I learned nearly no songs in school as part of the education process. In 1959 we had a latin teacher, note I said Latin and not latino, who came in played accordion and lead us in songs like "Old Mac Donald" and "Pop Goes The Weasle". I learned the real corpus of my family's oral tradition in the kitchen or on fishing trips. My strict Baptist Mother would teach me songs like Buffalo Gals and show us how to dance the Charleston. My whiskey drinking Dad would take us fishing and we would have to sing "The Old Rugged Cross". Dad's impressive baritone to my brother's and my boy sopranos. The Everlys we wasn't.

At some point we got this funny smelling music teacher who blow this silly whistle and have us sing. I had never heard a pitch pipe before and saw no point in it. If I wanted to sing I'd just do it. This pinhead told my parents I had no concept of pitch and I would never be able to sing so I shouldn't bother trying anymore. This may explain why he is now selling suits and I sing when ever I feel the urge, and sometimes I even get paid for it.

Don