Music and Family

OK...my family is quite odd when it comes to their music choices. My father listens to classic rock, jazz, and Motown...so that gave me an interesting appreciation as a child. I grew up singing the hits of the Temptations and the Eagles...
My mother on the other hand, was always big into classical music and bands such as Queen and Pink Floyd. So of course I was placed in piano classes by age 7. That way I could learn to entertain my parents at all times. I not only learned to play classical music, but Simon and Garfunkel soon became a favorite of mine, and I learned to played Frank Sinatra for my daddy.
I then began to play piano for church, along with singing for church. I was in multiple choirs and played the offertory on many Sundays. It was a small church, so for a 10-year-old to play piano for them, they were quite excited. Later, my parents told me that my brother had more natural talent on piano than I did and the only reason I was better was because I practiced more. It was a lesson to be learned because that is when I focused more on singing.
This proved to be useful as I started taking private voice lessons, joined my school choir, went to All-state multiple years in a row, and by senior year of high school, I was the top classical singer in the state of GA.
My parents always encouraged me to continue my singing once they realized it was what I truly enjoyed doing. Before that, they wanted me to either be a lawyer, a forensic scientist, a math teacher, or join the military. Mainly join the Military....
However, my love of music has remained and I, to this day, surprise countless people that sit in my car. When my iPod hits shuffle, there is Jazz music, swing music, opera, classical, rock, oldies, heavy metal, easy listening, country, rap, and a whole lot of 80s music. Pretty much any genre you can think of, I own as least some of it, because my parents raised me to listen to a lot of variety and to be well versed in all areas.