First Gig!

First Gig !

Every one remembers their first, whether it’s their first kiss, their first love, their first car, the first time they had sex ( how’d we go there ! ) but I also remember my first gig.

By the spring of 1964 as I recall, we had played a couple of talent shows ( anybody remember ‘ All School Entertainment ‘ ) and  a  lawn party or 2 at the Dean’s house on East Lake Road where we would set up in the garage , open the door and our friends would sit in the driveway and on the lawn but I don’t recall a paid gig until a graduation party that Cindy Hinds planned at her house on State Street. I don’t know who graduated, Cindy’s was a couple of years away and so was mine. Maybe it was just a party, hell, it was 49 years ago! At that time, the band consisted of Bobby, Tommy and Johnny Dean plus Lymie Wickwire and myself. The only ones with a drivers license were Lymie and maybe Bobby. The only one with a car was Lymie. ( a new Ford Falcon convertible ) . For reasons lost to time, I was nominated to talk price. Cindy talked to her Mom ( my English teacher ) who Cindy always referred to as ‘Lois’ and the price that came back to me was $16 ! Not $16 a man, but $16 for the whole band ! I said ” $16 , how can you divide 5 into 16”. I said “we need $20 “. Lois wouldn’t budge and neither would I so Cindy covered the extra 4 bucks herself. Who knew I was such a ‘hard ass’ !. Anyway, the day came and the whole band with all our gear ( not much by today's standards ) piled into Lymie’s convertible with the top down and rolled into 67 State Street. We played in the living room and they literally rolled up the rug and we kicked in. I even remember what song we opened up with ! It was ‘California Sun’ by The Rivieras . I can picture it like it was yesterday. The party went great and led to 50 plus  years and counting of singing and playing for folks. Am I lucky, am I blessed ? You bet I am. Am I thankful? Everyday of my life I friends, every single day of my life..