For My Fellow Dads
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| My youngest and me |
I have so many things I am delinquent in posting about - the CD Release Party, TV appearances, other shows - but since this weekend is Father's Day, and as a Dad myself, I decided to post something for my fellow Dads instead.
My memories of my Dad are great. I remember every day after school, I'd wait until he got home from work, then we'd toss the fishing poles into the back of the truck and head to Dunkelberger's Pond - legendary for it's both hungry and tasty largemouth bass. One particularly fruitful evening, we nabbed over a dozen, each at least a foot long, and were cleaning and fileting fish well past dark. He also used to drive me over 30 miles each way each week to my piano and organ lessons, because we had found a former Juliard professor willing to take me on just over the border in New York state. As I closed in on the legal driving age, he'd often let me drive part of the way home. When I got my first house, he came to visit, and basically did non-stop house projects from the moment he arrived until he left, all to make my life a little better, a little easier.
Sadly, I lost my Dad to cancer before he had a chance to meet any of my kids. I spoke last week at the opening of a Relay For Life, and talked about my Dad's final days. I was surprised at just how choked up I got. He obviously had a profound impact on my life, and over a decade later, I still miss him quite a bit. I hope I can live his legacy and make my kids' lives a little better, a little easier, too.
When my first child was still riding in a car seat, one day she was doing the ol' "arch your back and scream" maneuver to avoid the dreaded five point harness lock down. I was Louis C.K.-level frustrated, and in desperation started doing the first thing that popped into my head. I sang. Turned out, it was quite a good distraction - she immediately calmed down and stared at me, eventually smiling as I gently placed her in her car seat and strapped her in. When I closed the door, I had to pause for a moment to savor that moment of Dad ingenuity, before making my way to the driver's seat.
I eventually took the little song I made up at that moment into my studio where I created a recorded version. So for Father's Day, I'd like to share with you that silly little song, my ode to myself and all Dads; please enjoy "Daddy Daddy Daddy."