There are weeks when leadership feels heavy and the noise of the world presses in. This has been one of those weeks. In the quiet spaces between meetings and responsibilities, I have found myself missing my daughters.

They are adults now. They are building lives of their own with courage and independence. I am proud of the paths they are carving. I would not change a thing about the strong women they have become. And yet, there are moments when I would give anything to load them into the car again, roll down the windows, and belt out a song at the top of our lungs.

As an unabashed fan of all things music, I always claimed the role of radio commander. I took that responsibility seriously. I wanted them to have a well balanced musical education. That meant a steady dose of The Beatles, plenty of The Beach Boys, and the soul and heartbeat of Motown. It also meant that they had to experience the joyful and slightly mischievous sounds of The Monkees.

We would sing along to “Daydream Believer,” “I’m a Believer,” and “Listen to the Band.” We would lean into the deeper cuts too, songs like “The Girl I Knew Somewhere,” “Cuddly Toy,” and “The Door into Summer.” They would giggle when I sang off key. We would quote silly lines from episodes of The Monkees television show. There was no agenda in those moments. There was only music, laughter, and the feeling that the world was right where it needed to be.

Recently, I put on the compilation The A’s, The B’s, and The Monkees and something in me softened. The songs came back like waves of warmth. I could hear their younger voices in the back seat. I could feel the steering wheel in my hands. I could sense that simple joy of being together with an upbeat soundtrack and sunshine in the grooves.

This upcoming episode of Vinyl Riffs with Sean Gaillard is rooted in that space. It is about nostalgia, warmth, and joy. It is about how music holds memory in a way nothing else quite can. It is about how a collection of A sides and B sides can become the soundtrack of a family story.

I have started this podcast project as a vehicle to express my passion. Leadership requires outlets. It demands a place where we can exhale and create without measurement or evaluation. For me, Vinyl Riffs is that trapdoor for creativity. It aligns with who I am at my core. It reminds me that before I was a leader, I was a listener. Before I carried titles, I carried records.

When I spin this album, I am not just revisiting songs. I am revisiting a season of life filled with back seat harmonies and open road joy. I am reminded that the moments that matter most are often soundtracked by simple melodies and shared laughter.

The A’s, The B’s, and The Monkees will always trigger memories of my daughters. It will always resonate with nostalgia, warmth, and joy. As I press record for this episode, I am grateful that music still gives me a way to hold those moments close while cheering them on from where they are now.