I remember hearing "A Swingin' Safari" often as a kid. It's an uptempo Bert Kaempfert instrumental that was a hit for Billy Vaughn and his orchestra. I remember hearing it, along with many other tunes and Classical pieces, played on the piano in the family room. Years later, I played Vaughn's version on WEW and was reminded of how quickly that song can erase a gloomy mood.
The same person who played it on the piano also walked in while I practiced the bass. Our longtime family cat, Rusty, would often sing during rests in the music, in a way that he wouldn't at any other time. (I was especially impressed when he replicated a dotted quarter note followed by two quarter notes, exactly as I'd played them, in sung meows.) I'd get to a measure of rests, and she would ask Rusty to sing. Usually, he'd oblige; occasionally, if his singing wasn't quite in rhythm, she'd chide him gently, "You're a little off the beat there, cat."
Happy birthday, Mom. Your mastery of many tasteful piano pieces and appreciation for Rusty the cat's singing illustrate that your musical priorities, like Dad's, are in the right place. Thank you for your influence.
