Author: elvisgumby

There were several times when I was growing that mom started teaching me piano.  I wouldn’t practice as often as I should, and I never made it very far into the lesson books to anything advanced. At some point, mom negotiated with Mrs. Dean Norville to give my sister and I piano lessons and in… Continue reading Piano Lessons

While I was able to play songs on the organ and accompany myself singing on the piano, there were still limitations to what I was able to play.  My dirty secret was that I only knew how to play songs in the key of F.  I think part of this was due to the way… Continue reading Everything in the Key of F

My mom developed a close relationship with the owners of the music store where she bought sheet music and lesson books for her piano students.  At one point, she worked out a deal with them where they placed an electric organ in our house for demonstration purposes.  If someone came to our house and ended… Continue reading Playing Organ Music at the Mall

As I was growing up, I continued to pick around on the piano. Occasionally, my mom would start giving me lessons, but I never stuck with them for very long. I wasn’t disciplined enough to stick with practicing the easy songs that were necessary to develop skills needed to play more complicated music.  When I… Continue reading Bass and Chords

I don’t know where my first guitar came from.  I suspect that my mom got it from the music store where she bought sheet music when she gave piano lessons. I remember getting a Mel Bay guitar instruction book that showed some simple instructions and chords.  As with most other instruments, I would teach myself… Continue reading My First Guitars

I had my first experience in band in the 5th grade.  I played trombone.  I don’t remember why I played trombone.  It wasn’t like I wanted to play the trombone. I remember that the trombone that I played was provided by the school. I don’t think I was never excited about the trombone, but I… Continue reading Trombone