The First Song I Ever Wrote (Patreon)

My parents were away on vacation.

My sweet grandmother was babysitting me and my brother for a few days.

I was 14 years old with 6 years of piano playing under my belt. I was just discovering how much I loved singing while playing. Thick piano books full of songs from Broadway to the Beatles could entertain me for hours.

I'm not sure why... but while my parents were out of town, the house was quiet, and I closed the songbooks to write a song of my own. Perhaps it was the freedom of my parents being gone? To this day, I can't write a song if I know they can hear me.

"Bye, Bye Baby" was my first song, and it started me on the path of being a singer-songwriter. 

While my parents were out of town, my grandmother apparently reported to them that I was playing this "Bye, Bye Baby" song over and over and over again. When they came home, they sat around the piano to hear it. This would be the first of many times I'd ask them to listen to a new song and critique it. My parents suggested I take this song to my chorus teacher, Mr. McCloskey, to get his opinion. At the time, I was in 9th grade, a few weeks out from singing a solo in the upcoming chorus concert. Mr. McCloskey had me play the song for him after class, and soon after insisted I play my original song instead of doing a solo in the chorus. I was in shock! I had just written it! It was my first song! I didn't know what I was doing! But he encouraged me.

Sure enough, I played "Bye, Bye Baby" at the chorus concert. Mr. McCloskey generously gave me a slot in the concert, where I was to play this song all by myself at the school's grand piano. It was nerve-wrecking. It was electrifying. I felt so vulnerable and so alive. I finished the song, pulled my sweaty hands off the piano keys and looked out into the auditorium to a standing ovation. It's crazy to admit, but that night was what solidified my dream to sing, write and perform music. 

I'm grateful to my parents for always encouraging me, to my gigantic family who filled local venues every weekend, and to my teachers who gave me the extra bit of confidence to keep going. Every bit of support & encouragement helped me solidify this as my life path. 

XO

LL