Biography

In 1964, it was the Beatles and Peter, Paul and Mary that started it. No one in the family confessed to any musical talent, so it was with some trepidation that my dad, an Infantry Officer, invested the outrageous sum of $14.95, in a Silvertone guitar that I was going to “maybe” learn how to play. He always called it a “gee-tar”, and no matter what, he and my mom were always unfailing in their support of my endeavors.

I had always enjoyed music and “musicals” of the time (The Music Man, Oklahoma, The Sound of Music), but it was not until Dan Nix showed me an “E,A and B7”, that I realized that music was available to me too! It was love at first strum. Those three chords were a concerto to my ears, ‘cause it was me and my guitar playing them.

So then I was off to learn all the latest Rock’n Roll and Folk songs I could find… all by ear, since I couldn’t read music. The family hootenanny LP’s started to sound pretty awful after I’d lifted the needle on and off them thousands of times, trying to mimic the guitar chords and picking patterns I heard.

I had started to make some progress with my friend Mike Hamlet, by listening to Newport Folk Festival , Kingston Trio and Peter Paul & Mary records for hours. But it wasn’t until I heard my buddy Tom Wescoat play a PP&M Christmas song called A’Soalin’. It had a simple melody and a moving bass line, but it had never crossed my mind that it could be played on one instrument. But there was Tom…playing both parts…by himself! Fantastic!

Then there was Paul Simon’s version of Davey Graham’s “Angi”, Glen Campbell, Chet, Jerry, John, Tommy, etc, etc. And it only gets better. There are all sorts of amazing and revolutionary guitar players out there to enjoy. The guitar just may be “the” perfect instrument for all seasons!

I wrote my first guitar instruction manual in 1973 for my college continuing education curriculum, joined the Navy in 1974, retired in 1999, and was often the only guitar player around at sea or ashore. Since I didn’t have a bass player, and other guitar players were often on watch, fingerstyle allowed me to begin filling in the musical space in my arrangements. The last 14 years have been as a CRJ 200/900 simulator instructor, now for Endeavor Airlines (Delta). So I’ve been a teacher most of my adult life, and love trying to figure out the best ways to instruct tasks whether in aviation or music. Music is my avocation, and I love the challenge of instructing. I hope I can help you become the best guitar player in your family…room.