Starting out the guitar gave me an emotional outlet i did not easily have words for. you can be destructive, angry, happy, joyful and sad without consequences while banging on a guitar. It soon became my purpose to really learn the instrument.
at age 12 an uncle gave me an old black harmony guitar that had a low e, a, and d string for the first year i owned it. like most things kids own, toys, a timex watch and a cherished guitar they where taken apart Piece by piece and attempts where made to reassemble with varying degrees of success. the watch never did tell time again and the poor guitar was unplayable!
while attending high school in the early 70's on a usaf military base in lakenheath, england i devoted myself to playing electric guitar in bands and learning the musical lore. bands such as black sabbath, deep purple, led zeppelin and yes we tried to emulate. guitarists like jimi hendrix, tony iommi, george harrison and bb king inspired my note choices. i looked out of a rehearsal room one day across a military base tarmac to see my old baseball team practicing and realized I was finally in the right place. We were jamming "all right Now" by the band Free and I knew what i was going to do for the rest of my life!
well... that path did not quite work out until much later...
living and performing in atlanta georgia thru the 80's i became unmoored enough to acknowledge a major unmet desire of mine. I HAD TOURED THE SOUTHEAST WITH THE ORIGINAL DRIFTERS for 2 years, PLAYED MY SHARE OF WEDDINGS AND LEARNED MUCH ABOUT MUSIC PERFORMANCE BUT LITTLE OF HOW MUSIC WAS PUT TOGETHER. taking everything i cared to own which included a 60's bluesbreaker marshall 50 watt amplifier, a 69' telecaster and my mothers 63' impala i traveled to LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA to attend music school. Musicians Institute of hollywood here i come.
many thanks and love to dana B., a best friend who took the road trip to california with me and johnny W. who gave me a floor to sleep on in north hollywood. Also I would like to thank my alaska family for their financial support that allowed me to attend my year at Git.
imagine a building with 3 floors filled with amps, drums sets and eager musicians inspired by great teachers helping you achieve your dreams. it was a giant romper room for all! i totally immersed myself in the culture winning a student of the year award and brand new Howard Roberts gibson guitar.
after 6 years working for the school i moved out of the big city life to boulder, colorado. ahhh. mountains, fresh air and exercise were badly needed by this body.
My purpose and motivation has brought me to many wonderful places all around the world to meeting and playing with wonderful people and most of all my loving family and friends. i wouldn't change a thing. Bob