The Influence of Music

Music has always been a big part of my life. In fact, the guitar played a part in my parents getting together in the first place. You know that saying about the guitar player always getting the girl? Well, dad got the girl. Evidently mom was quite impressed with him as dad played the guitar around a campfire with some mutual friends. One of those present was mom's brother, Norman, who actually introduced them to one another. Dad even serenaded mom outside her bedroom window when they were dating. Mom says her parents liked dad a lot. Uncle Norman was an accomplished steel guitar player. I remember dad and he would sometimes get together and play. And as we kids grew older we joined in: Norman's sons David (on guitar & vocals) & Glenn (on bass) and me on guitar. Eventually, Norman and his two sons formed a country music band (Palamino Express) and played together until David's death in 1980.

Dad learned to play guitar at a very young age. I don't know what got him started, but he must have like it because he caught on real well. Some of my earliest memories are of dad playing in bands (mom even participated on vocals). I could tell he really enjoyed it. He also taught guitar at Orth Music Store in West Reading & Eckert Brothers in Temple for a number of years. In fact, he still teaches today! He is (and always will be) an inspiration to me. Music was always playing around the house. Dad had an impressive record collection (consisting of 45's and albums) that has since passed on to some of his children. He played professionally until around 42 years of age. I was the only kid at church with a dad whose curly hair was down to his shoulders (and even longer when it got wet!). His most successful band was called Mourning Son. They released several singles in their time together, including one called "Another Time" which reached number one at a top AM radio station in Myerstown, PA. He was quite proud of that one - it beat out "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road" for top spot!

Dad and mom were separated by the time Mourning Son came along. At the time it wasn't cool to be 40 or have kids if you were a musician. I remember he would ask us not to call him dad when we came along on jobs because of the negative effect it might have on the band's success. I didn't mind at all. I understood completely. I was perfectly satisfied standing there, watching them play, and thinking to myself that that was MY DAD up there on stage! I had something nobody else had at those events. Oh how proud I was!

Dad always had this dream of putting together a family band like the Osmonds. He never forced us to play, but we all knew his wish. Melody and Crystal learned the piano; I picked up the guitar; Mike played drums (and eventually learned guitar, bass, and trumpet); and Robin played violin for a spell. Sue was too young at the time, but liked to sing, too. I tried violin in elementary school, but it didn't stick. Sometimes I wish I'd hung in there with it.

Dad began teaching me the guitar when I was 13. I still don't know how he stuck with me: I never practiced my lessons, and it took mountains of patience as I veered off course constantly. But he continued week after week, month after month. I am so grateful to him for that. The lessons lasted a little over a year, but they gave me a terrific foundation. I decided to become a lead guitar player like my dad, so I started practicing more and more, sharpening my skills as the years went by. My first band, Gravity, was in high school with a guy named Lee Spatz and his girlfriend. Our business card read "Down to Earth Rock Music". Lee was an amazing keyboard player. The group Boston was big at the time and one of our favorite numbers was "Foreplay/Long Time". We played it just like the record! Or my memory says we did. School dances were our specialty, but we also participated in a Battle of the Bands at Zeswitz Music. Those were great times.

After high school (and before my mission) I put together a band with two of Melody's husband's friends, Dave & Jeff Culp (they lived right next door). The other band members were locals, too. I was the most experienced of the bunch, so we spent a lot of time honing basic skills. But they caught on real fast. Our emphasis was, of course, rock & roll and we played songs by Kiss, The Eagles, Triumph, Foreigner, Deep Purple, Aerosmith, and the like. We got a few paying gigs and had lots of fun. We even recorded a few songs in a studio! I've since lost touch with them, but they were great guys.

After my mission dad invited me to teach at Michael Studios where he worked. This was a new experience for me and one I enjoyed very much. I remember when one young student named Bob took a trip to Germany and brought back a piece of the Berlin Wall for me. What a coincidence that the wall came down right when he was there. Another student named Dallas (also a member of the church) picked up things incredibly fast, and it was then I discovered that I had fallen behind technically. I made up my mind to improve my skills, but along came marriage and, with it, other priorities that...well...the guitar would have to take a back seat.

But not too far back. We took every opportunity to get together musically as a family. Dad even paid for a studio session (around Christmas, 1983) where we recorded a couple of songs I'd written. Eileen sang along on vocals. I have always felt bad that I cost dad more money with my perfectionistic attitude; I just had to keep repeating my solos until I got them right. A few years later Mike decided to focus more on guitar and, as luck would have it, he got his wish when Robin married a drummer! Dickey fit right in! Whenever the family gets together you can guarantee we're breaking out the instruments. Over the years we've had others join in, including one of Sue's boyfriends on keyboards. The family band even played a dance at Rickey & Dani's grade school. That will always be a cherished memory.

When we lived in West Virginia a bunch of us from the church region (stake) decided to form a band called The Baby Boomers. All of us had day job, so it was more of an extracurricular thing. However, we became a free method for wards to secure entertainment at church activities and they used it. We even played a stake dance or two. Upon moving to Charlottesville, I gathered up some friends in the church and we did the same thing. Now, I've always wanted to name a band Insidious Muck, but strangely that got voted down. We finally settled on Second Chance Revival (Rivanna Salad of the Eternal Sky was considered, too, but then we came to our senses). The cool thing about this group is they welcomed dad and Mike as members as well. Our first big gig was a ward Valentine's Day dance and we all had a great time.

Some in "the next generation" are now carrying on the family tradition of music. Shannon sings, dances, and plays flute; Sarah plays clarinet; Lauren plays bass & drums; Brittany plays sax; Derek is picking up the drums; Rickey sings & dances; Dani & Josh Jarman dance; and Jordan plays the guitar. I'm sure even more of the "cousins" are going to let their musical lights shine. I'm sure all of this makes dad and mom very proud.