Some exciting news in the way of rekindling old friendships and musical tastes started taking place in late 2021. My oldest friend Dave Rogers and I have started making music again and renewing our friendship. Dave and I started our first band together in the early 1960’s but even before that we struck up a friendship at West Main Elementary School in Ravenna, Ohio. Dave had moved from Florida and I had just moved to Ohio from Kentucky. Right off the bat we always made each other laugh and thought that laughter and singing could get us through almost anything. We had a lot of things in common and were both raised by our grandmothers. We also cut our teeth on the Beatles.
We played in various bands together through junior high and high school. After high school graduation (1968) we ended up going on the road with a country band, “Hickory Wind” playing the US and Canada. This happened through an affiliation with a friend of Buck Owens. We toured the US and Canada again in the 1980’s with a country show band called “CODY”. This was followed up by appearances on the Wheeling Jamboree and Opryland Fan Fest. A regular part of our shows and schedules were opening up for many national acts around the regional area of Ohio and Pa. We also played the Ohio fair circuit for a while. Later on Dave and I were also in a local band called “FOG” that included some high school class mates that we had formed our original bands with.
In the 1980’s Dave and I left the music business for the corporate world wanting to make a steady secure living for our families. Dave has since retired to Florida while I still live in Ohio.
We have had to use the Internet as a tool for our reconnection with both of us passing material back and forth. I may have an unfinished idea and he the same so we attempt to complete each other’s projects. Lately I have been adding bass parts to songs he has already recorded at home. What a great pleasure it has been to reconnect with my old friend and to see the songs that have resulted in this endeavor. At this time in our lives we are kind of going out the way we came in.
I hope to share some of these songs on the DB website in the coming months. I think the song styles mix well and will be an added bonus for all the musical ears out there!
Thanks,
Dick Bowling 2/9/22