Way back in 1978, my brother and I moved back to Texas, from Kansas. Because we wanted to be close to my Dad who’d been diagnosed with terminal kidney failure. And he was told he had a couple of years to live, at the most. So, we figured it would be a good idea to be around for whatever time he had. But we had no idea how that move would change the course of our lives. Or what good friends we’d make.
When I say “change the course,” of our lives I mean changing it all.
I had been working in a lumber yard in Kansas. So, when I got to Houston, I found work as a trim carpenter. Well, it was paid training at first. Then, I got paid for my new carpenter skills. And I worked in that industry for about the first year we were back in Texas.
But during that first year, my brother and I started playing and singing some songs for our friends around the pool of the apartment complex where we lived. And, as it turned out, those friends multiplied. And before long we had what you might call “a regular Friday and Saturday night crowd.”
Our friends told us we should audition to play some of the Houston nightclubs. And we thought that sounded like even more fun than sweating in houses swinging hammers all day. So, we decided to get a sound system, some mics and mic stands, and give it a go.
But we ran into a problem.
To get the kind of good sound system we needed to sound professional, we’d need more moolah than we had. And since we were still fairly young, and new in town, we had no credit. So, we were stalled out.
Until…
One of those friends, from around the pool, stepped in and offered to let us put a sound system on his new credit card and pay him back.
I, for one, was amazed. Because I hadn’t known this guy all that long. And I only knew him as a real nice guy. So, his offer was over-the-top generous, as far as I was concerned. And we took him up on it.
And we started playing, for our friends around the pool, through our brand new sound system. With mics and everything. Golly gee Wally…we were one step away from goin’ pro.
Then, we started going to auditions and getting rejected. But eventually we were hired. Then hired again. And again and again. During some of that time, our benefactor learned to operate our sound system. And when he could, he’d be our sound man.
We got custom band t-shirts with our band name on them: Funderburk (cool name, right?) And we got our sound man a t-shirt that said, “I’m with the band.”
OK, I’ll change the course and condense the rest of the story.
My brother and I had a couple of stints as a duo. Partly good. Partly not. And we eventually went our separate musical ways.
But that sound man, benefactor, pool audience friend became my roommate. Twice. And I still consider him one of the best friends I’ve ever had. 43 years later, we still keep in touch every once in a while. For special occasions. Like Christmas, 4th of July, and even birthdays. Which brings me to the point of this post…
Happy Birthday JACK! It’s your birthday today (May 28), so do your birthday dance!
As far as I’m concerned you’re still “with the band.”
(psst…I can hear Paul McCartney…what’s that he’s singing in the background…?)
Stay tuned,
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Grab yourself an un-cool T-shirt
Or how about some music for kids