What a great thread. Not surprising that there are more postings on this thread than on most others on 'Gon. Also not surprising that so many of them start with "My Dad got me hooked....".
Well, my dad got me hooked. I was born in '59, so my friends were listening to a lot of 60s and 70s rock as I grew up. So was I, and I was playing it in my band, but I always spent a few hours a week listening to Jamal, Peterson, Evans, Wes, Miles, etc., with my dad. He had a small den with classic 60s style built-in bar/TV/stereo cabinetry, which contained (to the best of my recollection) a Scott tube amp and tuner and a Garrard turntable. Vinyl ,vinyl and more vinyl, "Friday with Frank [Sinatra]" on WWBD-FM, and a mother and sister who just didn't get the fascination.
When I was 16 my parents bought me my first "good" stereo, a Marantz 2225 receiver, Sony PL-518 turntable and speakers that I don't remember ('cuz I blew them out freshman year and replaced them with ADS floorstanders). My dad was more excited about my new equipment than I was. I didn't understand it then. I do now, as my 8 year-old son and I snuggle on the couch and listen to a lot of the same stuff my dad spun for me 30 years ago. I still have the Marantz, all tuned up and cranking fine down in the kids' playroom, while I listen to my Mac/Mac/Harbeth system up in the "daddy den". That Marantz will probably go with Ben to college in 10 years. I hope he takes a love of music there, too.
My dad suffered for 15 years with Lou Gehrig's disease, the last 8 of it confined to a bed or wheelchair. Happy moments for him were sparse during that time, but among his best were Saturday mornings or weeknights when I would go over and sit with him while we listened to whatever struck our fancy. It was never more apparent to me than then just how restorative music could be.
My thanks to everybody who contributed to this delightful thread. It awakened a lot of great memories for me.
Well, my dad got me hooked. I was born in '59, so my friends were listening to a lot of 60s and 70s rock as I grew up. So was I, and I was playing it in my band, but I always spent a few hours a week listening to Jamal, Peterson, Evans, Wes, Miles, etc., with my dad. He had a small den with classic 60s style built-in bar/TV/stereo cabinetry, which contained (to the best of my recollection) a Scott tube amp and tuner and a Garrard turntable. Vinyl ,vinyl and more vinyl, "Friday with Frank [Sinatra]" on WWBD-FM, and a mother and sister who just didn't get the fascination.
When I was 16 my parents bought me my first "good" stereo, a Marantz 2225 receiver, Sony PL-518 turntable and speakers that I don't remember ('cuz I blew them out freshman year and replaced them with ADS floorstanders). My dad was more excited about my new equipment than I was. I didn't understand it then. I do now, as my 8 year-old son and I snuggle on the couch and listen to a lot of the same stuff my dad spun for me 30 years ago. I still have the Marantz, all tuned up and cranking fine down in the kids' playroom, while I listen to my Mac/Mac/Harbeth system up in the "daddy den". That Marantz will probably go with Ben to college in 10 years. I hope he takes a love of music there, too.
My dad suffered for 15 years with Lou Gehrig's disease, the last 8 of it confined to a bed or wheelchair. Happy moments for him were sparse during that time, but among his best were Saturday mornings or weeknights when I would go over and sit with him while we listened to whatever struck our fancy. It was never more apparent to me than then just how restorative music could be.
My thanks to everybody who contributed to this delightful thread. It awakened a lot of great memories for me.