Friends have always asked how my taste in music developed; at least the ones who consider that I have any taste. I suppose that it's about as difficult to pin down my other tastes.
Growing up in Alabama, I truly believed that if you turned on the radio, once it warmed up, Hank Williams began to sing. By the time we moved to Florida in 1954 my mom began to bring home the finest rhythm and blues 45's that you can imagine. Roy Brown, Wynonie Harris, Big Joe Turner. By the time that rock'n'roll showed its face I was awash in Little Richard records. Elvis and Bill Haley and Bo Diddley, too.
She took me to the armory to see all of the r&b acts and all of the rock'n'roll shows, too. How could one kid be so lucky?
My pal, Rodney, told me recently that somewhere there's a kid who tells his friends that I have been an influence on him and his taste and his music. I hope so.
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