Speaking of not being exposed to music, there's an amazing story (Good title for a television show) in the Magazine section of the Sunday Chicago Tribune, about a kid who was inspired by the sounds of the old ice cream truck. The memory of that sound stayed with him, through his years in public housing, where gun shots echoed regularly...and when his parents could, they got him a keybord. He taught himself that particular music, and then he started to make some of his own, similar to the Scott Joplin tune he recalled. He did get a couple of cds published, but there was no money in it...but he kept up and kept up, because he really loved ragtime. He has just been awarded the MacArthur Genius Grant: $100,000 a year for 5 years...to do what he loves. When the call came, his heat had been turned off, and the electric company had repeatedly notified him that the light would be shut off. God bless Reginald Robinson! Music is, was, and ever shall be important in my life and in the lives of all I hold dear. >^--^<