I came to California from Chicago in 1979 to pursue a career as an actor. Called Disneyland seeking possible sub work, auditioned and was hired to play ragtime piano on Main Street. Subsequently played piano in a character show at Plaza Gardens Pavilion for the Park’s 25th anniversary. Disneyland band member Bruce Healey was vacating the bass drum / percussion chair to become a staff arranger and I was asked to sub – mostly on bass drum – while replacements were sought. I played bass drum and cymbal and was featured on piano for the stage concerts. Time passed, I wasn’t getting much acting work so, when asked to join the Band permanently, I accepted. My life changed. That Band was an amazing group of talented players who had done it all from the big bands to recording studios to circuses to shows to clubs and I was in awe. I learned so much and was inspired daily. Joe Shaw, the snare and set drummer, was from the Chicago area, also and we both had come up through the local dance, wedding and rock bands and clicked right away. We could sense what each other was about to do and played so tightly that many listeners were surprised that there were actually two drummers. I’m very proud of that. The Band usually stayed together all morning and broke down into smaller groups to cover other areas of the park after lunch. This is when I played piano or banjo in The Delta Ramblers, Five Alarm Jazz Band, Lost Arkyologists and Swing Soufflé or solo on the steamship Mark Twain and in New Orleans Square. It’s interesting how you can be aiming in one direction when life turns left and you either go with it or be stubborn. Although I was able to get out and do acting and voice work over the years, I am so glad that I took that turn toward Anaheim.