Capital Childhood: Tim Albinson on Growing Up in 1980s Washington, D.C.
A City of Contrasts: Ordinary Childhood in an Unusual Setting For many who grew up in Washington, D.C. during the 1980s, the city left a lasting impression politically charged, culturally rich, and occasionally explosive. For Tim Albinson , it was a city with a combination of ordinary moments and extraordinary escapades. "It was a strange and terrific place to grow up," he says. "One day you'd be doing totally normal kid stuff riding bikes, skating on the C&O Canal and the next day, you could be standing a few feet away from the President of the United States." Albinson's was not a childhood of fame or affluence, however, but proximity. Growing up near the country's capital of political power exposed him early to the traditions of history and public life, even as he lived his days like most children exploring, playing, and learning to get around in the world. Singing for Presidents and Performing at National Landmarks What made Albinson's childho...