My friend Paige Orloff writes a blog for the Sister Project. Her recent blog about music playlists got me thinking about my own sister Susan’s playlist of sorts. Susan opened my ears to a pretty diverse musical world, powerful, fun, deep, from Joni Mitchell to Bob Dylan, Supremes and Stevie Wonder, Leonard Cohen to John Mayhall and Janis too.

Her records became mine (even if I had to hide them from her). Or the 45 of ‘I want to Hold your Hand’ that I took to school (was it in 2nd grade?) and it got broken……forgive me Susan, at least you can say you gave me great first musical influences through your records. That of course and the scratched top Brazilian guitar my brother Marty left neglected in a closet for me to discover. Ah the joys of being the third child. Hand me ups!!!

If the Sister Project intrigues you, check it out:

Here's the idea: The Sister Project (TSP) is a network of blogs about the many facets of the word sister, and the concept of sisterhood. A sisterhood of sister blogs, you could say. Whatever sister means to you, from identical twin to sister-in-law (or in-friendship or in-feminism), we’ll make room to listen in about it or express it on TSP. Like the slogan up top says, “Don’t you have something to say to your sister?” We've got galleries of art and literature by and about sisters, and a Sisterpedia of sisterly trivia...but now we're getting ahead of ourselves. The quick study: Learn more about TSP, and how to find your way around. And oh—a giant, sisterly welcome.