Robert and the family pet rabbit for the last 9 years, Oreo. 

I became a member of the Cool Tones last year after filling in for another trumpet player during his TMJ Jaw surgery and recovery.

My music life started after I broke my nose twice in1967 &1968 playing football. I was offered my Dad's old clarinet to play in Elementry   School. While in school, I played Alto, Tenor, and Bari Sax. Then I heard Don Ellis and Maynard Ferguson live, and fell in love with the Trumpet. As a result, I started learning the trumpet during my junior year in High School. I mostly played at Chabot College for the chance to play great music. 

When I got married at 24, and later had two daughters, my focus, love, and attention moved towards them, resulting in not much time for playing music. So I put the horns in the closet for 10 years only to take them out every so often for a little fun and of course oiling.  

I started playing again at our previous church for a few years, and when that church disbanded, we began to attend Valley Community Church (VCC). Now I have been playing at VCC for about the past 10 years. I am now getting the opportunity to play music again thanks to the Cool Tones, VCC, and the fact that my youngest daughter is in college, my oldest daughter has graduated from college, and my wife and I got a divorce about 2 years ago; and I got to keep the horns and Oreo the family rabbit :)