My earliest memory of music was Elvis doing his thing and "The Big Bopper" when he was a DJ in Beaumont. I would sneak my transistor radio under my pillow to listen to him at night. I grew up in an area with a rich musical history. Janis Joplin, Johnny...
My earliest memory of music was Elvis doing his thing and "The Big Bopper" when he was a DJ in Beaumont. I would sneak my transistor radio under my pillow to listen to him at night. I grew up in an area with a rich musical history. Janis Joplin, Johnny Preston, Johnny and Edgar Winter, and George Jones; just to mention a few. I started out in the second grade doing Elvis in for the whole school in the auditorium. 'Never was nervous when I was singing.
I was lucky enough to survive a near fatal bout with scarlet fever at 12 that left my eyes extremely sensitive to sunlight. I sang in bands that opened for "fever tree" from Houston, Music Machine, and many others when they appeared in Beaumont. After stints in two hometown bands (The 17th Shade and The Realms of Darkness), I relocated to Corpus Christi for three years after I had trouble accepting the notoriety brought on by several newspaper articles and radio interviews. When I left Beaumont I had one marriage, one divorce, and one "perfect for me" daughter..
I then went to Nashville, where I worked as a staff songwriter for several years ( Welbeck Music - ASCAP and Tuneupon Music - ASCAP). I got a life's education in Music City and learned song structure. I have two super sons who were born there (Also a step - son that I helped raise and still claim). In the 90's I lost feeling in my left arm as a result of three car wrecks which had taken their toll.
The third car wreck (All three my car was hit from the rear while at a complete stop) happened as I was on my way from the Vanderbilt Pain Management Center to pick up my step-son from school. A 78 year old lady hit me and when she went for her brake hit the gas pedal causing her to hit me repeatedly until a police officer in a van behind her got out and reached through her window and turned off the ignition. I've looked on the back of my car for a bulls-eye but haven't found one yet.
I was exiled to the Vanderbilt Pain Control Center in Nashville for two years until I walked away from medical treatment in early 1998. I haven't taken anything stronger than Tylenol since.
My influences weave in and out of my music ( Gordon Lightfoot, Alan Jackson, James Taylor, Beatles, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Jimmy Buffett, Hank Williams, and George Strait ). I am a writer affiliate of Broadcast Music, Inc (BMI)
I could not play the guitar for 8 years. I moved to Galveston on July 1, 1998. I do what I love after I thought I'd never be able to sing and play again. I feel very blessed. Had it not been for my daughters' direction, I would have, in all likelihood, never performed again. When I got to Galveston I was deeply depressed about not having my sons with me. My daughter and her friends pulled me out of the island blues. I still miss my sons and now that my daughter moved off the island I miss her too.
After receiving an email from HAAM I sent a song to zbands.com hoping to have it included on the "Tributes To Heroes" CD being put together for Operation Helmet (
http://www.operation-helmet) to raise funds to purchase helmet kits to better protect our troops in IRAQ and AFGHANISTAN. Only the US Army provided the kits at the time. I feel fortunate that "War Is Hell" was included and is the last song on the CD with 'Taps" being played at the end. It's a song written about the Vietnam era. The CD is available through a link provided at the Operation Helmet website, as well as at my site. Dr Bob Meaders heads Operation Helmet and Cher is their celebrity spokesperson. Both have appeared before Congress and on C-Span presenting their case very elloquently.
Now I'm living on island time on the shores of Lewisville Lake.
Peace,
me/jd
