A song in my heart

by Peter Twitchell

I’ve liked and I’ve loved music all my life. I believe music, singing, dancing all have some benefit to giving me longevity, freedom to express my feelings and my emotions in a healthy way and loving way.

When you dance with someone it’s very physical. A good form of calisthenics – good for your brain and most of all the memories that dancing brings. For example when Mom and I lived with my dad in Akiak one winter in 1962 at his trading post, the people loved to dance at their dance hall. They played 45 RPM records and they danced the night away. I was 12 years old – shy and bashful but I always made a point to go to the dance hall every weekend to sit there and watch the people wootin’ nanny Yahoo the night at their sober dances.

I remember the Jackson girls who were young ladies, not children anymore, come to me and grab my hand and pull me out to the dance floor. Ha ha ha ha, much to my surprise!

I was always somewhat embarrassed because I didn’t know the first thing about dancing with someone who knew all the moves.

I remember hearing a lot of country artists like Ernest Tubb, Johnny Cash, Ms. Kitty Wells, The Ventures, and of course Elvis Presley.

This is where I have fond memories – that anyone would come pull me out onto the dance floor and dance with me.

I just felt good that anyone would even dance with me. I never forgot Sarah and Anna Jackson. It was like everybody mattered and everybody was there to just have a good time. I just remember happy men and women and children gathered together at the dance hall and everyone was sober.

Tim, and Helena Williams was there, David Jackson, Albert and Katherine Kvamme, Alfred and Bertha Lake, Lillian, and Adam Japhet, Adam Kawagley, many others like Frank Demantle and his wife, Moses Owens, Martin Ivan. The dance hall was always full.

On the homefront my dad David always had an acoustic guitar and sang Hank Williams and Johnny Horton tunes. Mom Sarah always played the keyboard and her mandolin.

Music is good for the soul, the mind, the heart, how are you feel and it always brings smiles for miles and laughter to people. I encourage you if you have a song in your heart, sing and you’ll feel good and warm all over with a happy disposition.

I thank Creator God for putting a song in my heart and thank everyone who contributes to singing in their language and the music that they create. Also culturally the Eskimo songs and dances have been the highlight of my life. Thank you to my ancestors for their creativity and the stories they sing about in their songs is great for the imagination. I am forever grateful.

Thank you to KYUK in Bethel, Alaska for giving me a musical outlet in 24 years of playing announcer and disc jockey on KYUK 640 and 580 on the a.m. dials. Quyana!!!