Sharing the gift my father gave me
My father's greatest gift to me was the gift of music. He was very talented, gregarious and free spirited. He inspired this song that I want to share with you today, on Father's Day.
Today I dedicate "My Father's Song" to all the dads. Perhaps you can share it with your dad or with anyone you know who is a dad.
My father has long since passed, but the music he inspired lives on.
Listen to “My Father’s Song” on Soundcloud
My father, Frigon Louis Frechette, referred to himself as "Lou." He was an amazing musician whose main instrument was theatre organ. During the depression he dropped out of school at 13 and toured playing the organ for silent films. His reviews called him "the Boy Wonder of Chicago." When I was a child he played the famous Chicago Stadium organ for the Black Hawk games as well as playing the pipe organ at church, the roller rink on week-ends, funerals and for any other gigs he could pick up. We were 11 children in all, so he needed lots of gigs.
In this pic, you see my father seated center surrounded by some of us kids and our children. (I'm 4th row up center next to my sister, Lea.) The portrait of himself was a gift for him that my sister Madeleine drew. She can be seen holding the picture.