Today is Mother's birthday; 5 Dec 1914. She would be ninety seven.
While living in Jerome, Idaho Mother sang in a trio. That was how they were known, The Trio with Beverly Woolley singing alto, Opel Webster second soprano and Mother sang soprano. Mother didn't read music so Bev would play her part on the piano until she would have her part memorized. They enjoyed practicing and singing together so much that they became very good friends. They sang for everything in the Magic Valley, school events, church activities, weddings, funerals, granges etc.
Bev and Opal were farmers’ wives but, Mother lived in town; Dad was Principal of the Jerome Jr. High School. The three of them seemed more like sisters than just friends. The husbands often would go with them to many of their performances and they became good friends too. The six of them enjoyed going to shows and dances, or just visiting. The Woolley's and Webster's had children my age and our families would get together for picnic's, we celebrated birthday's together and always the Fourth of July. I have wonderful memories of fun times with the Woolley's and Webster's. It was a sad time when we moved from Jerome to Pocatello in 1954.
They sang popular songs of the time or would make up words to popular music that would fit whatever occasion, like a tribute to someone.
Christmas time brings a memory to me of when The Trio recorded a record at the KEEP Radio Station; Fred Waring's arrangement of 'Twas the night Before Christmas' with Keith Johansen as the soloist. In about 1978 Dad took the scratchy old 78' vinyl record and recorded it on a cassette tape. I just played it, you can still hear their voices through the scratches. Oh my, if that doesn't take me back to a happy warm place of almost sixty years ago. I wonder with the new technology today if the cassette can be made like new again?
My very favorite Christmas Song that Bev, Opal and Verona sang was 'Winter Wonderland.'
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