I was
born on the 10th
of
August, which I only recently discovered is also the birth
date of Leo Fender, the inventor of the electric bass
guitar. My mother says I started walking at 7 months old
and that I could whistle a melody when I was 3. My dad was
an ardent music lover who introduced me to his favorite:
Dixieland Jazz. He really enjoyed seeing greats like Al
Hirt and Pete Fountain on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Unfortunately, (for the rest of the family because it
sometimes didn’t keep him from trying) he couldn’t carry a
tune in a bucket. But Mom was a singer… in the church choir
and also in a ladies’ choral group called the Carillons.
I
got my first guitar as a Christmas gift when I was 12 years
old, a black Silvertone electric. I first tried formal
lessons but soon reverted to just learning my favorite
songs by ear or from friends. I remember that the first
song I could play and sing was the Beatles’ version of
“Chains”. The first albums that I recall owning (and
wearing out) were “Meet The Beatles”, Donavan’s “Hurdy
Gurdy Man” and Cream’s “Disraeli Gears”. At some point, I
got an old Guild 12-string acoustic and began to learn
songs by Cat Stevens, James Taylor, Neil Young and Crosby,
Stills & Nash. My first paid performances were
weddings, where I would play and/or sing - anything from
love songs to “The Lord’s Prayer”.
Later, probably due to experimentation with certain illicit
substances, my tastes turned toward harder, more electric
music by groups like Led Zeppelin, Blue Oyster Cult and
Grand Funk Railroad (“Grand Funk Live” is another album I
played to death) then ultimately, to progressive rock
pioneers ELP, Genesis, Pink Floyd and YES. But in order to
play those kinds of music, I needed to be in a band; and
the one that I’d struck up with already had a guitarist
(funny, his name was Dave Mathews) but no bass player. This
prompted me to acquire my first electric bass gear: a cheap
Kay 4-string and a second-hand 30-watt Kalamazoo amp.
So, during high
school I was singing in the chorus (we went to the finals
in state competition), performing in the musical
productions (as Buffalo Bill in “Annie Get Your Gun” and
Curly in “Oklahoma”) and playing in talent shows and at
parties- acoustic guitar by myself and electric bass with
my rock band.
Oh... and I was dating a senior, the head majorette.
More to come as I think of it…
