Really I had forgotten about this.
I started taking lessons on the piano when I was 6. The piano book has an indication that he piano teacher wrote in for 1956. I was 6 that year. However that was not my first book. I lost my first book which had ABC's in it. There were no notes just alphabets, and I matched my fingers for the alphabets as they were written from left to right. In fact I believe I may have started in 1955 but have no proof, because the book is missing.
I sang at my friends funeral. when I was 4 or 5. My friend died tragically in a drowning, where her mother missed an exit and plunged into the Little Calumet River, and killed her 4 year old child. The child drowned. Her name was Yvonne but we called her "Bon Bon". I sang "Oh Lord Have Mercy" at "Bon Bon's" funeral.
The lyrics are: Oh Lord have mercy, Oh Lord Have mercy, Oh Lord have mercy, have mercy on me.ect.... When I'm in trouble...3times have mercy on me. ect....
So my first instument was my voice.
My mother played piano.
I wound up singing the leads to all the school songs after that.
Mrs.Rickman the music teacher always had me sing the lead solo to "I Come to the Garden Alone". for the school. Kindergarten and first grade.
I was studying piano by first grade.
brother scott