From an early age I realized that music was something special that could be enjoyed by almost anyone. I can remember walking home from school in about the fourth or fifth grade singing "Deep Purple" and "Smoke gets in your eyes" I have to laugh when I think of my grand kids singing any thing from that era today. Ah well, it's their loss and they are still young.I can hope.

I became involved in the performance part of music in the seventh grade when I opted for band in lieu of another study hall. I had thought I would like to play trombone; but as all the trombones were taken, I decided to try drums. In retrospect I'm sure that this was the best thing that could have happened for me since I had good rhythm, timing and feel, but to this day cannot produce a tune on anything.

Nicholas Rohulich was the band director at Annie Camp Junior High School in those days. "Nick" as we called him(when he wasen't around) ran a very tight ship and had just recently left the Marines to teach. From him I learned dicipline and that "drums are ment to be felt not heard".

I continued to participate in band till I graduated high school in 1951 and by that time my love and respect for music, those who perform it, those who write it was set in stone. I think my appreciation for music could be described as eclectic since I listen to Jazz, Swing, Country, Classical, Blue Grass and Latin.

My first love was Swing; probably because that's what I grew up listening to. I still love listening to all the great swing bands of the thirties and forties and I get the same kick today as I did then listening to "Moonlight Serenade" or "Sing Sing Sing". It just never gets old.

1953 and 54 were my army years. I was stationed at Ft. Bliss, Texas and was assigned to an AAA Battalion. Not much musically happened for me during those years. I did get to fill-in on a couple of occasions with the base band when they were short handed and that was the first time I had the opportunity to play dance music with a band.

Upon returning home from service, I entered Arkansas State for the 1956 school year. At this point I supposed that any connection I would have with music from then on would be to listen and enjoy. It didn't turn out that way. Don Minx, the then Director of Bands at Arkansas State, recruited me to play in the marching and concert band. It was during this time that the decision was made to start a school dance band, "The Tribe". The college was fortunate to have on staff at that time two tremendously talented instructors; Norman Todenhoff woodwinds and Theodore Lang piano. Both were excelent preformers as well as teachers and both made tremendous contributions to making "The Tribe" an institution on the campus that has grown and improved. Today when I hear them in concert I feel a sense of pride to have been a part of the first "Tribe".

In 1957 I had my first opportunity to play with a band not associated with the college. The Frank Barnett Combo, as we were known, played mostly in area night clubs and stayed together for about three years. I still remember these years fondly; and although I've since went on to play with many different groups includeing Kenney Shaw and the Redcoats, Bob Tucker and the Tarantulas, The Scotty Moore Trio, The Sabres, Joe Lee and Main Street Blues; that time in the begining when I first realized that people liked what we were doing was a special time. To view pictures of these bands, click here.

By the late fifties and early sixties, with the advent of Elvis and the Beetles, a revolution was taking place in the field of music. The tunes of Gershwin, Porter and Mercer were giving way to "Hounddog" and "I want to hold your hand". The Sabres, which was organized by Don and Kenny Trigg, became very popular around this area because of the groups ability to emulate the music of the Beetles and other popular groups of the time. It was a really tight group and I enjoyed the experience and my time with them even if it wasn't my first choice of musical styles. This is what we looked like then.

This section of "MY MUSIC" will be continued as I have time to complete it.