Earlier this year, Lauren Kennedy, one of my very favorite performers, recorded a song of mine called “My Lifelong Love.” (You can hear the song HERE on my music page.) It’s on her new album called HERE AND NOW which is filled with great performances of lovely songs by fantastic new theater writers. I am thrilled to be in the company of so many superlatives.
But that’s not why I’m writing.
The song is getting a lot of attention, and people keep writing me for the sheet music. It’s currently unpublished, so that’s (so far) the only way you can get it. But I am thrilled that people are responding to it. It’s a song about a woman remembering her first love — Adam, a boy who played the clarinet in her junior high band. I wrote it specifically as an assignment for the New Voices Collective when artistic director Joel Fram was putting together a Valentine’s Day concert and wanted all of us writers to write about our first loves.
Ah, Adam. Yes, to answer your many questions, there really was an Adam, and yes, he really did play the clarinet. And yes, a year later, so did I. The first time my dad heard this song he chuckled and said, “Did you send it to Adam?” And you see, that’s the problem. I CAN’T FIND HIM.
Adam Wagner. Any of you who knew me at Covington Elementary School will roll your eyes right about now remembering the torch I carried for Adam Wagner. Not only did he play the clarinet, but he swam on the swim team (as did I) and he played football. (Okay, I didn’t play football. But he did, and that was totally awesome.) I think I remember that he was kind of a computer geek, too, but I say that with all the love and affection an 11-year old girl might have for a 12-year old boy. I also know (and hope) that he eventually might read this and I would hate for him to think, all these years later, that anyone thought he was a geek. Who can say? I have very little memory of anything that might be called a fact. I just remember that I had a huge crush on him, and it kind of defined the sixth grade for me.
I’m sure somewhere in my mom’s basement there are pictures of Adam Wagner, but for now all I can tell you is he has a very common name and he left my high school somewhere around sophomore year and moved away. I thought maybe he moved to Iowa, but I couldn’t swear to that.
Anyone know Adam Wagner?
http://www.adamjwagner.com/
Yeah, probably not.
Lovely song though 🙂
Georgia,
I chuckled again as I read your blog about Adam. So that is why you played carinet. Worder if you found him? Let me know if you do. And my first love, other than a dog and a teacher – Aurelia Wommack. FLASH FROM THE PAST!
Dad
How sweet a story! Great song too 😉
OMG! Adam Wagner! I totally remember that, as any third grader could! You can still make me laugh from all the way across the country. Love, Sis
Benjamin — I love that you think I’m young enough to have been a year YOUNGER than that Adam Wagner. The flattery! Alas, no. Mine had brown hair. And glasses. So cute.
It’s Adam Waggonner. He has a sister named Cara.
Coop
No, I’m pretty sure it’s Adam Waggner…I had a crush on him too…he lived next door to Andrea Hunt….I havn’t thought of him in YEARS….Do you remember Brown Barfield?
I’ve been looking for this curly haired blonde girl named Melissa for about 14 years. Last seen climbing up the slide at Burgess elementary school in Sturbridge, Massachusetts after we had our first ‘lip-kiss’ behind the fort in Kindergarten.
She moved away.
Now, if I could only write a song as good as yours, maybe she’d come back to me! I’m a better kisser now, Melissa! I swear!
Georgia-
I’m a senior in high school and when my friend showed me Lauren Kennedy’s version of your song “My Lifelong Love” we both about died. I have a very similar story about my being head over heels for a boy in elementry school that ended very badly but has provided me with a passion for theater and singing through my attempts to be around him. I am extremely involved with my choir and every year we have a “Sweethearts Concert” for Valentines day were they pick a handful of soloists to perform their chosen pieces. If I understood your blog correctly then there is maybe a way I could get an unpublished version of this song to sing at the concert? It would mean the world to me if there is any chance I could get one. I can’t imagine a better song for my senior solo! Thank you so much for your time.
-Chelsea
ps. if you could maybe email me?
[email protected]
thank you so much.
and you did a wonderful job with this song!
What a great song — I am a vocal coach and would love to get a copy of it for one of my students. My email address is [email protected]. Please let me know what I need to do!
I’d love to get a copy of it too — I’m a vocal coach and it would be perfect for one of my current students. You can contact me at [email protected]. Thanks!
Would love to know when the sheet music for it does become available, can you add me to the list? Much thanks! – maureen 🙂
Maureen — I’m happy to add you but you have to give me your email address. Sign up for the mailing list here:http://www.georgiastitt.com/mailinglist.html