My father was a self-taught mandolin player. He was one of the best string instrument players in
our town. He could not read music, but if he heard a tune a few times, he could play it.
When he was younger, he was a member of a small country music band. They would play at
local dances and on a few occasions would play for the local radio station. He often told
us how he had auditioned and earned a position in a band that featured Patsy Cline as
their lead singer. He told the family that after he was hired he never went back.
Dad was a very religious man. He stated that there was a lot of drinking and cursing the day of
his audition and he did not want to be around that type of environment.