Darby always had an “ear” for music. Michael says that it’s a gift – a God given talent. Mr. Tipton says that it’s her discipline and earnest practice that made her such an accomplished musician. I think it’s a combination of all those things and something more. She listens to things. I mean she really listens to things in ways that the rest of us don’t even bother to listen to them.

I remember when Uncle Charlie used to give her rides on his Harley Davidson. Most people avoided Charlie because of his hearing problem. When Charlie lost his hearing completely, Darby signed them both up for sign language classes. Every night the two of them would ride off to that class on his Harley, grinning from ear to ear. Charlie’s here right now. See him over there, the red-haired guy with the black leather jacket and horn-rimmed glasses. He’s got that same smile on his face right now. He can’t hear a single note of music, but he still came. In some ways, I think he can hear her more than anyone.