WASHINGTON — If you’ve ever debated getting rid of your record collection because the music is available online, you may want to consider this: That collection could make you a better parent.
Even music fans who haven’t had a working turntable in decades can benefit by holding onto their vinyl.
Most of us remember flipping through our parents’ LPs and singles and asking questions about music we liked, or album jackets or 45 sleeves that caught our attention.
In my case, hearing Johnny Cash, Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie began discussions of civil rights demonstrations my parents attended in the 1960s and awareness of the activism behind much folk music.
It’s never been discussed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if hearing and singing along to soundtracks from Broadway productions of West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof and My Fair Lady probably led to my auditioning for school plays.
We’re not even talking about the discussion of whether vinyl sounds better than digital recordings. Just holding the album in your hand can open new avenues of discussion along the lines of “When I was your age …” and “I remember what I was doing when I bought that record…..”
Glancing at the songs listed on a parent’s playlist on a mobile device probably wouldn’t have the same effect.
Despite the hassle of moving and storing dozens of pounds of vinyl, perhaps the parent-kid interaction makes it worthwhile.
