I come from a modestly talented family. My mother and her sister practiced & taught ballet & ballroom dance & were, until relatively recently, involved in amateur drama. From an early age, I recall my mother singing to us, either nursery rhymes or songs from shows of the '40s.

My father had a reasonable voice, & being from Sunderland, used to sing a number of songs from the North, like "The Lambton Worm" & "On Ilkley Moor Ba'ht 'at". I have an old photo of him playing a mandolin, on board ship during WW2, but no memory of ever hearing him play. I have one brother who is musical/theatrical & another bro & sis who show no trace of musical talent at all.

My maternal grandfather, however, had been musical director for the Governor of Bengal's orchestra. Grandpa played & taught every single orchestral instrument...strings, w'wind, brass & percussion.

I did not appreciate my Grandpa's talents at an early age & he had long ago retired from music. I was conned into being a boy soprano for about four years, including being forced at gun point, (or so it felt,) by Clifton Cooke, the music Master, into the Treble choir at Ch Ch Boys' High. Two years into this singing bit, it was decided that I was "musical", so I learnt the piano for two years, practicing on a piece of cardboard remembling a piano keyboard...the ultimate silent instrument & a definite musical challenge, (can you imagine that?...I had, mentally, to "hear" each note & chord formation that I "played",) until we were able to get a piano for practice. Lookshury! I hear you say.....when I were a kid.....

When the testosterone kicked in & the voice metamorphosed, I was placed in the Senior choir until I left High School. I never did really grasp all the principles of sight reading, (a bit better today) but I did still play around on the piano, playing popular songs of the day. (I still play pretty much by ear)

Apart from that, I didn't take any interest in playing an instrument for quite some years. In 1965 I was in Welly on a course & discovered "The Balladeer" coffee bar in Willis St. Frank & Mary Fyfe welcomed everyone. There I got to meet such luminaries as Jim Delahunty, Warwick Brock, Max Winnie, Jae Renaut, the infamous Frank Povar, Ron Davis, Frank Sillay & many others. The Monde Marie & The Chez Paree were little hot beds of talent (not what you're thinking!) & some great music. Mitch Park was a frequent visitor, as were Paul Metsers, Steve Robinson, Marg Layton & again, many more, too numerous to mention.

After my brief visit to Welly, I was back in Ch Ch for a two year spell & remained interested in folk music at places like the Stage Door & Phil Garland's place in High St. During that time I took up mouth harp & that lead on to melodeon. I also decided that tea chest basses did not have to sound like drums, but could be put to good musical use...I still play one, purpose-built, but about 8" high, with a carry-handle. During that time I was part of Phil G.'s first bush band, "The Woolly Dags", an interesting mix of musos, including Vic & Mike Brown, & may have included Mike Garland...not sure about that...he was probably still a student.

During that time also, up sprung the infamous "Band Of Hope Jug Band", (originally named "The Lumpy Toys & Sweet Potatoes Band") formed by Chris Gross, with Warwick Brock, Robin Elliot (A.K.A. "Dobbin"), Bill Hammond, Gordon Collier, Daryll Watt & Phil G. The band was heavily influenced by people like Jim Kweskin, Maria & Geoff Muldaur & early Jug Band musos. At that time, there was a bit of an upsurge of interest in the Appalachian Autoharp. I managed to score an old German one, black, with the rose decalion. (Still got it, tho' I have a better one now) & somehow I developed an interest in Carter Family & Old Timey material.

In 1968 I moved back to Welly & for a while, boarded with Max & Jane Winnie, where I was surrounded by an amazing mix of music, from Jellyroll Moreton, Leadbelly, Skip James & Tom Rush to Doc Watson, the Phips Family, the Carter Family & The New Lost City Ramblers. This was the hay-day of the well-remembered Banjo-pickers' Conventions. I went to a couple of them...they were my first camping festivals & I got to meet greats like Mike Seeger & Bill Clifton, both very fine exponents of the Autoharp. By that time most N.Z. Autoharp wannabes had stripped off the black finish! (Had to look the part.) The time also, of the hey-day of the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. I got to know the late Dave Jordan around then.

After moving out of Max's place, I flatted in Welly, still attending The Monde etc, then married in 1971. From that time until the wheels fell off that marriage, I sort of dropped out of the folk scene to a large extent & it wasn't until 1978 that I took a renewed interest. I rejoined the Welly Folk Club & became a Morris muso. The melodeon was limited in the pitch of its keys, so I found & taught myself to play a 48 bass piano accordion. The interest in Morris continued & over the years, its musical influence has inserted itself into my playing style, along with influence from John Kirkpatrick & Martin Carthy. The Morris has also given Jane & I access to a huge range of tunes, which our Welly Barndance Band, "Waiting For A Partner" used & our Ch Ch band, "Bantam Of The Opera" still use, to quite an extent.

Back to Welly...In 1982, I left IBM, to take up more interest-related work. Music was one of them and from 1982 until 1994, I busked every Friday am from 6.30 to 9.30 in the Wellington rail subway that leads from the station to the transport centre. It fed the family & paid some bills...say no more. In 1994, we moved to Ch Ch. I'm still actively involved with the Ch Ch Folk Club & Jane edits the Club Mag.

We started dragging our offspring to Festivals and after a couple of them groaning about having to come, they now plan their lives around those events...'nuff said. I'm still performing Edwardian Music Hall with John Jones, as "Fat Boy & Slim" & "Bantam Of The Opera" is alive & well. Our eldest daughter learnt piano & clarinet, has moved to Dunedin, is busy with the N.E.F.C. & is with Jack Frost Morris, our second daughter learned a bit of piano & while not admitting to being musical, can hold a tune & attends more concerts at Fests than she used to. Our son, nearly 15, has drummed for five years & is learning electric bass...now he wants to make a career of music...teaching it! That's about it.