My parents encouraged me to learn how to play a lot of different instruments over the years. At some point, I picked up a harmonica. This came natural enough that I would play it at churches with my cousin Sammy accompanying me when we performed at churches. Another instrument that I got around this time …
Category Archives: Music Education
Guidance from Don and John
After I started writing a few songs, I had a chance to play some of them for a couple of friends who were professional musicians. Don is a professional piano player who has accompanied many well-known artists. He was also one of my mom’s piano students when he was first getting his start. He suggested …
My Son’s First Guitar
I mentioned in an earlier post that my son had a good guitar before I had one. When he got the guitar bug, he wanted an electric guitar. We bought him a Red Squier Stratocaster starter pack with the upgraded amplifier. He had enough natural music talent and drive to be able to learn what …
Mom on Sharps and Flats
Starting in high school and though college, I had more opportunities to play at weddings and other events where I had to play songs on piano where I wasn’t just accompanying myself singing. Sometimes these were instrumentals where I could cheat and play in a more comfortable key. Other times, I was playing for someone …
Glenda’s Wedding
Through junior high and high school, I continued to perform in a variety of situations. I would sing with my cousin Sammy, play organ for beauty pageants, and accompany myself on piano at church and occasional talent shows at school. I rarely played anything that challenged me to expand my skills. I was mainly getting …
Piano Lessons
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 …
Everything in the Key of F
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 …
Playing Organ Music at the Mall
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 …
Bass and Chords
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 …
My First Guitars
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 …