The Piano Man

I recently listened to a conversation with Billy Joel, aka “The Piano Man.”  Years ago, he was my son Craig’s favorite singer.  Among other comments, Billy Joel said that he will never forgive himself for not being as good a musician as Beethoven. Talk about ambition!  Early in life I learned that Brahms was good.  Bach was great.  But Beethoven alone stood at the pinnacle of classical music composers.

I grew up in a musical household.  My parents met while playing in an orchestra.  In the 1930’s Mom played the trumpet in an all-girl’s band, and my dad was a professional French horn player.  If I wasn’t practicing piano, then I was listening in on Dad’s teaching.  While Mom loved listening to opera on weekend afternoons, for some reason, Dad seldom listened to classical music just for fun. Maybe he just wanted to relax, and it reminded him too much of work.

My parents urged me to become a doctor.  But that was not to be. I nearly fainted at the sight of blood, and besides, I had no desire to memorize everything a doctor needed to know. I told my parents they would have to be satisfied with accounting and law (I liked studying accounting).

Few of us know the answer to the question, “What will I be when I grow up.”  We find out by doing, and what we do often depends on the opportunities and the people we meet along the way. As to how far any of us get towards achieving our highest ambitions – that is in the laps of the Gods.

Recently a good friend asked me what I wanted to be remembered for.  Without a pause I answered, “I don’t need to be remembered for anything.  It won’t do me any good after I’m gone.”

As one of my own favorite singers Phil Oaks wrote, “I won’t be singing on this song when I’m gone, so I guess I better do it while I’m here.”

I understand Billy Joel’s ambition.  When I was young, I wanted to write better plays than Shakespeare.  That hasn’t happened (yet), so I guess, like Billy Joel, I have yet to realize my highest ambition.

But here I am, writing my blog.  As they say, life is what happens while you’re making plans.

Alan