Saw my guitar in 1960 when I was four. Learned to copy music of The Ventures from my older brother John. After that, The Beatles, after that, everything else.

In the '60's saw The Beatles on Sullivan, and The Stones and The Doors, and so on. Live I saw...The Chicago Symphonie Orchestra, The Association, The Iron Butterfly.

'60 Gibson ES-125, (first guitar), '65 Fender Mustang, (very modified, but main guitar) '99 custom strat,..with a.'57 Fender reissue body, and a '99 Stew-Mac Canadian made neck. '94 Rickenbacker 360-12, '69 Gibson Les Paul, '70 Gibson EB-3, '97 Vox AC-30 (main amp), '61 Fender Concert, '63 Fender Pro, early '60's Gibson Falcon, (favorite living room amp), '66 Fender Super Reverb, '66 Fender Band Master, '74 Mini Moog, and oh yes, much more...plus I have a great wife and kids.

The Ventures, The Beatles, the British invasion, Led Zeppelin, ELP!! Yes, Genesis. (Of course Hendrix, Page, Clapton). (Not to mention but yes to mention Bach and all of his sort.) Bach was always big to me.

In '67 my grade school band "What" was formed featuring tunes from The Stones, Monkeys, and Tommy James....). We played on stage in front of the whole school!!...
In '74 "Mirage"..an all original progressive music band featured piano, flute, guitar, bass, drums, and Mini Moog. We played on Triad radio, and on Lincoln Ave. in Chicago!!.
'80's cover bands to name a few were, "The Robot Fighters", "Dry Ice", "Fugitive", (all covers), and in the '90's, "Blue Heat", (all covers),.... "Limmie and the Fellahs", (featuring soul and blues) and "The Hit Men", (mostly older covers).
In '94 I recorded my first cd "JB" with area musicians, and mostly original tunes.
In '99 I recorded my instrumental surf guitar cd "The Dynamic Subarashii" partially as a tribute to my first inspiration, "The Ventures", and my brother John. (Eight originals were included.)
During the new millienium, I've mainly played with The Bel-Cats. (www.thebelcats.com) This band features, a lot of my favorite tunes from the '60's, with some super great vocals!

?????you never know!!!!!! There are so many greats...including a few I've met in recent times!

Well of course the smallest is zero, and I've done that after the bartender left. I think that would be paying your dues, but having the advantage to take advantage of the situation.....

The largest audience was with Limmie and the Fellahs @ On the Water Front in '96 in Rockford IL.
We played after The Blind boys of Alabama, (we were the warm down band). I was amazed at the size of the crowd, even though we were the post headlining act. We were complimented, by the crowd with applause and cheers for one (or maybe it was two) encore(s). When we we done, I ran back stage through the building to see John Mayal play before he finished. To my amazement, the band only had a hand full of people in the audience. I felt humbled and maybe embarrassed that a legend did not get a deserving audience when I had, had the biggest I've ever seen, which was perhaps 3,000. (almost super star size.)

Another very memorable performance was at the Silver moon on 3-30-95. This was the cd release party for my first cd titled "JB". Dave Turner and Allegro Studio's are to be given much credit for #1, getting my music to cd, and then #2 promoting an amazing turnout for the release party! I am very proud of the recordings, The performance that night I'm afraid was not too good. Many musicians on the recordings, and serious studio work lead to a difficult time trying to pull it off live. A further complication was that....I was seriously awestruck by the turnout which lead to a severe case of stage fright! I was so grateful to all that came, and again, I felt so ashamed and embarrassed by my performance. Though I was proud of the recordings, I felt the people that came out deserved a better show.

Another memorable but nerve racking performance was in 67 at Hubbard Woods School in Winnetka IL. My group "What" played on stage in front of the whole school plus parents! I recall behind the curtain before performing that we all got a bit giddy as the Pledge of Allegiance was recited, or the national anthem, or something. Then we got out and performed "Satisfaction", and "Mr. Tambourine Man". I remember being so scared, that I could barely move my fingers!

I'd really rather bring a guitar or piano. I just don't want to hear the same thing over and over, even if it's my favorite.