Kid Photos of Us at the Cafe Playing Music

[JimRichter]

You know, I don't ever recall seeing a thread for us to post pictures of us playing music back when we were kids. #I know I've seen a few, like a 12yo or so Scotti Adams shaking WSM's hand and some others like that in different threads, but never one dedicated to it.

That's me with the uke (the very first instrument I ever got) and my brother Phil. #I got that uke for my 5th, so it'd have to be early '73 (you can also date it from the pants!). #My dad was a Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, and Elvis freak, so that explains the slicked up DA's (and yes, that was my normal day to day hair--wasn't made up for the pic). #From those humble beginnings, my brother and I went on to greatness (my bro is a helluva musician).

Now, let's see yours!

Jim

[Frank Russell]

Finally, someone else whose parents made them wear those damn pants.

[HarmonyRexy]

What an interesting picture! The "Mr. Peanut" shirts more than make up for the pants!

I was noticing your ukulele. Is that a Harmony? I can't get a good enough image to see it as clearly as needed at that angle.
It looks like Harmony Green on Cream label....asymmetrical. Was it a few years old when you got it? Those were made in the 50/60s. If it's that label, it was probably made in Chicago.
You don't still have it lurking in your garage or attic, do you? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Windflite]

My brother(Alex)and I also played a lot of music as kids. #I must say he turned out as a much better musician than me! #The photo below was in 1977 (making me 14 at the time). #We played a set at 'the mall' for a fundraiser sponsored by our high school key club. #I went on to writing computer software...and he went on to 20 years in the Air Force (retiring @ Lt. Col.) and currently is studying guitar at Berklee in Boston.

[JimRichter]

It's a Harmony uke. Don't have it anymore. Got smashed (a long story) a long time ago. It was bought new, I believe at a local Ben Franklink five and dime, where it had probably sat for awhile before my grandparents bought it.

I loved those Mr. Planters sweatshirts. They were part of a mail-in promotion. The white sweatshirts came w/ coloring markers to color in the pictures on the sweatshirt. Pretty neat.

Jim

[ira]

jim- it was the 70s- our folks all gave us some funky pants to where- i think i had those exact ones, and another striped one with really bright colors-prob wore it with a shirt looking like this::)

[ira]

hey -didn't show

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[HarmonyRexy]

Ben Franklin was the source of everything COOL in our little town, from toys to clothes. #That's great that they got it there for you!

Harmony sold many of their mandolins, ukuleles and guitars through Sears & Roebucks, as you probably know.

My parents got my first mandolin through the music department at our school. (We were big Band Geeks.)
They ordered a Harmony Mandolin through the catalog from the band director. #
It was 1968 and I just HAD to have a mandolin..... so to be 'fair', my parents ordered my little sister an instrument, too.
They ordered her a Gibson Guitar.
I wish that I had pictures of us performing, like Jim and Andy. #

I bet that your story about the 'smashing' of that uke is one for the record books!

I don't have my original Harmony mandolin either... I'd gotten into some financial trouble in college and sold all of my mandolins. #I do have one just like it though in my little troupe of mandolins...

[mandomick]

Summer of '67. Me with guitar and my youngest brother Ron who also learned to play, eventually fronting bands,doing solo and duo gigs.(He wasn't afraid to sing.)

The guitar had a "K" on the headstock and was a birthday present that my mom got me with 7 books of King Korn trading stamps. I think each book had about $3.00 cash value.

[JimRichter]

Trading stamps were great. I remember my dad getting a Winchester 30.30 through saving several books of S&H trading stamps. Those were the days.

Jim

[Karen Kay]

OK what does the D and the A stand for in the DA hair reference?

[Stephanie Reiser]

I had heard from my brother that it stood for:
Duck's @ss
I dont know if that is true or not.

[JimRichter]

It's duck a@@. #Get that hair greased up high, comb those sides straight back, getting a part down the center of the back of the head resembling a duck's butt, and shake some strands loose over the forehead. #The rock and roller's haircut, as sported by Elvis, Eddie Cochran and modern rockers like Brian Setzer. #My dad was hot-rodding teen in the '50's, so a DA was part of the uniform (which he imparted to us boys until we were old enough to decided we didn't want hair tonic in our hair any longer).

Below is a picture I picked up from www.slickville.com, a site dedicated to the slicked up DA. #The front is pretty standard (again think Fonzi or Danny Zuko in Grease). #The back is one of the quintessential parts of the DA.

Jim

[JimRichter]

DA back (not my hair!)

[Karen Kay]

Jim & Amanda ~
Hey thanks for the explanation. #I think I knew what the style/haircut was but I just couldn't figure out what the DA stood for. #This spring I was reading a book with a description of a a cop with a "standard DA" & wondered what it was about and now I know. #
KK
The pic's you sent are a hoot. #
I don't want to get busted for no mando-content. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[JMBORR]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/unclesam.gif YEAH

[JimRichter]

Is that a Davy Crockett cap?

Great picture, by the way.

Jim