School Story:
Some have asked about my musical involvement - my marketing website for my insurance business is MusicalInsuranceGuy.com. Some may know that while I was at FNHS, I had a side business tuning pianos. I tuned my first piano at age 12, got into the buying and selling of pianos in my early teens, then evolved into the specialization of rebuilding 1920's player pianos, along with general piano tuning and repair. One I met at our 40th reunion reminded me that I sold her parents her piano, and she still had it (or pieces of it!). At FNHS, I played violin until 10th grade, when Mr. Beckwith recruited me and Steve Beck / Enabnit to be his Bass section in 11th and 12th trade. I did work with the music teachers some related to pianos, and had a hand in putting together a harpsichord kit at our school.
I considered pianos as a career, but realized even in the 1970's, this was not a growth industry so I got a business degree. I did work for Johnson Organ company in Fargo during HS, helping build pipe organs, as well as build new band organs, and repair antique automatic musical instruments. In college I worked for a couple music stores tuning and repairing pianos. I funded most of my college education by buying, selling and rebuilding player pianos.
As far a playing musical instruments, because I was recruited to be part of the bass section at FHNS, I ended up playing electric bass. Soon after graduation from HS, I was recruited by "Larry and the Golden Heirs Trio" a gospel trio. I lived in the back of a 1956 greyhound converted to a motor home, and did 6 months of one night stands with them, playing bass. That got the my interest in being in a band on the road full time out of my system!!!
Now, I married the true musician in our family (along with our kids). My wife Marva has her Masters in Music Education. Her main instrument is violin. She used to teach school but now teaches privately, created her own youth orchestra, the North Cincinnati Youth Orchestra NCYO.org, and has a string quartet that plays weddings and other special events.
My insurance agency tends to support the arts (over sports teams etc). My agency sponsors the NCYO.org SWOPHIL.org, AMICA.org, and others. I have automatically playing musical antiques in my insurance office (including an 1895 player reed organ). My Musical Insurance Guy marketing allows me differentiate me and hopefully make me more memorable than others in the insurance business. Now that all the kids are fully out of the house, I am getting back into Player Piano (and other automatically playing musical instrument) tuning, repair and restoration.
