My cousin is Chuck the Berry
 
My adventure in playing an instrument. I never learned to read music. The closest I came to playing a musical instrument was the melody Flute which I bought in the 3rd grade for $1.00. I still have it and the serial number is 3J37. I splurged and bought the shiny metal one for a buck. They did have a plastic one for 50 cents. The flute came with this book which I also still have.I was doing pretty good until the book switched from numbered holes to notes. 

My brother Allen, who could read music, translated the music and wrote the numbers under the notes. I almost got to play the clarinet in 3rd grade, but there was one instrument and it between me and a kid named Larry. The music teacher gave us a little test and he had more raw talent than I did
 

I do remember we saw a series of movies in the 2nd 0r 3rd grade about learning to play the piano. The film series was sponsored by Campbell Soup and I still can play that little stupid tune after 45 years...that's about all I remember from that film. We had lots of 16 mm films in elementary school

After college, while I was teaching in Florida, I tried to learn the guitar and that was not successful. Debbie got me a drum for my birthday 1992, the year we started the distribution business and I took one lesson with Amy..goddess of the drums. The drum and the flute would be a good combination..sought of like the Paul Simon sond, "You can call me Al", but how do your play the flute and the drums at the same time?

Music isn't my strong suite, but I'm going try the piano next time.
 

Meanwhile, I'll play the pencils
 
 

Yeah, Yeah, Y..E..A..H.....!!!!
Yes, I did see the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964

Ron Smith's Oldies Music Web PageVinyl Lives
Rock & Roll Digital Gallery..some groovy LP covers
All Music Guide...complete guide to recorded music

The Keswick Theatre-Glenside, PAKeswick Theatre Exterior








I was on the stage crew at Fels Junior High School for 2 1/2 years and have a "Silver Service Award" certificate to prove it. The sponsor was Herbert Ignatoff, who was also the Ceramic Shop teacher. He was one of my favorite teachers. So I learned about opening and closing curtains, microphones, light control dimmer boards (Fels had a great one), follow spots and building scenery. I didn't want to continue with that in high school. One of the guys on the stage crew  with my is a manager at a large plumbing supply house in the area and I bump into him every once in a while and another is a famous physician practicing in Philadelphia.

My cousin Alec has talent and was in the Philadelphia Boys Choir. He wanted to go to Broadway and Debbie and I encouraged him. I "hired" him to work the stores in New York so he could get an apartment. He got lucky and landed his first show in no time at all. I guess he's been at it for about 15 years and show business is show business. We've seen him perform in several shows including "Anything Goes" and "Tommy". So I guess I was primed to get into show business myself.

Here's the story of how I got involved in the Keswick Theatre.


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