Culligan Man Concert

You never know what creativity lurks in the hearts and minds of the every day people you encounter. Enter Roy Lovely.  Culligan water softening company technician for 40 years who came to my house this afternoon for an annual maintenance check on my water softener and right before leaving and seeing my guitar asked, "Do you play guitar?"  That sparked a conversation about my still wanting to learn how to play and Roy's playing, composing and recording since he was 12 (I'm guessing somewhere around 5 decades now) and me showing him my mom's Fender.

Roy tuned it and then knelt down (he declined the chair I offered him) and began playing a concert of what can only be described as a guitar symphony of sounds.  His first number reminded me of my mother playing the song Freight Train when I was a little girl, something I hadn't thought about in a long time.  When Roy was finished he told me he composed that song and began playing another.

Then there was more conversation about his daughter's beautiful singing voice and her accomplishments singing at Carnegie Hall and singing the National Anthem at the Cincinnati Red's stadium, as well as Roy's love of making CD's of his original music incorporating all the different tracks of instruments he's laid down himself ("Except for drums," - he uses the software's drums.)  He also talked about all his time in the USAF and playing in a band while touring, and in England (the band in England recorded and album and almost appeared on television) and when he returned from the Air Force, playing again with his high school band VFW's and bars all over the Fairborn and Dayton area (which he gave up 20 years ago...but, as Roy said, will never give up playing and recording.)

Remembering hearing today how feature film composer James Horner had died, I told Roy I'd come across many short and independent film makers who could use someone like him composing for their films. He said he always told his wife all it would take would be one song to be used on one feature film to set them for life!

I walked Roy out to his company Culligan van and he played some of his CD for me with tracks he'd composed (including the first one he played on my Fender.)  I closed my eyes and tapped my foot, basking in the warm sun and smiling outward and inwardly at this little gift I'd been given.  Roy's music evoked emotional memory and pleasant feelings from when I was a child and being with my mother during summer, and all the times she'd play guitar and sing.

I told Roy about my local WYSO radio station connection that broadcasts NPR in the Dayton area and whose station manager and national announcer are my backyard neighbors, and suggested his story and music be great on one of their local spotlight stories.  Roy is going to drop a CD off (he doesn't mass produce and sell these.)  I'm not sure yet of my part (if any) with having Roy's music and knowing the folks I do at the radio station, but if I do it'll be to get his music into the hands of the ones who can get it heard by many.  Maybe my encounter with Mr. Roy Lovely and his sharing his gift of music this afternoon was just a reminder about being open to receive, because you never know when and where gifts will show up, and you should always be ready.

The music connection.  The artist connection.  The creative connection.  The heart connection.

Mom's Fender, freshly tuned and played (even after Roy left, a little bit by me.)