By Growing up mama and I listened to music constantly. Listening to music and singing along is still something we love to do together. We always will. We listened to the radio, often, in both vehicles and at home. One day as a kid a song came on that sounded like nothing I had heard before on the country station mama and I were listening to at the time especially from a female artist. The song? “Any Man of Mine.” Who is singing, I asked mama. She told me she did not know, but they would tell us after the song. One of the DJs did. He said her name was Shania Twain.
I was curious and wanted to hear more songs of Shania’s. I asked to go to the record store that Saturday. Mama and I did. She loves record and bookstores as much as I do. Like mother like daughter. I found Shania’s album “The Woman in Me” and took it over to the listening station. What came out of those headphone speakers made me a fan immediately. Mama found me listening and wanted to know what I thought. I told her she was going to love it as much as I did. She grinned back. I was right. Mama and I are both big Shania fans. All her albums are part of my music collection (the new one “Queen of Me” is great for those curious of my thoughts).
When I discovered Shania had a tour date planned in Atlanta with Gavin DeGraw (another favorite artist) on her first tour in years, I knew I wanted to go to the show. I did. The show was great! Shania’s music makes me happy if I am having a rotten day. Her music makes me want to move. Shania’s music is always on my playlist for exercising. I love her empowering songs that make me proud to be a woman and encourage me to be myself.
By writing her own songs and sharing them with the world she is encouraging everyone who wants to tell their story to do so. Shania is giving us permission to tell our story our way because she does. Thank you, Shania for sharing your voice, point of view, and talent with the world. In addition, thank you for helping me be comfortable in my own skin, brave enough to share my story with the world in the way I am most comfortable, helping others in the process.
With deep gratitude,
Stacey
