About the Author: Part One

I was born on August 16, 1948; approximately twelve hours after the death of Babe Ruth; the same date on which Robert Johnson had previously died; the same date on which Elvis Presley would subsequently die.

My father’s family was English with a heavy influence of things Irish and my mother’s family was Irish with a heavy influence of things alcoholic.

In 1952 I received my first record player, a very boxy thing, a very Monolith-Monsters-kind-of-thing, that RCA had manufactured to play their new 45 rpm records. My first record was “Thumbelina.” I still own this record.

In January, 1953, my sister was born. Twenty or thirty years later I got to know her and she turned out to be ok.