𝄞 When someone heard Monica sing, I was asked once if she came from a musical family. My first response was no, except for her but it caused me to think more carefully about my answer. The earliest memories of music in my family like would have been on Sunset Dr as Ricky and I grew up. I can remember piano lessons in grade school around age 8-10. Liz Fenn (Grannie Liz) to us lived down the street and I seem to remember taking lessons from her as did Ricky. This was before we had a piano and I recall practicing an "air piano" until we got one. The lessons didn't last long for either of us.
I played violin in grade school as well and somehow I have ended up with a violin that my grandfather, Cleo Payne played. I don't know if I played the violin pictured below or not. Most of the time instruments belonged to the school and students just used them. 
It came back to me after Mandie played for a while while in early high school. Helen Payne, my grandfathers third wife had the violin repaired and sent to us so that Mandie could play it. That was around 1988. I enclosed a copy of the letter Mandie wrote to Helen to say thank you (I'm thinking Sheri may have had something to do with the letter).
It came back to me after Mandie played for a while while in early high school. Helen Payne, my grandfathers third wife had the violin repaired and sent to us so that Mandie could play it. That was around 1988. I enclosed a copy of the letter Mandie wrote to Helen to say thank you (I'm thinking Sheri may have had something to do with the letter).
The violin didn't seem to be my favorite but I next remember playing cello in the orchestra at Zundy Junior High in the eighth grade. My last year at Alamo Elementary was the 7th grade and the year I went to Zundy was a transition and the following year 9th grade moved to high school. Dr Affinato was the orchestra teacher in both Junior High and High School and I took orchestra in 9th and 10th grade making a transition to upright bass. I don't know if it was because I liked it better or if they need a base player. I don't remember owning a bass but simply using the one at school. I do have memory of playing electric bass sometime in high school for a time.
I don't remember when Mom and Dad started going to the symphony but it may have been when she worked at the First National Bank as an executive secretary. They did later have season tickets and loved to go to the Municipal Auditorium all dressed up. Several of their friends likewise had tickets and they loved to go. Dad did play the guitar a little, mostly strumming and picking his favorite western songs from Gene Autry or Ernest Tubb and Texas Troubadour's. Frequently he would pick up a guitar and play Ole Joe Clark.
I Went to see Ole Joe Clark
Never goin to go no more
He slept on a feather bed
I slept on the floor
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Joe_Clark) It is strange what one can remember from almost 50 years ago and at the same time can't remember where you put your keys. Dad's sister, Helen Friend, was 10-15 years older that dad. She was a very accomplished pianist and was the organist at Fain Presbyterian Church in the Country Club area of WF for many years. I can't remember if I took lessons from Aunt Helen or not. Probably late in my high school days, Dad joined the choir at Floral Heights Methodist Church and spent many years in the choir. He enjoyed the fellowship and the music and was never a soloist but enjoyed singing bass and him friends in choir. It was a real joy for both of us when I joined the choir to sing with him when I was in college. Choir was a part of life growing up. I have memories of being in choir at First Methodist and that would have been prior to second grade for me. The memory is of passing out during the service during Easter. Ray Davidson was the choir director there. Ah, such pleasant memories of my performances. Every grade year had a choir and you would graduate to the next year. I don't remember continuing that at Floral Heights.
My most pleasant memories of music had to begin late my senior year in high school. I became a member of the "Young Generation". That was a folk group started by Chuck Hickman, who was my best friend. During this time folk and early rock and roll music were popular. We had 6 more members in the group, Doug Triton, Jo Ellen Robb(now Triton), Pam Patton, Diane Neale, Bruce Reeves and Janie Richmond (later Reeves then not). Diane died in a car wreck during our first year of college. That was a very traumatic time for all of us with it being the first close friend the die. All of us went to Midwestern except Bruce who was a year behind the rest of us. Chuck and Bruce played guitar and I played upright bass, but I didn't have one to play. I found one in a pawn shop and all my friends in the group chipped in $5 each and I was able to buy it. I was a little rough and I can't remember if I painted it or if it had been painted white already. I remember the price because after the purchase, I got my first checking account and checks. With my first seven checks I wrote a $5 check to each of my friends to repay them for the "loan" to buy the bass. Transportation of the upright bass was somewhat of a problem, but I was able to put it in my 1957 Fiat, somehow. This not the original but as close to the one I had that I can remember.
That was the Fiat that I "installed" a state of the art 8 Track Tape player and hugh speakers on 10 -12 foot wires so that they could be put on top of the car so others could enjoy the music. We had a great time rehearsing and actually had quite a few performances around town and even out of town in Midlothian Texas. I learned to play guitar and a little banjo as we were constantly practicing and play music. I remember the difficulty of getting my white base in my 1957 Fiat to transport to the shows. Quite a site for sure. After Sheri and started dating she went on one of our first dates as the Young Generation went singing Christmas Carols around town.
That was the Fiat that I "installed" a state of the art 8 Track Tape player and hugh speakers on 10 -12 foot wires so that they could be put on top of the car so others could enjoy the music. We had a great time rehearsing and actually had quite a few performances around town and even out of town in Midlothian Texas. I learned to play guitar and a little banjo as we were constantly practicing and play music. I remember the difficulty of getting my white base in my 1957 Fiat to transport to the shows. Quite a site for sure. After Sheri and started dating she went on one of our first dates as the Young Generation went singing Christmas Carols around town.
