I wasn't much of a musician growing up. I did play snare drum in elementary and Jr. High. Like, marching and concert snare. Rhythm, but no melody. My brother Larry, OTOH, was drawn to music. He was in his first bands when he was in high school. I think his first band was named "Country Roads" and it had Herb Kersley in it, who later became his football coach, and eventually my football coach. More stories about Herb as a teacher and coach in another post. Herb was Larry's rhythm guitar player and lead singer to Larry's bass guitar. I think Leonard Louk was in that band, and they later became Flanders Field, and eventually, they were just known as Larry, Herb, and Leonard. Then they would have a variety of drummers. I was probably about 10 or 11 when Larry started playing. He was playing in bars, and I was playing in the dirt.
My sisters all had piano lessons, and Peggy got really good at piano recitals. The only music education I got was school choir, snare drum, and Larry telling me that I needed to listen to The Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and Ted Nugent Tooth Fang and Claw. Go figure. Later in high school I got truly turned on to the Beatles by my friend Jeff Jackman. My tape of the White Album got stuck in my auto reverse tape deck in my car, so it was listen to that or nothing at all, for about a month while I worked out replacing the tape deck. That was a transformative month of listening.
I learned to tune a guitar in January of 1982 during my second semester of college at Wichita State University. The first song I remember learning was McCartney's Blackbird, followed by Kansas' Dust in the Wind. Kudos to the teacher for getting the beginners class through those two. In intermediate guitar I met a life long friend, Jeff Morrison, who wasn't in college, but was just taking a guitar class. We had a great time and ended up as roommates, were in DONT WALK together, and he was my best man at my first wedding. Music is the bond, that holds our lives together.