When I was about seven years old, I remember taking an interest in the drums
that Dad had. He played Big Band style music for the Freddie Castro
Dance Band. He had a set of Slingerland drums. They were the
most fantastic things I had ever seen, and I knew that I wanted to learn to
play them. They even had real calf-skin heads.
Well, Dad taught me
how to play them. When I was 14 years old, he traded that old set for
a brand new Ludwig kit that I still have today.
Another important event happened that year -- I
received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
After I graduated from college, I traveled in
the nuclear industry for 15 years. This made drumming take a back
seat until I came to live permanently in Paducah, Kentucky, where I work
as a Health Physics Technician for the United States Enrichment
Corporation. During those years when I was traveling, I noticed that
in most of the small towns, the young people would congregate in parking
lots to hang out. I had a dream that some day I wanted to play in a
Christian band on a flat-bed trailer in parking lots and tell them about
Jesus.
Not long after
settling in Paducah, I met my wife Sondra at church. Sondra
encouraged me to let our worship leader know that I was available if they
ever needed a drummer. Well, that was the start. I heard the
Lord speak to me to "get ready".
It wasn't long before the Lord was using me full
time on the worship team. Then, my neighbor told me he knew a band
that was looking for a drummer. A couple of months went by, and
Jimmy Duncan (S†eel Dove's lead guitar player) called me and wanted to
know if I was interested in drumming for them. I said YES!
They came by and gave me a tape to listen to -- and the rest is history.
I was so excited. Since we have been together, God has put us on
more flat-bed trailers than I can count, and I am still excited!
patterns4jesus.com
