy student and did not know anything about music therapy until I went on a trip to Nashville and met some people there who were doing music therapy and came home from that trip and applied to Converse immediately. I started my first semester at Converse spring of 2024 and have been here doing the thing ever since. 

    When I am not at school I am either at my daycare job or leading worship somewhere. I started working at a daycare right when I turned 18 and haven't left. Working with kids is always a new adventure every day. Within the last couple of years I have found that one of my true passions is leading contemporary worship. So I say yes to any opportunity I can!

Here is me (in the middle) and a couple of my siblings my siblings. 

    1. Two Examples of something I am liking right now: 

This song is my current go to when I just need to jam for a little pick me up. The bridge of this song is so powerful and meaningful. Currently on repeat for me! 

This is a song that will Always be a "right now" song for me. It is just a vibe and is too good. In my opinion Lauryn Hill's music is some that just never get old. No matter how much I listen to it I never get sick of it. 

    2. My walk up song:

This song is my perfect walk up song. Specifically the last minuteish. For no reason other than it is just the perfect vibe. But also the end of this song also plays before every Lauren Daigle concert. Its the song that when you hear it you know the show is about to start so it just gets my hyped every time. 

  

    3. An example of a song that I don't particularly care for:

I have never loved country music, but this one specifically. For some reason, and I can't really explain why, it just bothers me so much. I don't love how mumblely he sounds. At first it was just a normal dislike until my friends found out and since then they take any opportunity they can to play it when I am around and that has only increased the dislike.