After studying violin from the age of 7, and continuing well into adulthood, I played with the Twin Cities Symphony (Benton Harbor / St Joseph, MI), Andrews University Chamber Orchestra, (Berrien Springs, MI) and the Pontiac (MI) Symphony.
I was always enamored by the Harmonicats' "sound", but even though my father - who played harmonicas since childhood - always had them around our home, I was never intrigued enough to learn to play. However, at the age of 35 I was given the opportunity to learn bass harmonica by fellow engineering technician Rick Richardson at the GM Chevrolet Engineering Center in Warren, MI. After becoming completely immersed in the instrument for seven years, I was honored to be selected by Jerry Murad and Al Fiore to "join the act" in late 1977.
My tenure as a "Harmonicat" afforded me the opportunity to play with and/or share the stage with many of my pop idols of the '40s, '50s and '60s era -- The Mills Brothers, The Four Aces, The Four Lads, The Inkspots, Bob Eberle, Della Reese, Lee Castle & The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Frankie Laine, Marty Allen & Karon Kate Blackwell, Gordie Tapp, etc.
I met the love of my life - Lorraine Carole Bishop - in our Junior year, beginning in the fall of 1952. We graduated together in the spring of 1954, and were wed on Oct 2, 1955, having just celebrated our 53rd wedding anniversary.
We have 5 lovely daughters, 3 of whom also graduated from AA. Also 2 of our granddaughters have graduated from GLAA.
