Music & Family

 Hi, my name is Kimauri Chatman, and for this blog, I interviewed my mom, who grew up in the late 70s and 80s. She experienced music in a way that’s very different from how I do today. From gospel Sundays to cassette tapes and live concerts. Her stories gave me a deeper appreciation for how music shaped her life and our family’s culture.

What was music’s role in your household growing up? When I asked her about music’s role in her household growing up, she smiled and said, “Music woke us up on weekends.” Soul Train was a big deal every weekend, the family would gather to watch it. “There were all these new artists you guys don’t even know about,” she said. Gospel music filled the house on Sunday mornings, setting a spiritual tone for the day. And during Christmas, it was all about The Temptations’ holiday songs.

How did you listen to music as a kid technology-speaking? Technology-wise, she recalled listening to music on records and tapes. “Wow,” she said, “we had records and tapes. That’s how we got our music.

What was the first concert you went to? Her first concert was seeing New Edition in the mid-to-late 80s. “It was electric,” she said. “Everyone was screaming, and we were all dressed up. It felt like the whole city came out.

Have you played any Instruments? She played the clarinet in middle and high school, and also grew up around guitars and keyboards thanks to her uncle. “There was always a keyboard in the house,” she said. They even had a banjo when she was little. “Music was always around us” she said.

What is your favorite song? When asked about her favorite song, she said, “MC Hammer did a version of it, but the original was by an older group called The Chi-Lites. It’s called Have You Seen Her. That song just hits different.” The soulful lyrics and smooth melody have stuck with her over the years.

How has music affected you altogether? When I asked how music has affected her life, she said, “Because I can always play certain songs and it would take me back in time or make me reminisce about the loved ones I’ve lost.” She shared how her mom’s favorite artist was Marvin Gaye, and that listening to any Marvin Gaye song instantly reminds her of her mother.

What is one distinct memory about music that you would like to share? One of her most vivid memories was how music influenced fashion and identity. “When we were younger, Michael Jackson wore leather coats so we all had leather coats too, black and red ones, just like him. And the gloves, of course,” she laughed. “Artists like that, we copied. We even wore MC Hammer pants! Music wasn’t just something we listened to it was something we lived.”