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There are places I remember
Contributed by: Nancy Cronk on 8/15/2007

When I was a teenager, I worked full time each summer, and spent most of the money I earned at outdoor concerts.

I grew up in metro Detroit, in a family of nine children. There were so many kids and we lived in such a small house, I was always looking for something to do away from home.

There was an outdoor concert pavillion similar to Fiddlers Green, called "Pine Knob", not far from my home. My sister and brother-in-law brought me to my first concert to see the Beachboys when I was about twelve, and once the balls were in the air and everyone was "Surfing", I was hooked.

I started to live for the outdoor concert experience. I got a job at 14 as a cook at an A&W, and dreamt of going to concerts with each frosty mug I poured, and every hot dog I covered in chilli.

Other summers, I sold Avon, worked at a bank, and collected contributions door-to-door. I was willing to do anything to keep the music playing in my ear.

Seats on the grass were usually about $12-$15, and that is where I spent many of my summer evenings as a teen, seeing the Beachboys, Chicago, Billy Joel, Elton John, America, The Knack, The Doobie Brothers, and so many more bands I cannot remember them all.

My first kiss was from a boy I met there, whose name I do not remember. We were swept away for the moment by some song I do not recall. Hardly a memorable first kiss. I don't remember the concert, the boy, or the song! What a disappointment.

But I loved the music. I saw everyone from Neil Diamond to Tony Orlando and Dawn, to the Temptations, Gladys Knight, the B-52s, Bread, and Englebert Humperdinck.

Whether it was Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons screeching their high-pitched, "Walk Like a Man", or Eric Clapton's oh-so-sexy and scandolous, "Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass beeeeeehd", I was there. ELO, CSNY, REO and KC and the Sunshine Band were A-OK with me.

Kansas, Alabama, Boston, Chicago and the Bay City Rollers. I didn't need to travel at all. They were all there in my suburban backyard concert hall.

My first real date was to see the band America and I remember agonizing for days over which was the best t-shirt to wear with my designer jeans for the big occasion. I was his "sister golden hair" and he was my "tin man".

We necked in my '74 Gremlin on the way home to the sound of "I need you", happily waiting in the parking lot lines that barely moved. When he went away to college, I still had my true love - Pine Knob music theater.

I graduated from high school with the theme song of "There are Places I Remember", and to this day, it is still one of my favorite songs.

My first year in college, I went with a good male friend from home to see Genesis. I remember I should have been in my dorm getting ready for finals, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to see another concert. I laughed when I heard their new song,"Paper late".

My papers were going to be late, too, so I might as well sing about it, I figured! I remember the tension when he kissed me - years later we still laugh about it, since he is now happily married... to a man! I guess we weren't meant for each other romantically, and we knew it that night.

My husband and I went to many concerts while we were dating. He introduced me to Bruce Springsteen, the Doors, and the Moody Blues. We saw Chicago many times, and each time they sang "Colour My World" or "Just You And Me", they sang it right to us.

Many years have gone by, and with the exception of seeing Billy Joel and Elton John once each at the Pepsi Center, I have all but forgotten about my years as an outdoor music hall regular.

My children were literally born while I listened to the songs, "Beautiful Boy" and "Imagine" by John Lennon, and I rocked my babies to sleep listening to a cassette called, "Beatles on Hammered Dulcimer".

My kids are all teens now, and they have IPods and ITunes, and can pull up any song on them within a moment of mentioning the title and the band's name. No more scratched 45's with the yellow disc in the middle, and no more boxes of albums to lug around.

Last summer, I was surprised when my kids "discovered" the Beatles on I-Tunes. (As a side note, my nephew once asked me, "Did you know that Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings?" I laughed as I told him, "Yeah, I heard that, too.")

Seeing my kids fall in love with John, Paul, Ringo and George kindled many memories of growing up with my 8 siblings and singing, "I Want To Hold Your Haa-aaa-and" into a jump rope handle in the basement.

I told my kids about John Lennon, and how much he meant to my generation, and the generation just a little older than mine. Many of my friends had brothers who went to war in Vietnam, and some did not return.

During the Reagan years, when people were debating "Star Wars" and nuclear proliferation, my college friends and I campaigned for John Anderson, singing, "Give Peace A Chance".

I told my kids about how the earth stood still when John Lennon was killed my first year in college. I remember coming home from class seeing people sobbing around me, trying to figure out what happened.

We stood around the communal television with our mouths open, wondering, "Who in the world would want to kill the Voice of Peace?" I remember the bridge on campus covered in chalk messages of peace and love for Yoko and all who knew him.

The crisp, colorful, Michigan autumn became a gloomy and colorless gray for a while.

So, last summer, I bought 5 tickets to see the Beatles 1964 show with my family, and hoped they would understand how much it would mean to me if they went with me. The kids jumped up and down.

They wouldn't have been more excited if it was the most popular band of 2006! It was their first time seeing a concert at majestic Red Rocks - something everyone in America should be able to experience at least once. The five of us went to the concert together - my husband and I and the next generation of teenagers.

Although we argued on the way up, we all melted into the experience and enjoyed the music together.

We sang out loud to "She Loves You", "Yellow Submarine", "All You Need Is Love", and "Hey Jude". As I looked around at my kids, I had tears in my eyes. "How could anything be better than this moment?" I sang, "I Feel Fine" and I really meant it.



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Showing 1-4 of 4 comments
Submitted By: Brandon Parkes
posted on 8/18/2007 @ 11:33:37 AM
Rated Story
This really takes me back to the concerts of my youth.
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Submitted By: Shannon Campbell
posted on 8/17/2007 @ 2:18:28 AM
Rated Story
Great story!!! I felt like I was right there with you from Pine Knob to Red Rocks. What wonderful memories.
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Submitted By: Randal Webb
posted on 8/15/2007 @ 10:00:35 PM
Rated Story
GREAT STORY. Music speaks to the heart, and crosses generations. I hope you and your family are able to attend many concerts in the future.
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Submitted By: jennifer kinser
posted on 8/15/2007 @ 7:13:05 PM
Rated Story
GREAT STORY. You are a wonderful mother. It is so important to share the things we hold dear in our hearts with our children and music is one of the most important.
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Showing 1-4 of 4 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Nancy Cronk

Aurora , CO

Nancy Cronk has posted 9 stories and 4 comments since joining on 7/4/2007. Nancy Cronk 's average story rating is 5.
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