My Music History

When I was young I wasnt exactly the fastest Learner.I was Placed in a special Ed class.I didnt have many friends because I felt like an outcast.I had the Chicken pox at 8 or 9 My dad lent me his Zenith Transister radio to help me fall asleep and it worked.I remember falling asleep to Neil Youngs After the gold rush.For my birthday I got my own transistor radio.I loved it and fell asleep to it every night.
Soon after I got a portable tape recorder.I used to tape songs off the radio.
AM radio in the late 60s and upto mid 70s was cool.One yeah I got a AM/FM radio for Christmas.FM changed my world.
Still without many friends the radio was my friend.When I came home from a hard day at school I looked forward to playing back my radio mixtapes.
When I entered high school things got better socially.A teacher Gave a friend of mine some 45s.The one she didnt want she gave to me.and if I wanted to borrow some she let me.I got the idea to tape them onto cassette so I could get here back the records.Backround noise was an issue with external mics.The song order was good but sound quality stunk.
Technology advanced to my delight in the 80s and so did I .
I got a job shortly after graduating high school,saved up money and bought my first decent stereo with a dual cassette deck,am/fm Stereo and a turntable.When I made mixes there was no backround noise.
fast forward the mid 80s.
I was at my Godmothers wedding and at the reception my Cousin Steve put on these awsome wedding mixtapes he made.He introduced me to other genres I liked.World music and reggae.
That summer I got an idea to make my dad a mixtape for his birthday.I covertly borrowed his records while he was at world and return them and did my best to put them back in the Same order.Ollie North would have been pround.lol!
Dad Loved the mix and asked where I got the music.I fessed up but told him I got turned onto Louise Armstrong and Ella.
I started making mixes for Other Family and friends and got positive feedback.
In the early 90s I helped our School Custodian DJ Dances .Id put on Head phones and cued up tapes to requested songs.Tapes gave way to CDs but I still hung with him and made announcements,and fetched soda and food for him.
One time he was sick I I was asked to DJ.He can in to hook thing up but didnt DJ.I did.I had fun and the kids liked what I played.
frank called me the next day to tell me he heard I did a great Job.
Around 2000 I stated Deejaying the school fairs using his set up!
In 2008 I saved up anough to buy my own gear.
My first official gig was a 40th Birthday Party for a friend.Seeing so many folks on the dancefloor gave me a natural high.Frank tough me and I learned well.
I contunie to DJ Fundraisers and the school fair to this day.