My Rock Bands Pages
In tribute to my friend Roger
Alan Saunders Founder of Allmen Joy
OBITUARY
Here you will be able to connect with
others interested in Allmen Joy and my other bands and discover the where-a-bouts and accomplishments of the
former members. But first you must drudge through some of my musical history.
Preamble (pre-ramble)
My musical career started out when I was eight years old I was in elementary
school, the school was offering to take in anyone interested in music to the
orchestra. I took home one of the sign up forms to my mom, I had hoped to
sign up as a guitar player. I didn't know at that time that there were no guitar
players in an orchestra, anyway mom thought it was a good idea and signed me up
as a clarinet player, even though I didn't want to join the orchestra if I
couldn't play guitar. Mom wouldn't have any of that so I went to class
reluctantly. I played the clarinet for a few years during which time my love for
music grew and my exposure to other musicians and their instruments intrigued
me. It was at this time and ever since that I love to try other
instruments to experience the unique differences each instrument has. When I was ten years old mom
bought an upright piano (which I still have today) even though it wasn't in our
budget. That was about the best thing that ever happened to me as learning to
play the piano came easy to me and I didn't have to blow into it. One day as I
was messing around on the piano our neighbor Herb over heard me playing and
asked if he could come in and watch, we knew Herb well, he was a very nice black
man from New Orleans Louisiana who always greeted us with a smile and friendly
conversation. He asked me if he could show me a few things on the piano and I
said sure, and to my surprise Herb was one of the best rhythm and blues pianists
I had ever heard (even though I wasn't exposed to many at the young age of ten).
Herb was also an accomplished "stride" pianist almost as good as Scott Joplin.
From then on Herb came over almost every day and showed me how to play the
blues, and I have played the keyboards and was a blues fanatic ever since.
Here are the bands I performed with.
