Music Man

Through his grand and joyful voice, I found my own.

Larger than Life

There was always an amazing amount of singing at my house when I was growing up, whether we were living in Los Angeles or New York. It quickly became apparent to me that my dad, John Raitt, had a different kind of job than most. For one thing, he was home a lot during the day. For another, he made his living through his voice, which was just so powerful, so natural and expressive. With my mother, Marge, accompanying him on the piano, he would rehearse all the new tunes for his latest Broadway shows right there in our living room. Along with my two brothers, I would watch and listen. And I would marvel at his rich baritone, and learn all the songs with him, both the lyrics and the music. I was a real Broadway baby. At night, when I'd go to the theater and see him perform on stage, it was a thrilling, larger-than-life experience for me. It was very clear that he loved what he did. His audiences, in turn, loved him for it.

I was still in school then, quite young. Nobody forced me to take music lessons. I didn't take singing or guitar, though by age eight I was begging to take piano lessons. That's because my parents led by enticement rather than obligation.

I'm sure I didn't understand the adult themes in some of the productions my dad starred in. In Carousel, for example, he played the mythical Billy Bigelow, the down-on-his-luck carny who hits his wife and ends up dying for his young daughter. And there I was, the daughter, sitting in the audience. It was a wild kind of experience. I did see how my father's character meshed with the heroic characters he played -- and there were so many.

On Broadway and in his 25 consecutive years of doing summer stock, he performed in big hits like The Pajama Game; Oklahoma!; The Music Man;Kiss Me, Kate; and Camelot. He starred in the film version of The Pajama Game, and did the national company of Zorba and Shenandoah. He played nearly every leading-man role that was out there.

My dad's voice could fill a huge theater or concert hall without any amplification. Not me! I can't sing in that grand style. I don't have the volume. I like to think that I go emotionally deep instead of broad, which is what my dad did too. I know that I inherited the sheer joy of performing from him. Like a lot of kids, I sang at camp and in high school, in all the musicals and talent shows. I can remember really hearing the applause for the first time when I performed in college. I was sitting up there on stage with my guitar, bowled over by the audience's reaction, thinking, Gosh, maybe I can do this as more than just a hobby.

• • Musicians

• Dolly Parton Lets Her Hair Down
• Country music superstar Dolly Parton takes time from her busy life to discuss her past growing up in Tennessee, and what she hopes to do in the future.
• 
• Loretta Lynn: Honky-Tonk Queen
• Loretta Lynn is better than ever, with five Grammy nominations and a little help from a hip young rocker.
• 
• Shania Twain: On Her Way
• Hard times behind her, the country star sets her sights on helping others.
• 
• Tim McGraw: Ties That Bind
• Country star Tim McGraw wanted to be a good son and an even better father.
• 
• Boomers on Broadway
• The music a generation loved best is bringing audiences across America to their feet.
• 

“ Colds and flu (along with most common infections) are caused by viruses, so antibiotics -- designed to kill bacteria -- won't do a thing. ”

• See All Tips

My wife and I were comparing notes the other day. "I have a higher IQ, did better on my SATs and make more money than you," she pointed out. "Yeah, but when you step back and look at the big picture, I'm still ahead," I said. She look mystified. "How do you figure?" "I married better," I replied.

-- Louis Rodolico