<Begin Segment 2>

AI: Well, can you tell me a little bit about what you remember of your early memories in Seattle as you were a young child?

SO: The grocery store. We had a grocery store. On one side -- we had a small grocery store first, and we moved across the street to a large one. And that was on the corner of 8th and Marion.

AI: And did you live near there?

SO: We lived there because we, it was also an apartment house. The downstairs was -- it was duple -- a duplex, actually. And we rented one side, and we lived upstairs of the grocery on the other side.

AI: Did you and your sisters work in the store?

SO: Well, yeah, I guess you could call it work. Not really.

AI: Helping out?

SO: Uh-huh.

AI: And now, what about school? Your, you were living there in the downtown area?

SO: Central School.

AI: Central School. What was that like at that time, the elementary school? Were you one of some few Nihonjin or were there a large group...

SO: No. Central School at that time was 1st through 12th. Or was it 1st through -- yeah. One through twelve, I believe. Frank Henderson was the principal. And there were many Japanese there, many. It was -- I remember mostly all Japanese. And it was wonderful until it closed down. And then we were -- where did we go? Pacific School. We went to Pacific, and then later to Washington.

AI: Right.

SO: So it was, it was wonderful.

AI: Well, now, when you were going to elementary school, was it at a very early age that you began singing and had an interest in music?

SO: I don't know how it started, but I started singing around six or seven. And then, yeah, my sister, Michi, was studying piano. Kay had quit. And Michi was quite a musician. She was quite a pianist. And she just told my mother that if I'm going to sing in front of people, that I should take lessons. And so I started studying.

AI: Well, was that unusual at that time?

SO: I didn't think so. I mean, as a child you only know what your immediate family is doing. I thought everybody did.

AI: And what about your folks? Did your mother or father sing also or were they musical?

SO: My father was, studied utai, which is the singing that is with the Noh theater, with Mr. Beppu here in Seattle. And he studied -- even prior to that he had studied utai and shakuhachi. It's more the classical music. And I don't know where they learned it, but both my parents could play the piano somewhat, and my mother was a fairly good singer. But they were mostly interested in the classics.

AI: When you say classics, did you mean, is that Japanese classics...

SO: Both.

AI: ...western or --

SO: Both. Japanese classics and the western classics.

AI: So that's interesting to me because I didn't realize that there were many Issei who were familiar with western classics or encouraged their children to, to know them or learn them.

SO: Gee, I don't know, to tell you the truth. I really don't know.

AI: But you -- that was what you grew up with...

SO: Uh-huh.

AI: ...in your home.

SO: Uh-huh.

AI: Well, could you tell me a little bit more about how your music studies progressed as you were a child?

SO: Well, let's see. We, we took lesson -- I took lessons from Gail Baskerville because she happened to be teaching at Central School. And then my sister went on to a more prominent teacher, Gene Fizet. I remember that. Then later when my sister was at Broadway High School, Einer Lindbloom, who was the music teacher, heard me and sent me to his friend, who was Lela Bell by -- she had studios by the University of Washington. And I was the only child she took. Most of them were high school and above.

AI: Right.

SO: So I started studying with Ms. Bell.

AI: At about, about how old were you when you were studying with her?

SO: Nine, I think.

AI: And were you already --

SO: I had already studied about a year or so, couple of years with Gail Baskerville.

AI: And at that age were you already performing and doing some public performances, community?

SO: Mostly at the Buddhist Church, and gee, I don't know. They would tell me, show up somewhere and sing this, and I'd do it.

AI: Was that your parents who would mainly arrange your singing?

SO: I think so. I think it was my mom. And then Michi would accompany me, my sister. But I didn't think anything of it.

AI: Any highlights from those memories of some of those community events?

SO: T.R. Goto and the Lotus Engeikai at the Nippon Kan. I remember those.

AI: What was that like?

SO: And the Japan Day at -- you had Playland before the war?

AI: That's right.

SO: I remember singing there 'cause I got free rides.

AI: Oh.

SO: They gave us tickets. And I used to love the roller coaster, so I used to sit in, without getting off, just pass them the ticket. I remember that. And I remember singing at the convention center for the JACL National Convention. I remember going to Fife, Tacoma, Bainbridge Island. I remember that too, for some program. I don't know.

AI: What was it like for you to be a child and to be out on stage like that? Was it exciting? Was it scary?

SO: Uh-uh. No.

AI: No?

SO: It was scary. I used to -- excuse me, but I used to throw up before. I still do to this day.

AI: So --

SO: I still do.

AI: So in a way, it was kind of taxing for you?

SO: Well, it's something -- I don't know. In, in my memory you were told to do something, you just did it. You didn't question it. It didn't dawn on me to question. And it wasn't made a special event. No one fussed over it. It was a very normal thing in our house. Nobody made it an issue. My sister and I just did it.

AI: So it sounds like it was one of a number of typical activities for you and your sister?

SO: Pretty much.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.