Cinco de Me-Yo

While the Mexican population is celebrating an old victory over France (but then again, what country can't celebrate a victory over France), Cinco de Mayo has a bit of a different meaning for me. It was on this day in 1974 that I walked up on stage and performed with a quartet for the first time. I was an 18-year old bass player back then (I didn't start singing bass until 1983), and the group was The Watchmen Quartet from my home church, Garden Grove Nazarene. Here's my first group publicity shot: Yes, that's me with the guitar, long hair and loud jacket. No wonder I didn't get married until I was 30. My dad co-founded the group, and that's him on the right.

As long as I'm embarrassing myself, no 70's group shot would be complete without...leisure suits!

At least I managed a weak smile in this shot, and how about the piano player's hair (it wasn't his).

I continued with that group through the end of 1990 and somewhere around 900 concerts, and then in 1992 started my own group, The Crimson River Quartet. I'm glad to say that none of our group shots were as embarrassing as the two above, but that's what everybody looked like back then.

It's hard to believe that 34 years have gone by and I'm still at this, but for The Watchmen the road will end this year. They're finally calling it quits after going since 1971. We'll probably stick around for awhile longer.