Writing a book never was on my list of “to do” things although I have always been a voracious reader. I dabbled in creative writing and poetry in high school when I was one of the newspaper editors and frequently needed “extra” articles to make everything fill in the pages so I would let my creative juices flow and whip out something to entertain our “astute“ readers! When I was in college, I often wrote light-hearted songs for our sorority to sing when there were occasions we needed to perform. These were mostly humorous and upbeat audience pleasers. I frequently collaborated with my friend, Sue Purviance, to write parodies for our church choir who would present dinner/theater productions as well as for her many high school retirement banquet/roasts. The object was to let the humor roll. As we put our craziness onto paper, we so thoroughly enjoyed the process that we hardly worried about the prospective audiences’ reactions! Thinking back, I recall they were well received.

I began writing lyrics and composing music when I went back to college to get my degree in Music Therapy. A thought would come into my head and I’d grab a pen to write the lyrics that were coming to me. The words almost always preceded the music, but the melody would emerge fairly shortly afterward. As a youth choir director, I would often write simple, rhythmic songs for the kids. At times, I would be asked to write something specific by our choir director for use in an upcoming program and I would comply and then perform it as a solo or have the choir do a choral piece. At a new church, a woman approached me stating she understood I wrote music. I hemmed and hawed as she proceeded to explain to me exactly what she wanted and when she wanted me to perform it. Thinking she’d forget, her determination outlasted my procrastination and lack of production! One Sunday, she caught me before service saying she wanted a finished copy within a day to take to the printer for the program. I fumed but when I saw my composition in actual musical form on a couple sheets of paper, I was in awe.  Never had I fathomed such a thing. I am forever indebted to Helga who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.  Having found someone who could actually professionally print music (on a music typewriter back in the early 80’s), I wrote more, actually producing two song books to my utter amazement!

Some of my original music was inspired by and used with the Vets Chorus I had formed.  They responded so well to some of the pieces that I began to think there might be value in what I had composed. Much of it was written during my work with the vets as well as from my life experiences and they loved seeing the songs in print. It was very touching when a veteran who had dealt with the pain of mental illness for many years connected with the words and wanted to sing and play some of my pieces. Others wanted to be in on the process like the one vet, dubbed by someone higher up, as the ‘craziest patient in the hospital.’ He stopped me in the hall after a rehearsal where I had introduced the song “The Circle” saying: ‘that song needs another verse.’  I asked for his suggestion, and he said: ‘it needs to say you find hope in the circle.’ He was right and that is what he and dozens of other disabled vets had found in the circle of the Veterans Chorus and the Music Therapy clinic. HOPE. Yes!!! A byproduct of music!

During my time in the Pittsburgh area, frequently I was out speaking and performing for various groups, churches and service organizations. People seemed to connect with the messages of the songs. It wasn’t until I had been widowed for some time and then remarried, that my second husband, Dan Christ, sat me down one day and said: ‘You’ve got to write a book. I have heard you tell the stories behind the songs you perform and this needs to be in print. You owe it to your family and friends so they will know what motivated you.’ He also felt I owed it to myself because, as time goes along, things can be forgotten or lost in the shuffle. How well I’ve come to know that! For eons, books have been written about the stories behind familiar hymns and what was going on in the songwriter’s life when they were led to create. I’ve always found these stories most interesting and am touched by the situations that encouraged the words to be penned.   Difficult, trying circumstances were often the impetus for the creation. I was aware that many of my songs were created in the midst of turmoil, difficulty and pain, although there were some that came out of sheer joy and my music definitely has a spiritual bent, expressing my faith. Dan would not take “no” for an answer (sort of like the lady who pushed me to get the first song into print!) so I sat at my desk and composed verbiage explaining the music that had already been written. I am forever grateful for his insistence.

The music then needed to be professionally recorded and who better than my dear friends, Gary and Diane Nelms, who had Stinkin’ Willie’s Studio up the road?  I actually was recording the music and writing the book at the same time as I was scheduled to lead a conference in a couple months and felt that would be a good opportunity to introduce the finished product.

