Do you ever think about what your mom did before she was your mom? Growing up I didn't much. She's just, well, mom. But as I've gotten older our relationship has changed from mother/daughter to friend. It's not something that happens overnight, it just sort of develops over the years until one day you find yourself on the phone with your mom and she's asking YOU for advice instead of the other way around. I absolutely cherish this new relationship with my mom and genuinely love spending time with her, in person or for hours at a time on the phone. (Thank goodness for mobile to mobile free minutes!) So back to my original question...do you ever think about what your mom did before she was your mom? Well, turns out my mom was a rock star! Okay, maybe not a rock star, but she did rock. Here's the story...
When my mom was in college at Utah State University she was asked by one of her friends to accompany her to an audition for a folk group called The Balladiers. Her friend needed someone to play the music and harmonize with her while she sang and knowing my mom played the baritone ukulele asked her to do it for her. My mom agreed and as luck would have it they asked my mom to be a part of the Balladiers and not her friend. My mom wasn't even auditioning! Don't worry her friend ended up becoming the head cheerleader and there were no hard feelings. :)
Thankfully for my mom though she'd been asked to that audition because the Balladiers ended up being a HUGE part of her life. They toured around various US cities doing proselyting concerts (trying to get kids to go to USU) and performed at the Capital Theatre for the premier of the movie, Duel at Diablo starring Sidney Poitier. After that performance Dan Valentine, from the Salt Lake City Tribune, wrote, "Utah State University Balladiers - My vote for one of the best singing groups in the West. They should be on the Ed Sullivan Show." This group also included, Craig Jessop (you know him from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), who joined when he was just 18 years old, fresh out of high school.
After my mom's senior year and just 6 months after marrying my dad she headed out on an 8 week USO Tour to Southeast Asia (Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Thailand, Taiwan, Phillipine Islands, Guam and Hawaii.)
Here are some pictures of the Balladiers from their USO tour and some of their proselyting concerts, but as you scroll through these pictures click play below and hear The Balladiers sing the song that they led all their shows with (more on how I got this recording later)...
Aren't those costumes amazing?! I actually wore her dress to a 60's themed dance in High School.
It was awesome.
Here they are performing at Disneyland. I love the above pic. It's such an awesome snapshot of what the 60's looked like.
My mom is the blonde with the BIG hair...and yes, it's ALL hers. Have I ever told you about my mom's crazy thick hair? Yeah, my sister Missy got those blessed genes.
On the USO tour she wore a pig tail fall for the concerts.
I would actually wear this green skirt and blouse she has on. So cute.
This yellow suit however...not so much. And no, those sunglasses aren't a joke! :)
In Japan
My mom pointing to North Korea
Here she's standing with Richard Deacon, who played the part of Mel, on the Dick Van Dyke Show.
So, why am I sharing all of this with you? Because on June 4th the Balladiers got together for a 43rd Reunion Concert at USU. Jeff and I were headed for Hawaii the next day and were planning to get to Utah late the night before to drop our kids off with my parents so they could watch them. When we found out that we could attend the concert we knew we didn't want to miss it, so we woke up super early and drove to Logan, Utah in time to make it to the concert. I've heard stories my whole life about the Balladiers and grew up hearing my mom sing songs they sang all those years ago, so it was SUCH a treat to see my mom, in her element, performing with all those beloved, lifetime, friends of hers. The love and energy in the concert hall was palpable. According to my mom they didn't sound near as good as they did in their day (umm, they only had 2 days to rehearse) but to me it sounded GREAT! To say I enjoyed this concert is an understatement. As soon as the first song began my sister Missy and I both swelled up with tears of joy. We both agreed that this was one night we'd never forget.
Here are some pictures of the reunion...
My mom and Marilyn Miller holding up some of their old costumes.
My mom hugging Craig Jessop.
My cute mom and dad.
All of the Balladiers (minus Craig Jessop).
My sister, Missy, and me with our mom outside the concert hall.
The reunion concert.
At the end of the show they asked all the kids in the audience to join them on stage for a hootenanny. We all sang along to, "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" and "This Land is Your Land." (Do you spot Jack front and center?)
Here's a little clip from the reunion concert of one of my mom's solos to, "You've lost that lovin' feelin.'"
See? My mom rocks! :)
Now that you've heard what they sound like 43 years after their tour listen to what they sounded like on their tour. Get this, a soldier had just bought a new tape deck and wanted to try it out so when he heard a USO group was coming to his base he set it up and recorded this group. Well that group happened to be The Balladiers. Then in 1995 he saw Kent Smith (one of the Balladiers) at a fireworks stand and recognized him. So he went up to him and asked him if he'd been on a USO tour in 1968 and told him that he had a recording of his group. The Balladiers never did get any recordings of their music on the USO Tour (oh how that would be so different today) so this was meant to be! Now they all have a copy of their concert in Tachikawa, Japan! Here's that same medley recorded 43 year earlier. My mom's solo is 1 minute and 24 seconds in.
Balladiers - Lovin' Feeling Medley by pilotsace
Thank you for inviting us to this concert Mom. You're an amazing and talented woman. I only have one gripe...WHY DIDN'T I GET ANY OF YOUR MUSICAL TALENT?!?!
