Myfatherwasaself-taughtmandolinplayer.Hewasoneofthebeststringinstrumentplayersinourtown.Hecouldnotreadmusic,butifheheardatuneafewtimes,hecouldplayit. Whenhewasyounger,hewasamemberofasmallcountrymusicband. Theywouldplayatlocaldancesandonafewoccasionswouldplayforthelocalradiostation.HeoftentoldushowhehadauditionedandearnedapositioninabandthatfeaturedPatsyClineastheirleadsinger. Hetoldthefamilythatafterhewashiredheneverwentback.Dadwasaveryreligiousman.Hestatedthattherewasalotofdrinkingandcursingthedayofhisauditionandhedidnotwanttobearoundthattypeofenvironment.

Occasionally,Dadwouldgetouthismandolinandplayforthefamily.Wethreechildren:Trisha,MonteandI,GeorgeJr.,wouldoftensingalong. SongssuchastheTennesseeWaltz,HarborLightsandaroundChristmastime,thewell-knownrenditionofSilverBells.“ SilverBells,SilverBells,itsChristmastimeinthecity“wouldringthroughoutthehouse. OneofDad'sfavoritehymnswas“TheOldRuggedCross“. Welearnedthewordstothehymnwhenwewereveryyoung, andwouldsingitwithDadwhenhewouldplayandsing.AnothersongthatwasoftensharedinourhousewasasongthataccompaniedtheWaltDisneyseries: DaveyCrockett.Dadonlyhadtohearthesongtwicebeforehelearneditwellenoughtoplayit.“ Davey,DaveyCrockett,KingoftheWildFrontier“wasafavoritesongforthefamily. Heknewweenjoyedthesongandtheprogramandwouldoftengetoutthemandolinaftertheprogramwasover.Icouldnevergetoverhowhecouldplaythesongssowellafteronlyhearingthemafewtimes.Ilovedtosing,butIneverlearnedhowtoplaythemandolin.ThisissomethingIregrettothisday.