I started playing piano when I was small. My dad taught all of us, and we had music lessons at school, and I sang in the choir too. When I came home from college during the Christmas holidays, I played with my brother and Lonnie Pitts, who I grew up with. They had guitars, so I got me a keyboard. We were all interested in music. We practiced and played until we finally all got into the same key. We didn’t know what key it was, but we were afraid to stop. The three of us put together a band.

I worked for the Union Pacific Railroad during the week to pay my bills but played nights and weekends. One night when we were playing in a club, two young ladies came up all excited and said, “We’ve never been beside any stars before.” And I thought, “Me neither.” But I had to go along with it. I thought to myself, they have no idea that come Monday, I’ll be working on those railroad tracks. 

I’m not playing anymore in the band. I spend my days singing in the choir at the Falvey Church and recording Gospel music with Clennis High, one of the original band members.