Wednesday, April 15

Pirate's Past

I remember Grandpa's old Silvertone, hung on the wall , old worn strings, just added to the decor of my adolescent bed room for about 5 years. Bed room had that old west theme to it. Till the day I got in trouble, like most young boy/men at age 13. Doing that stuff I shouldn't, not real bad but stuff you don't talk to adults about, in the woods smoking, or just up to no good. Well the big bust happened, think I was out this night stealing decorations off cars ( I remember the gas cap off a Gremlin). Well Mom decided after a thorough lashing (verbal at least) I had to find something to do with my time. I thought this would be the time to get some real use out of Grandpa's old Silvertone.

So Mom takes the old beat up instrument to the Music Store, gets it strung up also needed the nut changed (the thing that feeds the strings into the tuning keys. And sets up lessons for me. I am so glad I got into trouble that day (thinking back)
I walk in the store, guitar in one hand and a spiral notebook in the other. Meet my new guitar teacher, Rocky. The dude was outrageous, well to a sheltered little 13 year old. I was 5'4 or so, still growing; so everything looked 'larger than live'. I say he must have been about 6'2 ish, had on these stacked heels, a pair of dark green flare leg slacks, a cool silk shirt, long, well kept hair and a silver cross hanging from his left ear. I was a little startled, thought he was the persona Mom sort of warmed me about all those years ago. Well shoot, Mom is the reason I'm meeting this dude. Mom spoke with him for a few and Rocky tells me its the 2nd door on the right, go on back. He and Mom spoke for a few then Rocky sits in the chair with the customized Telecaster leaning against it. I will admit, for a minute I was thinking this guy is gay, but "Mom said". So he starts to show me A major, D major, and E major chords and some of the progressions I can do with those. The lesson was 1/2 an hour and he seemed real serious and musical and all. I figured he was just cool, not gay. I took lessons from Rocky for several years. Even followed him over to Buddy Rogers when The Music Store moved to another location. Rocky turned out to be quite a character in my life. I continue to play guitar, I could have made it a life but parents didn't seem to happy about that, so I just play the songs I learned for my own enjoyment. That guitar did get replaced with an Alvarez, but guess I will save that for another post.

I used to stay in touch with Rocky, but as time stretches and you become more distant from the ones in your life, well you know... Met up with Rocky in a bar several years back, we sat, chatted and had a few beers. He got along with my mom, I have heard since my lesson days that he was really good with parents. I thought he was the coolest and he did leave a large mark in my life.

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