A Memoir

Jamie and I just spent a wonderful week in New York City. It has been over 30 years since I was in there. My first time, when I was 15, I went there to compete in a National Majorette Drill Team Competition with Oil City’s own Indian Bonnettes. I played bass drum in the rhythm section and we won the National Championship. In 1965 went to the NY World’s Fair with The US Army Band. While there we also played a concert in Carnegie Hall. Later I took private tuba lessons with the great Harvey Phillips in 1976/77–commuting from my gig in The US Army Band in Washington DC. In 1977 I was in the city with the unique Don Ellis Big Band. We played Avery Fisher Hall on our way to 3 weeks of Jazz Festivals in Europe...