“Another bar mitzvah? We need a new manager.”


Before I was born, my mom and dad lived about a half mile from each other. Both families were orchardists as were all the surrounding relatives. So when my parents married, they were related to nearly everyone in the valley. Before I was born, some of them formed a band in which my dad and his brothers and cousins played. The reason I know this is because I found this picture in an old album belonging to my parents. I recognized my dad and some of his brothers. I don’t know everyone, but I’m sure we’re all related.

Since there was no one left who could fill in the blanks for me, I was left with many questions. Did they get many gigs? Did they go on the road in an old run-down bus? Did they have many groupies? Were they into hip hop? Were there any alcohol or drug problems? Did they trash their hotel rooms while they were on the road? I know they would have been a big hit at Woodstock, but the girls probably would have refused to sleep in the mud with a bunch of people doing strange things, so they would have missed that event. I’ll never know the answers to all my questions, but it’s fun thinking about it.

I hope they eventually found a place to practice that would get them out of that forest. The winters there could be pretty cold and wet which would rust the instruments even as they played. Not a good thing.