LEFT - Avalon theatre
in Clarksville, Texas,
where I worked as a
teenager, before it
was demolished.
RIGHT - That's me in
a cemetery in New
Orleans leaning on a
statue of
what's-his-name.
in Clarksville, Texas,
where I worked as a
teenager, before it
was demolished.
RIGHT - That's me in
a cemetery in New
Orleans leaning on a
statue of
what's-his-name.
LEFT - Looking up
in Thanksgiving
Square Chapel in
Dallas. It is also on
the home page.
RIGHT - Friend
Andy Cooper, a
multi-talented guy
who taught me a lot
of what I know
about music.
in Thanksgiving
Square Chapel in
Dallas. It is also on
the home page.
RIGHT - Friend
Andy Cooper, a
multi-talented guy
who taught me a lot
of what I know
about music.
LEFT - Strictly Dixie
band, that plays for
"captive audiences"
in nursing homes. I
am in the middle of
the back row.
RIGHT - That's me -
Luckenbach, Texas,
but Waylon and
Willie were not there.
band, that plays for
"captive audiences"
in nursing homes. I
am in the middle of
the back row.
RIGHT - That's me -
Luckenbach, Texas,
but Waylon and
Willie were not there.
PIX
LEFT - Maristella and
me playing off the
square at BANTER.
In this photo I look
very much like my
father.
RIGHT - My friend
Lance Martin, who is
a professional
musician in Nashville,
Tennessee.
me playing off the
square at BANTER.
In this photo I look
very much like my
father.
RIGHT - My friend
Lance Martin, who is
a professional
musician in Nashville,
Tennessee.
I joined the Navy in 1959. I was
offered a position in the Naval
Academy Band or a position as
trombone instructor at the Navy
School of Music. I took the latter.
I have some very fond memories of
that time. I was in D.C. long
enough to see Jack Kennedy
inaugurated and later buried.
offered a position in the Naval
Academy Band or a position as
trombone instructor at the Navy
School of Music. I took the latter.
I have some very fond memories of
that time. I was in D.C. long
enough to see Jack Kennedy
inaugurated and later buried.
My piano is a nine foot
concert grand - built by
Baldwin in 1929, when
they were still building
fine pianos. My very
large flag covered the
windows before we got
the drapes in our home.
concert grand - built by
Baldwin in 1929, when
they were still building
fine pianos. My very
large flag covered the
windows before we got
the drapes in our home.
Image from a website that
I closed in 2014 - Blue
Beak Music that never did
produce any results. I
self-published before the
internet with some success,
but this one didn't make it.
I closed in 2014 - Blue
Beak Music that never did
produce any results. I
self-published before the
internet with some success,
but this one didn't make it.
The Mister Joe logo that
I developed when I was
writing and performing a
lot of unusual songs.
The local response was
good, but I was never
able to get this stuff out
to a wider audience.
I developed when I was
writing and performing a
lot of unusual songs.
The local response was
good, but I was never
able to get this stuff out
to a wider audience.
Two of my TWU
students with
their creation in
the winter of
2010. We don't
usually get this
much snow, but
they rose to the
occasion.
students with
their creation in
the winter of
2010. We don't
usually get this
much snow, but
they rose to the
occasion.
Me and Denton's "Piano
Man", the late Bob Rogers.
He turned down an offer
to be accompanist for
Frank Sinatra to return to
Denton to his sweetheart
and a faculty position at
the University of North TX.
Man", the late Bob Rogers.
He turned down an offer
to be accompanist for
Frank Sinatra to return to
Denton to his sweetheart
and a faculty position at
the University of North TX.
Van Cliburn, while a
teenager, performed
informal concerts in
Clarksville. I was
always too busy to
attend. Here he is
with my friend
Greeley Walker.
teenager, performed
informal concerts in
Clarksville. I was
always too busy to
attend. Here he is
with my friend
Greeley Walker.
Walker Hays was my uncle, a
musician, a showman, and an
extremely intelligent man.
He was my high school band
director. He understood my
potential in music and helped
me move that direction when
I first began college studies.
musician, a showman, and an
extremely intelligent man.
He was my high school band
director. He understood my
potential in music and helped
me move that direction when
I first began college studies.
Merrill Ellis was teaching
electronic music at UNT
when I was there in the
early seventies. He was a
wonderful teacher and a
good friend who taught me
to work for great things.
electronic music at UNT
when I was there in the
early seventies. He was a
wonderful teacher and a
good friend who taught me
to work for great things.
My father had a disability. He had only one arm - the right. He lost
the other one in a childhood accident. The missing arm was obvious,
but it never occurred to me until much later that he was disabled. This
was probably due to the fact that he did not think of himself in that
way. He buttoned his shirts, tied his shoes and ties, played golf, drove
a stick-shift car, mowed the lawn with a push-mower until I was old
enough to take over, and, most remarkably, taught himself to type 60
words per minute on a manual typewriter. This skill, featured in
Ripley's "Believe It or Not" (right photo), was necessary for his work as
a newspaper editor - The Clarksville Times.
the other one in a childhood accident. The missing arm was obvious,
but it never occurred to me until much later that he was disabled. This
was probably due to the fact that he did not think of himself in that
way. He buttoned his shirts, tied his shoes and ties, played golf, drove
a stick-shift car, mowed the lawn with a push-mower until I was old
enough to take over, and, most remarkably, taught himself to type 60
words per minute on a manual typewriter. This skill, featured in
Ripley's "Believe It or Not" (right photo), was necessary for his work as
a newspaper editor - The Clarksville Times.
Sara and I married in Arlington, Virginia, on September 10, 1967. At the time I was
struggling to "get my act together", but she had the love and compassion necessary to
take on these difficulties and help me to find out who I really needed to be. We moved
to Denton in August of 1969. I went through many work changes and dead-end streets
before finding my place in the field of music therapy. Sara was there all the way, making
our house a home, raising two wonderful children, and making friends all over town. In
2017 we celebrated 50 years together. She lost a battle with cervical cancer on February
11, 2018. I miss her greatly and am so grateful for the many years we had together.
struggling to "get my act together", but she had the love and compassion necessary to
take on these difficulties and help me to find out who I really needed to be. We moved
to Denton in August of 1969. I went through many work changes and dead-end streets
before finding my place in the field of music therapy. Sara was there all the way, making
our house a home, raising two wonderful children, and making friends all over town. In
2017 we celebrated 50 years together. She lost a battle with cervical cancer on February
11, 2018. I miss her greatly and am so grateful for the many years we had together.
Playing the
accordion at the
annual Music
Theatre of
Denton show.
Got a lot of
compliments on
the green wig.
accordion at the
annual Music
Theatre of
Denton show.
Got a lot of
compliments on
the green wig.
