Monday, March 13, 2023 - Heritage

I wrote last week a little bit about my family’s ancestors and how a lot of the traditions of culture and music are lost to us. We don’t know the songs of our German or British forbears other than one hymn my grandpa liked called “Murmur”, and all we really know of their culture are a few family recipes that were passed down. My mother spent a lot of time researching our family genealogy, and I am so grateful for the lines she was able to trace to different places in the old country. Just a month before she died in 2015 she finally got confirmation that our ancestor William Bell came across the Atlantic on a boat from Ireland, and so I found out that we have Irish lineage as well as the other lines she found. So I have embraced a lot of Irish tunes imagining what they could have meant to William Bell and his family. When I sing “Across the Western Ocean” I think of them leaving family and friends behind to board a ship bound for America. When I sing “Galway Bay” I wonder if they sat and looked at that same place and smelled the salty sea air and felt the heather-scented breezes blow on their brow. I often feel the Ire rise in my blood that they must have felt when they were oppressed by the English during the revolution. Of course I have English blood in me too, so it’s a puzzlement! So here’s to our heritage wherever we come from, and this week I’ll celebrate my heritage in song.

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What have I been up to?

I had 8 senior facilities last week, but one had to be cancelled due to staff being out. I’m so possessed by Irish tunes now that my shows are really fun and high energy with a few sweet ballads and sing-alongs thrown in.

My Wednesday online show was Motown, Atlantic, and Stax R&B tunes, and it was so much fun. I was dancing to almost all of them as I played, and we’ll have to do another one of these soon.

My Sunday online show was favorites and requests, and I couldn’t help doing a few Irish songs as well. As I said, I’m pretty possessed and obsessed with these tunes this time of year.

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What am I up to this week?

I have 9 senior facilities this week, and you know I’ll really be playing Irish songs all week including a couple St. Patrick’s Day parties. It will be a blast!

My Wednesday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be Irish tunes for St. Patrick’s Day as well, and I expect it’ll be a night to remember. Erin go bragh!

My Sunday online show 7-8:45 mountain time will be favorites and requests, and I’ll get back to some of the great requests and good interaction that we always have on these shows. It’s a blessing to get to serve friends with great music and friendship.

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That’s it for this week. I hope you cherish your heritage and your family lineage. Even if it’s far distant from your everyday life there is a connection that can enrich your life.

Best always,

Tom

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Details this week:

Who:  Tom Munch 
What:  playing and singing an online concert of Irish songs
Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  
When:  Wednesday, March 15, 7-8:45 pm mountain time

Who:  Tom Munch 
What:  playing and singing an online concert of favorites and requests 
Where:  facebook.com/tom.munch and tommunch.com/online-concerts  
When:  Sunday, March 19, 7-8:45 pm mountain time 

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