​Why did I choose to be the bassist?

I didn't choose it. It chose me.

​I have told this story a thousand times, but it is very much the foundation for who I am now.

On the very first day of the second semester of my sophomore year at Walden III High School, I became a bassist in the Horicon Horn Band (HHB). January 29, 1979 was that day. I was 15 years old. I had never played the bass guitar before, but I desperately wanted to be in this band. You see, Walden was well known for its arts and music programs. More so than any other school in town. The band and music director Al Clausen was also well known in the musicians community of southeastern Wisconsin.

The story is as I remember it. On that first day, Al had all of the kids in the class sit on the risers in the band room. I think there might have been about fifteen to twenty of us. Everyone from 9th graders to seniors were in the class. Al took out his ledger and began to go through the attendance. Once he finished that, he immediately started on band placements. Most everyone who had already been in t…