Naught! As I sort through record albums I remember a six year
old boy taking Hawaiian Guitar lessons. First recital he was sat
on a pedestal in front of the Parent audience. Cute might be the
appropriate word. My friend Blaze. He was opening act for Sherrif
Tex for four years. A musician to be I was an imposter. In the sixth
grade I was one of the Three Kings in the school Christmas play. I
had a singing part until---Dandy, You come from the far corner offstage.
let Jimmy and Donny do the singing. I rehearsed in flat "B" all week/
"We three king baring gifts we came from afar. Only thing missing was a
Hawaiian guitar.
I was on stage once and they tell me I was good. I sang Elvis songs
mimicing Liberace's voice and read "Little Red Riding Hood" As John
Wayne. Then John Wayne singing "Old Shep". I heard it brought the house
down. Face it I was drunk. It was the same day I drank whiskey for the
first time. Two of my fellow Airman were bragging how much they could
drink. I didn't touch the stuff but said I could outdrink both of you.
My fifty against their hundred and I didn't drink.
Shot glass filled each chooze the next shotglass. I chooze McNaughtons.
A Canadian whiskey I heard about. One of the big drinkers became sick. Drunk
He passed out. The rule was you had five minutes or you were disqualified.
Someone nudged me the other guy was asleep. I decided not to wake him and
collected a hundred bucks. Stupid me I didn't realize until I tried to get
up that I was drunk. On a dare and another twenty I in hospital garb went to the
officer's club and thought I was a Doctor. A friend was making fun
of three on stage singing Western songs. He yelled out, "We could do better
that you old goats." They said if you can do better common up stage. Trust
me I remember none of what I did but My friend could play the guitar and
had a great voice. He woke me the next morning very sick and said we had a
contract for every Friday at the officer's club. I told my friend I
couldn't get drunk every friday night. He took the gig and said he
often heard the audience asking where the Comedian was? I guess I had them
laughing hysterically. They were also drinking.
I was in a do-wop singing group called the "Baracudas" In Korea. We won the
Far East talent contest. Reason, I was the token white and did not sing. They
without me changed the name coming home because the alreay was a group called
the Barracudas. At the time we were one of the first mixed race do-wop group/
The other white kid could sing. "Blue Moon, I saw you standing alune." And then
the real singers took over.If I could sing or play a guitar I could have been
a star. /dandy