17 comments:
Why did I have to move the weekend of this concert? Of all the rotten luck! Mom does ROCK! I got to see the DVD Dad made of the reunion and all the fun photos and I loved it! Thank you for taping her solo...I think she sounds even better than she did in college! Way to go Mom! Thanks Mindy for this fun post! Our mom is a babe, don't you think?
Your mom IS a "Rock Star" and a wonderful sister also! What a lovely tribute! I'm so glad that you and Missy were able to attend the reunion concert! I loved seeing all the pictures of then and now and hearing her solo - how fun! I love that your dad has always been so supportive of "The Balladiers" - he is their biggest fan - there is something wonderful about that! What a great post!
She does rock. I was a Balladier groupie as a girl. I would play and play and play the reel to reel tape of their concert and knew every word to every song. How fun to see them together again and to hear them- doing the same arrangements! Did you know they also did television commercials for, oh goodness, I think it was American Express? Anyway, they were on a commercial that was shown frequently on t.v. singing a song. What a fun post. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back and read it and look at all the pictures again!
I totally concur... Your mom rocks!
Its Patty again - I hope that there aren't rules about commenting twice on a post - I just listened to the downloaded music and it brought back lots of sweet memories. Like Kay, I too listened to the reel to reel tape of their concert and loved all the songs of that day time and "The Balladiers" did them best! I feel so fortunate to have such a talented and beautiful sister!
Amazing...John and I are so proud of you Pam. I actually have downloaded earlier posts to mom and dad's cyber photo frame. You are so cute! I hope this post works, for some reason it often doesn't. Could that be because john and I have about 4 different passwords and I gat lost in the multitude:-)? Love to you all! Cindy and John
I have always loved your mom, and this just makes me love her even more! She's so cute in all those pictures, and how fun to have a reunion! Thanks for posting!
Wow!!!!! How special is this post???
So great! What a DIVA!!! Seriously! Loving these outfits. Oh the 60s fashion! I love it and I love how so much of it is BACK!
Your mom was/is a BABE! I see SO MUCH OF YOU and SO MUCH OF MISSY in these pictures. Great genes! She was so tiny and tan and blonde and darling. Just like you! And that picture of your dad... I see so some of his grandsons... Missy's kids maybe? in it. So fun how everyone looks alike and everyone is so good looking!
What a fun group, what wonderful memories. Love that your mom was MTM and traveled and sang and made these wonderful friends and STILL prioritizes being/reuniting/singing with them. So happy she worked it all out and got to do this and you got to see her. I'm sure that was so special for you and Missy.
Amazing they have that original track! What an awesome find! I'm sure your mom will be so touched you have documented all this so well. Bless modern technology to capture all these sweet memories!
Also love how someone above said Roger is Pam's biggest fan. Of course he is! I LOVE YOUR PARENTS!
So, we obviously know who you look the most like! You have to do your hair like that and put on one of her costumes for a comparrison picture!
Mindy surprised me with this memory lane post about such a fun time in my life. She's such a thoughtful, loving daughter and it meant the world to me that she and and her family, Missy with her kids and Rick and Jodie with their kids were at the concert. Roger's mom and his sister,Sue and husband,Craig, and his dad were there, too. We couldn't believe over 400 people came to see a concert of a group of weathered folk singers approaching 70! We didn't have time to polish - we sang through 22 songs in the concert and only practiced for 2 days, but what joy it was to be together again (we all adore each other!) and to perform together! The skin was rubbed off all of the guys fingers from playing their instruments - Carol, our high soprano, had lung surgery a month before and it was a miracle she was even there, much less that she could sing - the Balladiers were 100 percent in attendance and still kickin', which in itself, is a miracle !
Thanks, Min, for such a kind post about your old mom - you're the best!
This is your Dad talking now under your mom's gmail account - they got mixed.
What a great job, Mindy, posting that great information of a very special weekend for mom. It is nice to have it all in writing and you do it best! I must say, i probably enjoyed the weekend almost as much as Mom. It is a great memory for me, also.
They sounded great considering the short time they rehearsed and how many song they performed. It is amazing how many great soloists were in that group. And, by the way, Mom looked the best of everyone!!! I enjoyed watching and listening to them rehearse. The concert brought back so many good memories of their heyday in singing and they really sounded great to me.
Your thoughtfulness and time is much appreciated so we can all enjoy it over and over.
Love,
Dad
Your mom is awesome and so talented!!!
That was so fun reading this post and listening to the music. I never knew this about my aunt but she does rock!!! And I see so much of you in her from those pics. Great genes you have! What a sweet tribute!
How fun to see how much you look like your mom! This was a blast from the past for me in regard to the songs and styles. PS: Your mother is still the cutest one there!!
Love you, Pam!
Rosemary
What a fun post. I love all the pictures. I too listened to that Balladier tape about 100 times. I always thought my big sister was a "rock star". You are such a sweet daughter to write such a great tribute!
How fun to read about your mom. I knew she was cute, but she was CUTE!
My dad was in the Balladiers! He's in a ton of these pictures. He's the tall red-headed banjo player, Lewis. I was at that reunion concert, too. Small world! I was just adding artwork for my iTunes Library, and I have the Japan concert on there. I was trying to find a picture for it, and google brought up your blog! Cool stuff!
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