Rocking Texas Blues

I got my first taste of guitar from an older brother who bought one for a dollar. It had been stepped on and crushed. After an extensive home repair job the instrument was still barely playable, but that didn’t deter a then twelve year old music enthusiast from sneaking the guitar out when big brother wasn’t around. It was during this period that I decided music would always be a major part of my life. I loved to perform for my family and friends when I could corner them, and would imitate my favorite musicians by strumming, gyrating, wailing, and strutting around my make believe arena.

 

As a teenager I was able to convince my dad to buy me a Fender Mustang guitar, and a Princeton reverb amp. I thought that I had reached the pinnacle of musical equipment, and was inspired to take lessons from our local guitar guru. At fifteen I formed my first rock and roll band and was forever hooked. I played lead and rhythm covering the Beachboys, Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Animals among others. We landed a gig at an indoor Rodeo arena in Texas City, Texas by lying that we played country music. We learned a few country tunes that we played during the first set while alcohol took its effect on the patrons. By the second set we had the place rocking while the cowboys danced and whooped the night away. We played that gig three nights a week for six months. What an experience!

 

 I later picked up playing the bass guitar while forming a band with a friend who was a better guitarist than I, and found that I actually enjoyed the instrument so I stuck with it.  All of my closest friends were musicians, and we formed many bands during our High School years. Two of the current members of the “Texas City Revelators” are from those days.