A Midsummer Musicians Dream....
I used to like playing golf. I haven't played in over a year now, so I don't know if I still like it or not.
I do, however, love to play guitar. I play and write songs. I started playing guitar when I
was 11 years old. I went to the Boma First Church of God with my parents, and they had a western gospel group that played
at the church. I was fascinated watching the guitar players. I would watch their fingers move and think that I could never do that.
Finally, I borrowed an old beat up acoustic guitar from a friend, and asked one of the members of the band if they would teach me guitar.
After that, every Wednesday night after church, Al Allen, the lead guitar player would take me aside and teach me. Al taught me three chords,
G, C, and D. Then he taught me how to play with a capo to change the key. Once I got comfortable with the guitar, I joined Al's group
and played rhythm guitar. After a while, I started experimenting with my own musical interests. I left the gospel group and formed a
band of my own. We were a four piece rock and roll band called Renegade. We played small private parties, high schools, and
eventually small night clubs. I was with Renegade for about five years. By that time, I had graduated high school. The band
was turning hard rock as I was turning folk. I liked the slow acoustic ballads while the other band members liked hard driving rock. It
didn't take long for the band to drift apart. After our separation, I teamed up with Joel Thompson, a friend I met while working at a
Roses department store (where I also met my wife). Joel played good rhythm guitar and sang wonderful harmony. Joel and I soon found
ourselves doing an acoustic show at a little club in Celina, Tennessee called the A-Frame Lounge. It was a small place with a small crowd
and small pay, but we were doing what we loved to do. Because there was no money involved, the A-Frame venture soon fizzled out. Joel got a
job at a local Napa Auto Parts store, and I found myself working for Wal-Mart. Joel and I are still close friends, and we still get together
at least once a week and play guitar. Joel's still working at Napa, and I'm now a deli manager for a Wal-Mart Supercenter. It seems we both had
to go our own ways to make a living, but deep down inside we still have that musician's dream. Maybe someday we'll be playing at our "Fifth Peg",
and some "Kris Kristofferson" will discover us. Who knows?
I am a very big John Prine fan, so don't forget to visit my John Prine page.
John Prine is my all time favorite, but some of my other musical interests include:
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Mannie@multipro.com
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