Keep On A-Keepin’ On is a revised version of the first book I wrote which was entitled Onions On Your Ice Cream. When I presented the thirty original songs and the stories behind them to my editor, asking which title I should use, she quickly chose the “Onions” one because, as she put it, ‘no one will ever have a book with that title.’ She was quite likely right. The title originated from advice from my grandmother to me when I was a teen-ager, always wanting what every other drama queen was wearing or hair style they were sporting. She said:  ‘Judy, be different – don’t be like everybody else.  Don’t follow the crowd over the cliff – don’t be a carbon copy. If you have to go so far as to eat onions on your ice cream, be yourself.’ One day, some thirty-five years after her death, her admonition popped into my mind and I began recalling the incredible influence she had had on my life and how much I still missed her, after all these years. She had really impacted me and I wanted to pass her thoughts onto my kids and grandkids. Family is SO important to me and keeping connected is vital. The song wrote itself in short order and I think my family got the message.

Under the original title, the book went into several printings as I was doing many programs and people were connecting with the stories and the songs so the books and CDs were selling. Many of the songs are upbeat, others are more reflective. They all came out of my life’s journey – the ups and downs, highs and lows. I rarely sat down with the notion that I needed or wanted to write a song. There would be a thought, statement, inspiration and I would just start writing. Many people do one or the other – write the lyrics or compose the music. They have always just flowed together for me, and I am grateful for the gift. I definitely have trouble putting someone else’s words to music and getting onto their wavelength. Guess I’m a loner when it comes to creating music -and I suppose I could go song by song giving an explanation, but I think it would be worth your while to just begin reading and listening. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Several years ago, I found myself nearly out of books and my husband, Bob, strongly urged me to revise and change the title and graphics. We chose the name Keep On A-Keepin’ On since it is a more universal, understandable statement. Certainly, it is one used by so many people when asked how they are doing. (Personally, I have been widowed now three times and know quite a bit about keeping on.) The song was inspired by a delightful 94-year-old lady who attended an adult senior center in Shenango Valley in Western PA where I served as a Music Therapist. When I would ask Louise how she was doing, she would routinely reply: ‘well, I’m old and I’m weary and I’m worn… but I’m gonna ‘keep on a-keepin’ on’. After hearing her light-hearted comments day after day, I told her I would have to write a song about it. When I played the guitar and sang it to her, she danced – tapping her cane! Now, I relate to that kind of person!

Having been widowed the second time, my friend, Florence Biros, who owned a publishing company, was insistent that I write a book on grief and loss.  I was equally as adamant that I had no intention of ever writing another book. The first one had nearly put me under the ground!  I moved to a new town to be closer to family and continued to try to make sense out of my life after Dan’s death. One day, as I was preparing for church, the words drifted past my mind: ‘It hurts so much to say ‘goodbye’, I wish we had never said ‘hello’. To me, that sounded like a good country song but didn’t think any more about it until that afternoon when the thought blew through again. I have learned that when I get an idea twice, I might consider it, or it will continue until I act. The words came quickly, out of my still fresh grief, and a melody and harmony emerged shortly thereafter.

Once that song was formulated, I began to consider that a book might be a possibility and I began writing more and incorporated some songs I had composed before. There were a couple familiar songs with new words, and I realized that, just maybe, I did have something to say that could help others on this tough road I was navigating. I believe the songs have worthwhile messages and the music began to heal my brokenness. The editors were not willing to go with what they considered a negative title, so it became: I’m So Glad We Said “Hello”. There are many kinds of grief and loss and we are all on the receiving end at some point in our lives.  I think it’s worth a read and a listen.

Several of the songs, I’ve chosen for my own memorial service which will save my kids the energy of trying to figure out what I might like. It will give the message of what I want to say to those left behind. I don’t view this as morbid… but rather caring and realistic. I cannot fathom what the heavenly choir will be like when I consider all those who have gone on before. As the old song says: “What A Day That Will Be!”