This is Bird Note.

Grammy-winning musician Ricky Lee Jones says her earliest memories are of sounds,

running water, a bouncing ball, and birds.

When I grew up in Arizona, I would hear the morning dove.

In the morning, on the way to school, cooing late in the afternoon.

Ricky grew to love that soothing song,

and even learned to coo like a dove by blowing into her cupped hands.

Gotta worm those hands up.

Who, whew, whee,

whee,

on tour,

Ricky heard morning doves across the U.S.

and started noticing subtle, regional differences in their songs,

including the doves in her hometown.

I didn't know. I knew this till I went back to visit my dad when I was 30 years old.

And I was walking in the dirt by some oleanders, and I heard the dove.

And remembered all this.

I just got goosebumps.

I just was connected instantly to my childhood there.

The dove was the way in.

And that's probably the first bird that really called to me.

Now, Ricky calls back to the doves from her patio and the stage.

...