I Love to Ride My Bike by Jamie Barnett

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Barnett's deeply felt vocals are further enhanced by the earnest sweetness of child singers who chime in throughout.

Lynne Heffley ©2003 Parents' Choice

I grew up in a house filled with music. Certainly some of the music came from records but most of it came from our mouths. My mother sang while she washed dishes. When she didn't know all the words she made some up. She could whistle with the sweetest vibrato. My father showed us harmony and it was magic. With seven kids in the family, it was hard to find a note in the chord that wasn't taken.

We sang in the kitchen while clearing the table and in the car on long trips. The best place to sing in our house was in the stairway. We had to squeeze but the sound was fantastic. We sang Mama's and Papa's, Beatles, CSN&Y, and songs from musicals and rock operas. As we got older there were assortments of rock bands and someone was always singing in church.

Music isn't just for listening; it is something to do together, something to share. Whether in a bar, a classroom, a church, or the stairway, music can bring people together in a way that few activities can.

As a teacher I can see that, in many families, music has become more of a product than an activity. The songs on this CD beg you to sing along. The words and melodies belong to the listener. Children bounce outside to play still singing their favorite parts of the songs. That is the most gratifying part of this experience for me. I am told by one mother that her 2 month old daughter becomes visibly excited when she hears the beginning of "In the Shade." I am told by another family that same song is the favorite of the grandfather. The thought that a song can connect people across three generations is exciting to me.

What is going on in my life now?

My oldest son Sean is 20. He is attending Berklee College of Music, in Boston. Nicolas (15) plays the baritone horn in the high school marching band. Lucas (10) is in fourth grade. He is featured on the song "Six Years Old" on this CD. My wife Kathryn has a beautiful voice and is a regular singer at the Living Room Lounge (our living room). Opportunities to sing with my brothers and sisters occur rarely now but the sound is still home to me. We recently made a recording of some of our favorite songs together, just for ourselves. It sounds great but it is not the same as actually getting together.

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