Benefits of Singing All of My Life – Kevin Sousa
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Benefits of Singing
Yes, I have enjoyed the endless benefits of singing all of my life.
It all started when listening to music at home, as a child. Mom and Dad would play the radio and old records.
I will always remember, at the age of seven (7), in 1965, Mom and Dad took us to see “The Sound of Music” and bought the album. Mom would sing along and my brothers and sisters and I absolutely loved that. I would have to say that colored the beginning of my desire to sing.
Our Uncle David took us to see “Mary Poppins” What wonderful memories!
Dad played mostly marching band music. He enjoyed that. In fact, he would whistle that same music, when there was no music playing, while he was busy doing other things around the house.
As an adult, I find myself whistling entire pieces of marching band music, including portions of specific instruments. Thanks Dad!
When I started kindergarten and throughout elementary school, I would LOVE it when Mr. Fournier came to class to teach us music and songs. There was something about singing that attracted me as a child. It penetrated my emotions and made me feel wonderful. Yes, happiness and positive emotions are clearly two of the many benefits of singing.
Mr. Fournier taught us all 50 states in a song!
As a child I LOVED watching cartoons and comedy. It fueled my passion to perform. For some reason, I found myself doing cartoon impressions and sound effects. Okay, I’ll admit it. I loved the attention, so I made it a point to entertain my fellow students and friends, every chance I could get.
One day, I heard one of the boys in our neighborhood, Keith, playing a harmonica. I loved it. He told me that his dad played very well and taught him how to play. I asked mom to get me a harmonica and sure enough, Santa gave me one for Christmas. I immediately and proudly showed Keith and asked him to teach me how to play. That was a lot of fun.
Benefits of Singing
In Junior High School, my music teacher, Mr. Peters fascinated me. When I was in 7th grade, he asked the class, ‘ “Who would like to sing a solo for Open House Parents Night?” ‘ I raised my hand and he asked me to come to the head of the class. He had me audition with “He’s Got The Whole World in His Hands!”
I was very nervous, but I just KNEW that I could sing. I aced it and sang in public for the first time in my life at Open House in school at age eleven (11). I held back my voice a little because I was embarrassed that my voice had not started changing, yet.
When I was in 9th grade, which used to be the last year of Junior High School, Dad took me to the High School Musical, which happened to be “Funny Girl” that year. That show ignited a dream deeply in my heart.
I looked up at Dad and said, “I would LOVE to perform in shows like this!” He looked at me and with a smile and with a twinkle in his eye he said, ‘ “You really want to do it?” ‘ I said, “yes!” He said, ‘ “Then, GO FOR IT!”
That was all I needed to hear. When I entered High School, as a sophomore, I auditioned for “Fiddler on the Roof” in The Drama Club and played Mendel, the Rabbi’s son. I also auditioned for chorus and was welcomed by Mrs. Heimberg.
As an adult, 33 years later, I played the lead, Tevye, in “Fiddler on the Roof!” That was a good feeling and just another one of the benefits of singing all of my life!
One day in high school, while practicing with a few fellow chorus students, a pinnacle moment occured. I decided, for the first time in my life, to SING MY HEART OUT with “O Holy Night!” Mrs. Heimberg came running into the choral room and asked me to sing that very song as a solo for the Winter Concert.
I sang in front of 2,500 people and also for the school as an “Auditorium Period,” at the ripe young age of fifteen (15). I was overwhelmed with standing ovations at both concerts.
As a junior, I played Felix Unger in “The Odd Couple” and Cornelius in “Hello Dolly!” As a senior, I played the lead, Curly McLain in the musical “Oklahoma!”
Over the years, I have performed in various choruses, theater productions and solo performances throughout New England. I decided not to pursue a professional career. Instead, I chose sales.
Eventually, after a couple of decades, the internet was born and my career evolved into the wonderful world of Internet Marketing. As a performer, I love teaching, training and motivating the very special people I have been blessed to connect with online. But I will always LOVE to sing and perform.
Being a performer is in the root of my soul and I will continue to enjoy the benefits of singing all of my life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you liked this content, please ‘like and share.’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~