Biography
I was born on April 22, 1945 in
Washington , D.C. From the age of six my main interest was becoming a musician.
At that age, I started clarinet lessons. At age seven, I began saxophone
lessons in the public school band program, and private lessons with Mr. Lee Hardesty,
former saxophonist/clarinetist with the Bennie Goodman Band, simultaniously. I
played alto saxophone throughout elementary and junior high school, but switched to
baritone saxophone, as a primary instrument, in high school, at age fifteen.
Upon graduation, and because I was a naval reservist,
I went on to active Naval service almost immediately, as a musician striker, but the Navy
changed that classification , with the Viet Nam war on the horizon. My rate was switched
from musician striker to radioman striker, and I was sent Radioman "A" School in
Bainbridge, Maryland. I graduated in 1964. I served on two ships, and was Honorably
discharged from the Navy in May, 1965, and returned to D.C.
As a saxophonist, I played with local and regional bands
in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas. Shortly after this tenue, I accepted
a position as baritone saxophonist with the traveling Gene Chandler Orchestra. Next,
I joined the Ike & Tina Turner Revue but, after a short tenue, joined the Joe Tex
Revue where I remained affiliated for eigthteen years. While a member of the Tex revue, I
was encouraged by Tex and saxophonist James Miller Sam to enter college. I entered Berklee
School of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts in September 1966, as a performance major.
In September 1968, I entered Northeastern
University as an Electrical Engeneering major but quickly matriculated to Music
Education with a minor in sociology, graduating with an Associate & Bachelor of
Science degree in 1973 and 1975, respectively. After graduation , I joined the Bobby
"Blue" Bland band as a multi-woodwindist then rejoined Joe Tex. Upon relocating
to Atlanta, Ga, I joined the Johnny Taylor band.
In the fall of 1976, I entered
Georgia State University as a graduate student. While there, I found the music curriculum
primarily Eurocentric, with very little training in African American music or history. To
persue my interest , I enrolled in Columbia Pacific University in 1981, earning a Master
of Arts degree and Ph.D in 1983 and 1984 respectively, in the field of ethnomusicology.
Additionally, I earned the FCC Radiotelephone Operator license, through WRFG, Atlanta, in
October 1983.
In 1991, I enrolled in Walden University
to study for a second Ph.D but in the field of Educational Supervision/Music Education,
graduating in 1994.
For Performance and Availability
Information, contact me @ [email protected]
I may also be reached @ Pager#
404-897-4289 24 hours/day.