I was about 10 or 11 I think when my uncle gave me two cassettes of Roger Whittaker. As far as I can remember they were my first two cassettes and now even when I have like a million cds I would trade them all for those two old cassettes. I'll tell you why. Well ever since I was a kid, we've travelled a lot. The only constants in my life were my music and books. Till I was about 18-19 those two cassettes were my best friends. I've shared my joys, my sorrows, my heartaches ...well pretty much all my feelings with those songs and they've always seemed to love me back. I learnt to love music, learnt to sing and to whistle because of the songs on these cassettes. I got the confidence to sing in public after singing songs I'd heard on these tapes. I got to the point where music and performing became a path I wanted to choose for my life...and I did. Getting into radio is an offshoot off that path. Doing what I'm doing...everything comes from that choice. And I know that I wouldn't ever have made that choice if not for those songs on those two tapes. Also I thank Mr.Whittaker for his kind and peaceful voice, which was always like that of my best friend to me. I am an optimistic and a happy person today, and I attribute a lot of that to those two tapes (amongst a few other things). I can only imagine, if at a time in my life, when I seemed troubled and life seemed crappy, had I discovered death metal or some other depressing music (not that I'm saying that the music in itself is bad...but it doesn't do much to uplift your spirits...or atleast not mine in any case) I know I would have turned out to be a very very different person. So yea...I thank Roger Whittaker and Superman (and that's another story altogether, parts of which I've mentioned in my earlier post) for helping make me the kind of person I am. And specifically Roger Whittaker...for giving me a purpose...for giving me music. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. (I so wish he could read this and know how much he's helped out another person without even knowing him. That folks, is the power of music.)
(This was first published in 2006 on my old blog: http://musicmanmihir.blogspot.in)
