I love to sing. I really do. Whether it’s on stage at karaoke or in a car or in the shower or at work, it don’t care. I just love it.

But I’m quite self-conscious about my abilities. I’m always worried that I’ll not be good enough, or that people will judge me or that I’ll just make a fool of myself.

I love singing all kinds of music, and sometimes the problem is that I want to sing things that don’t fit my voice. Especially when female singers are at the top of the charts with songs that I can’t get out of my head, and that I know and love, but just can’t sing.

I don’t remember what my very first karaoke experience was, but my first singing would have been at church with my mom. It would have been hymns and such in a little kid voice way off key. My mom is a great singer, I love listening to her voice, and to this day I can still pick her out when she is singing with the choir.

We used to sing in the living room at home while she would play that piano. It was a limited number of songs most of the year and it expanded during the Christmas season.

The regulars were American Pie and Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. Mom also busted out The Rose, but I didn’t really participate with that one. We also sang along to the radio a lot. Simon and Garfunkel and the Beach Boys and Genesis were at the top of that list. I can vividly remember the cover art of Genesis’ Invisible Touch as that cassette probably spent 3 years beside the old stereo in the kitchen.

I got introduced to country music when I was young too. The classic stuff, like your grand-daddy’s country music. The one artist that really stuck out though, for who knows what reason, was Randy Travis. I think that I’ve only ever sang 1 Randy Travis song at karaoke anywhere. It would have been “Forever and Ever Amen”. The one that I wish I could find is “Deeper than the Holler”. It’s a gorgeous song about loving somebody. It’s very country.

I do love singing songs that I know I’m going to be able to do well. The Killers and Dierks Bentley and U2 and Tim McGraw are usually a safe bet.

There isn’t a much cooler feeling in the world than having people paying attention and digging it and clapping our singing along with me. I love it. I feel like a rock star. On the flip side of that is the feeling of angst and nerves that grips me before I get up to sing. Sometimes booze will lessen the feelings, but not always. I get knots in my stomach and worry that I’m going to fall or miss words or be terrible.

So here’s to my love of music. It has been here for me in many forms and genres over the years. But it’s always been there.

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Joshua Murray

creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.