Music was Hazel’s passion. But she also knew that it could stir the spirits of those around her, and she could share her passion through her performances. At a basic level, she enhanced the enjoyment of the audiences who watched the silent films she accompanied. But she would have argued that she made them truly... Continue Reading →
Hazel on the Rails
When I grew up with my great-grandmother Hazel, we all lived in southern California, so I somehow assumed she had been born there. It wasn’t until I inherited all the family Bibles and began reading through the birth entries that I realized she was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and traveled to many other places before... Continue Reading →
Parental Love
Those of us who are fortunate enough to be blessed with children know the pure joy of holding them in your arms for the first time or welcoming them into your home if you’ve made the generous choice to open your heart and your life to the child of another mother and father. Children need... Continue Reading →
Charlie as a Husband, Father and Grandfather
I’ve written a lot about Hazel as a talented, independent woman who made her mark on the world. She was strong-willed and determined to push the limits of whatever rules and societal norms were put in place to keep her “where she belonged.” But Hazel still managed to use her own name to perform after... Continue Reading →
Reaching into the Past
When I first received my “Inherited Treasures” – boxes of photographs, letters, journals, and an assortment of family Bibles – I had no idea what I would find. The family I’ve always known isn’t very large. I have only one brother and so does my mother. I have only a couple of cousins on my... Continue Reading →
Hazel’s Life as a Mother
Hazel is a character in Becoming Hazel and in subsequent books, but it’s important to remember that all of this is based on real events. When you come to the end of Becoming Hazel, you probably don’t think of her in terms of motherhood at all, but I’ve already told you, she’s my great-grandmother so... Continue Reading →
Hazel and Charlie as Mutt and Jeff
I’ve mentioned that Hazel was two feet shorter than Charlie, but it’s hard to get your head around what that looked like unless you see a picture. Unfortunately, Charlie apparently decided he wouldn’t stand still long enough to take one when they were first married. Or maybe he decided it wasn’t worth the money. Whatever... Continue Reading →
Hazel the Suffragist
Hazel was a well-practiced and skilled musician. In her rather short but illustrious career, she managed to do things that most women of the age could not and dared not do. She worked under her own name while married, lived independently, and fought fiercely for suffrage and social rights, all while continuing to perform. In... Continue Reading →
Hazel’s Pianos
This Steinway isn’t the first piano Hazel ever played, nor is it the last. In truth, she didn’t play this instrument at all. But when I saw it on stage during a recital a few days ago and heard the remarkably resonant sounds of composers ranging from Beethoven, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky to a rag by... Continue Reading →
Hazel’s References
Hazel fought hard for her career. She defied her father to become independent and to be able to perform at all. Then she lived on her own for months on end after she was married to Charlie, and always performed using her own name. Music was what gave her joy. Everything we know about Hazel... Continue Reading →
Dorrie-Lenore Parsons 