California has always been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. Yeah, I was born on the East Coast, but my heart and dreams lay on the west coast. So, when I was nine years old, my Grandmother and I decided to fly out to Los Angeles to stay with my Aunt and cousins for the summer.
It was 1975. I was very much a child of the radio at that time. Top 40 music ruled my world. There were so many songs that I heard on a consistent basis while I was hanging out at the beach or at the many backyard barbecues that we had.
Whenever I hear those particular tunes, I am instantly transported back to a happier time when the sun shined non-stop for days and the future was wide open. “Jive Talkin’” from the Bee Gees reminds me of the Matterhorn at Disneyland and the way I thought I was flying through the air as the ride made hairpin turns at breakneck speeds. Pilot’s “Magic” brings back memories of Universal Studios and how riding the tram on the tour just reinforced the idea that someday I was going to be an actress and make movies for a living….
Music is magic. It can conjure up memories, it can heal broken hearts, and, in some cases, it can take you back to a time when anything and everything was possible.
