In the summer of 1968, my aunt arrived from Connecticut to check out my spouse and children in southern California. In the course of the two weeks she was with us, day-to-day was some form of fantastic adventure. We went to the seaside many occasions we went to the Los Angeles Zoo. We frequented all sorts of museums and the La Brea Tar Pits. Disneyland, Common Studios, and Knott’s Berry Farm have been also on the activity agenda.
When we have been at Knott’s, the grownups had been talking about a live performance that was occurring at the park that working day. I was eleven many years previous, and experienced spent my lifestyle (so far) in a musical household. Most of my family have been musically proficient individuals and everyone in our residence cherished music. There was a history player or radio going twenty-four hrs a day.
Whilst I loved audio, I had in no way viewed a dwell general performance. Kenny Rogers and The To start with Version was the name of the band executing, and I experienced never listened to of them. At the time, I was strictly a fan of nation artists like Johnny Hard cash and Patsy Cline, so I was not incredibly enthusiastic about investing the thrills of an amusement park for some “unknown”band. My thoughts was about to be blown…
As we walked into the live performance location, my eyes had been instantly attracted to the huge, lovely, glowing established of drums. Under the vibrant stage lights, it was an wonderful sight. The row of amplifiers on either facet of the drums all experienced lights glowing on them, and there were being several wonderful guitars on stage. I had grown up surrounded by musical instruments, but to see them onstage less than the lights was indescribable.
We sat in the massive theater for about thirty minutes, when all of a sudden the lights went out. I could see silhouettes relocating all-around in the dim onstage and this bought my heart pumping. All of a unexpected the lights arrived on and the band was enjoying. It was like a religious encounter I you should not think I blinked my eyes for the whole exhibit for concern of missing a thing. The seem inside the corridor was some thing I had in no way experienced, either. It sounded very little like my information at home. It was greater than lifetime. I was enthralled by each individual track, and the finale was a protect of The Seashore Boys song “Fantastic Vibrations”.
This was a song I experienced read many moments, and when they started participating in, it sounded incredible. There were being flashing lights, smoke, and Rock and Roll. At the finish of the present, I was in a trance I could not move. I sat there staring at the stage, and my household was receiving impatient. Mom mentioned “we are heading outdoors to get some air and a drink we will fulfill up in a several minutes”. As I sat there transfixed on the spectacle in advance of me, to my amazement, some of the band members came out into the audience space.
I was one particular of only a couple folks lingering inside, and a man with very long hair and a beard and a female (who I regarded as the direct singers) came up to me. They released by themselves and reported “how did you like the show?” The only point I could get out of my mouth was “I want drums”. They laughed and claimed drums took a good deal of practice and it’s possible I really should commence out with a guitar… I just nodded. My mother came back again in on the lookout for me and was introduced to the band. She said she was their latest, and biggest supporter.
All the way household, I begged and pleaded with my dad for drums, but to no avail. This went on for quite a few months right up until my mom and sister bought tired of listening to me, and went out and purchased me an electrical guitar and amplifier. I have been a experienced musician for most of my daily life, and if not for Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, I may well have chosen a different route in everyday living.