What Mom Taught Me.

August 12, 2008 | Filed Under Music, kcato. 

My mom taught me how to be me. Period. For those of you that know me, you know music is my life. Well, I get it from my mama. Here are a few songs that only she could sing. These songs fill me up with complete joy because they make me think of her.

This is what mom taught me about music:

Anita Baker – One of the best. Anita is definitely one of my favorite singers. Mom always kept Anita’s catalog on rotation. The last Anita song we shared together was “I Apologize.”

Betty Wright – Betty is fabulous because she keeps it real. A household favorite was “No Pain, No Gain.” Mom could really tear this song up. Just like Betty, Mom didn’t take no stuff.

Soul II Soul – Mom threw a huge house party back in the 80′s that would’ve made Diddy change careers. Saturday mornings weren’t complete without Mom blasting “Back to Life” at 8am. I was irritated by the sleep deprivation, but the song was hot. “Back to Life” still reminds me of Mom’s ability to make anything fun.

Tina Turner – I remember Mom playing two Tina songs. “Let’s Stay Together” (Tina’s Al Green re-make) and “What’s Love Got To Do With It.” “What’s Love” gives me chills when the beat comes on. Definitely one of my favorites.

Jocelyn Brown – As a child, Mom really burnt me out with this one. “Somebody Else’s Guy” had to have been played at least 48 times a day. I absolutely love this song. Mom belted this one out from the diaphragm. Nothing but soul. I love it!

Frankie Beverly & Maze We listened to a lot of Maze’s albums together. The song that really sticks out is “Silky Soul.” Mom would play this one in the car on her way to work. She would drop me off at Grandma’s house and drive off with this on full blast. All this at 5am. Life was good.

James “D-Train” Williams – I know right. Who is he? Well, he was sadly slept on. I’m not sure how many albums he’s put out, but Mom loved the mess out of “Oh, How I Love You Girl.” We would ride around Columbus on Saturday mornings with Aunt Bernie listening to this one. It makes me laugh every time I hear it. Mom was quite hilarious.

Babyface – You know him, right? Cool. Babyface had a duet with Karen White called “Love Saw It.” Mom loved this one so much, she had my brother and I performing this around the house. It takes me back to age 7 when we lived near the bowling alley. All four of us (mom, my two older brothers, and I) were still living together. Those were the days.

Glenn Jones – He’s one of the greats. “We’ve Only Just Begun” was a Glenn Jones favorite. This song definitely helped groom my brother into the performing arts. Mom was notorious for making us sing songs she loved.

Kenny Lattimore – Mom started to dig the ’90′s a little more with this one. “For You” is a beautiful love song. My brother sung this to his bride as she walked down the aisle. Every time I hear it, I think of Mom’s face at the wedding. She was so proud.

R.Kelly – This list would not be complete without R. Kelly’s “Home Alone.” Right before Mom passed away, she had a Christmas party at the house. With a house full of family and friends, this song was on absolute repeat. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can listen to this song anymore. That’s how much we played it out that night. As mom got older, she partied harder. I loved that about her.

These are just a few songs that I absolutely love because of my mother. She taught me everything I know about music. When I hear these songs, I can see her singing, laughing, and doing her favorite dance.

She’s sorely missed. But, her spirit lives on through me and the music. I love you Mommy.

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