My father was a drummer during the Big Band Era. My parents fostered my love of music. Every birthday from toddler-hood to my preteen years, I received a musical gift. My father would tell me stories about big band greats and had a plethora of Clarinet and sax recordings to share. He said he saw me playing the sweet Soprano Sax some day. He steered me toward woodwinds. By the age of 12, I was an outstanding woodwind (Clarinet) musician. My music teacher Mr. Dunsbarry was a wonderful and compassionate man. His passion for the clarinet led me to become principal chair in my school district. As a result, I have been a poet and musical my entire life.
Bought my first hand-crafted 12 string guitar at 13 and taught myself to play. At age 15, I used some of my lawn mowing money to buy a D-28 style Brazilian Rosewood Dreadnought (Copy) made at the Tokai Factory in Japan. Then progress on the guitar really started to heat up. When Seals and Crofts wrote and recorded "Hummingbird", I fell in love with the Mandolin and purchased an A style. Taught myself bluegrass mandolin (thanks to Mel Bay) and the Mandolin and Mandolin family of instruments became my passion. I now own modern and vintage Mandolins, Octave Mandolins, Tenor Guitars and Irish Tenor Banjos. Play Celtic, Irish, Gypsy, Bluegrass, New-grass, and Dawg Music (David Grisman). Since then I have acquired and learned most world plectrum instruments.
Although I did not Major in Music, as dogboy did, I was the primary chair for Tenor Recorder in the
The Renaissance Recorder Consort at Central Washington University from 1974 - 1978 . Over my 40 years as a teacher, child development specialist, and adolescent intervention specialist, I used music to reach kids and young adults. In my last 10 years in public schools prior to retirement, I had the opportunity to provide classroom and small group instruction in Recorder and guitar at my elementary school. I served an music director and worship leader for a church from 1982 - 2004.
I am still passionate about woodwinds. I have a collection of vintage Silver Buescher Jazz Saxophones from the early teens to 1937. a C-melody, Alto and Tenor that I have restored and love to play. Unfortunately, I do not own a Buescher baritone or a curved Buescher soprano. Even though it is not curved, my father would have been proud to know that youngest his son owns and plays a Professional Yamaha Soprano Saxophone.
My latest endeavor is participation as musician in a Mid-summer Scandinavian Festival held on the Oregon Coast. I own and play a rare Swedish Hummel hand crafted by a prominent southern California Luthier the late in 1970's. I am building a Kantele and a Norwegian Harp for my next performances this summer.
