At the age of 6 I wanted so badly to play the piano. We had a piano in our home. I pretended to play it everyday until finally my Momma asked if I wanted to take piano lessons. It was a solution to constant pretending or pouting.

Beginning with Mrs. Weaver I took lessons for three years. She never advanced me out the beginning books but at home I was playing far more advanced than the teacher allowed. She held me back for no reason. Mother began looking for another piano teacher for me. We found Charlotte.

Knowing Charlotte all of my life it was easy to take piano lessons from her. At five o'clock every Tuesday I was sitting in her living room waiting for the other student to finish. I always couldn't't wait to show Charlotte what I had learned during the week. The lessons were 30 minutes but practice was full time. I awoke every morning and after getting ready for school I spent my time at the piano where I would have to be made to stop and go to school.

When I got home in the afternoons, I played the piano the majority of the time. At night after supper, I played the piano. I loved getting new pieces of music to learn and when I got a new book I went through it learning all the songs I could.

Oh I played outside with the other kids, I loved my dogs, climbed trees, loved swimming, and camping but any spare time I had I played the piano. I learned to read music quicker than I learned to read books.

 As I progressed Charlotte told Mother that she had taught me everything she knew. The search was on for a new piano teacher again. I hated to leave Charlotte because I loved her so much. But, the time came for me to move on and I understood. I was excited about the new teacher. Her name was Mrs. Ethel Tingle. I started lessons with her when I was 14 years old.

Mrs Tingle only moved to our small town a few years before, but quickly made a name for herself in the piano teachers realm. Short, petite and white hair she took music extremely serious but was such a joy to be with. Studying the classics at Juliard School of Music in New York City she proudly exhibited a large framed photograph of herself performing a duet on a beautiful grand piano in Carnegie Hall when she was in her 20s. The picture was in the hallway of her home and she kept new music on the bed in an adjoining guest bedroom. 

When I finished a piece "perfectly" she would allow me to pick out a new one to learn. She always had one of the classics in mind though and steered me in that direction. It was the only time she would play, just to let me hear what it sounded like. Mrs. Tingle suffered from rheumatoid arthritis which caused her fingers to be contracted and painful. She would almost cry as she attempted to play songs that once she had perfected. But, she always enjoyed leading me to play it correctly and when I did, she would be so happy. I loved her very much. 

She was very elegant and formal with a northern accent. Concisely she strived for my perfection in performing the classical songs. Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Strauss she taught me to read the music set in front of me. Our lessons lasted for one hour each week and in the Spring we performed a "musicale" or recital. A formal occasion and no nonsense I worked on songs for the musicale for a year before performing them without music.

I took lessons from her until I graduated high school. She begged me to try to get in Juliard but I had been to New York City and wanted nothing to do with it. I set out to major in music at the University of North Alabama where I became disillusioned and disappointed about majoring in music. The professors made music be like work, I had never thought of my music like that and did not want to. Needless to say I did not major in music but I never stopped playing the piano and moved my childhood piano with me everywhere I went. I still play it now.   

In 1994 I enrolled in Muscle Shoals Music Academy's class for Evangelistic Style of Gospel Piano. The class taught me more about chording and progressions, adding in runs and notes that were not't written. It broadened my playing perspective.

My paternal Grandmother told me before she passed away that if I did not't use my gift for God, "He is liable to take it from you." She passed away one year after that and I found my first church to serve as resident pianist. I have been a resident pianist ever since. I cannot imagine not being able to play the piano. God's gift to me is one I gladly return to Him every worship service. I continue to practice and learn new songs, new styles and even new digital pianos. It is a gift I don't think I could live without. There may come a day when physically I cannot play like I once could but until that day, I play for Him.

The church where my husband and I serve and worship records every service on DVD. We also have a new website www.CourtlandBaptist.com and hope to have the services on the website soon. In the mean time I have recorded several CDs and when I figure out how to get them on my website I will do that. Until then my heart and hands just go on playing.....

See Multimedia page for Anthony Burger videos---I strive to play like that!!

I hope you will visit our blog site at www.sonrisewriters.com