Did you grow up in a Home full of Music @sneakypete Do you play any instruments,
@corbe I grew up in a "music friendly" house,but neither of my parents could play anything,and I never heard either of them sing a note. They did like music though,and for people in their 40's they took right to rock and roll in the 50's,and I had them listening to Uriah Heep and Bad Company in the 70's. Not to mention the Marshall Tucker Band,Allman Brothers,ELO,Lynard Skynard,etc,etc,etc.
They bought me a new guitar for my 8th birthday,but refused to pay for lessons. Told me "None of the good musicians ever needed lessons. You need to teach yourself". Since I didn't even have a clue to what note was what or how they were supposed to sound,that didn't work.
I did play in the elementary school band for about a month before getting in the face of the mouthy NY scum band teacher and telling him he needed to take his ass back to NYC with the rest of the freaks. For some odd reason he kicked me out of the band and I had to turn my rental trumpet back in. Which probably came as a relief to my parents. It had to be a burden to them to hear me trying to play "Rhapsody in Blue".
This was the first "big" complex song that ever grabbed me. I had no chance at all of mastering it in elementary school,but I thought I did. Nobody can ever accuse me of not being ambitious,though.
I still think the Gershwin's were amongst the most gifted composers of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-B4SRkaQ2Y