My earliest memories of music other than my mother playing piano and accordian and dad singing to me were of the gypsies playing near my house in France. I was a military brat and was exposed to many types of music early on...my favorite record at age five that I danced to belonged to my mom- "Carmen" by Bizet. My dad would listen to "New World Symphony "and then switch to early Elvis recordings.My music schizophrenia/ bi-polarism came to fruition when we moved back to the states...I was introduced to Chopin by my ballet teacher in Virginia and then home to Alabama where my dad listened to the Grand Ole Opry and the Porter Wagner show every Saturday night...of course later there was "Hee Haw"!
I was driven by some inner Muse (greek goddess) to enter every talent show possible in elementary and high school school and actually won a few mostly due to the fact that taking piano lessons from age 7 on was a requirement. What was not a requirement but an obsession was learning to play the uke in the 3rd grade because I really dug the beatnik thing.One day in the 4th grade I rode my bike to a house down the street where some boys in the hood were rehearsing "Satisfaction" and this truly was my "live music" epiphany. My first guitar (I still have it) was a made in Japan classical style and I dove into Peter, Paul and Mary (a "Take a Stick of Bamboo" performance in 5th grade I have still not lived down) and Bob Dylan- "Blowin in the Wind" had a profound effect on me. I was at a birthday party in the 3rd grade and a dj was playing 45's when I heard the Beatles for the first time ( I want to Hold Your Hand")....I was never the same after that. I wrote my first song in the 4th grade and performed it at music club...it was about witches...go figure! This was a very poignant time because of what was going on in the world in the 60's. I later played music with friends around campfires (harmonizing Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young of course) and in duos and bands in high school.
The 70's brought me to Atlanta, Ga.....I chose a college there thinking somehow I would be closer to the Allman Brothers Band (the serious student that I was) not even knowing that Duane Allman had been hanging out right here in good ole Muscle Shoals! Oh well I did catch them at the Georgia Jam along with Skynyrd before the crash..wow. I was able to actually meet the band Kiss and hang out with Gene Simmons by the pool (without their makeup!) at the downtown Marriot which at that time was a surreal experience (he was quite a ladies man)..The climax of our time spent together that day was..... our conversation about art history. The fact that my dad was watching us with the evil eye from a balcony overlooking the pool the entire time :( curtailed any further activities or future stints as a groupy!!
During my college years I got into banjo and bought a Gibson Mastertone (still have it) and a few guitars,etc and enjoyed the Atlanta bluegrass scene. I was riding my bike through the Emory campus the spring of '74 when I stumbled into Sam Bush and Newgrass revival playing outside at Spring Fling...I was never the same after that either! THe band then was Courtney Johnson on banjo, Curtis Burch guitar and John Cowen, bass.I came home in the summers and joined the Mud Road boys( Walt Aldridge, Phil Bradbury, Scooter Muse, Carl Jones) which became the Mud Road String Band....Horse Pens Forty was one of our favorite things and I will never forget the influence of Dr. Bill Foster.For 16 years I played Bluegrass (also in Flying South, the Front Porch String Band with Claire Lynch and the Al Lester Band) and celtic with Kelly and Company. I also was a founding member of the FUll Moon Ensemble (Celtic) in which I played for 4 years. In the early 90's I started writing songs with a commercial slant and performing in a few venues solo and as a vocal duo.with a good friend singing buddy. I have been juggling family, full time job (public school art teacher),etc with music up until the present time.Sometimes it is a challange to make time to create but if I go too long without writing or playing I feel somewhat empty and restless. It has nothing to do with ego (I am humbled by my mediocrity) just the love of the creative process and self expression. On occaision I play in a folk rock band comprised of other busy friends with day jobs and families and write every chance I get. I really do not know how anyone can make it through life's journey without the magic of music- Peace!My Space or Yours? and I are proud supporters of Earth Day. Do your part. Educate yourself Earth Day.com
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